Volleyball Bows Out of KCAC Tournament With Semifinal Loss to Tabor

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College volleyball team saw its 2017 season draw to a close with a 26-24, 25-22, 25-23 loss to Tabor College in the semifinals of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Tournament.

After a fairly even start to the first set, Tabor utilized a 6-1 run to grab a 15-12 lead. McPherson responded with its own 6-1 run to move in front 18-16. The teams alternated side-outs, moving the score all the way to 23-21 on a kill by Lexi Kite (Thornton, Colo., Prairie View HS), but the Bluejays rattled off three straight points to get to set point. A kill by Devrie Sombers (Colorado Springs, Colo., Pinecreek HS) tied the set at 24-all, but Tabor was able to close out the set on a kill by Amy Horner and an attack error by Kite.

In the second frame, McPherson jumped out to a 6-2 lead behind a pair of kills by Sombers and a pair of Horner attack errors. The Bluejays slowly chipped away at the lead, winning six straight rallies at one point to turn a 15-13 deficit into a 19-15 lead. The Bulldogs rallied for four of the next five points to get back within one at 20-19, but Tabor was able to get kills out of Jessanna Nebel, Kim Hockley and Horner down the stretch to take the set and move ahead 2-0 overall.

Tabor grabbed the early lead in the third set, scoring three straight points at Kite's expense. The first two came on Kite attack errors, while the third came on a Megan Voth service ace that Kite wasn't able to handle. The Bulldogs recovered from the early misstep to take an 8-7 lead, but the Bluejays countered with three in a row to retake the lead.

McPherson had a 6-1 run later in the set powered by three blocks - all involving Sombers - to go in front 18-15, but it was immediately answered by six straight Tabor points. The Bulldogs would not back down, though, scoring four in a row capped by a block by Sombers and Kite to grab a 22-21 lead. The momentum could not be sustained, however, as the Bluejays scored four of the last five points to finish out the match.

Kite led McPherson with 11 kills, setting a new program season-season record with 410 kills, but also had 10 attack errors. She and Mady Woog (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Mountain Vista HS) each had one block assist as both picked up their 100th career blocks.

Riley Bradbury (Highlands Ranch, Colo., Rock Canyon HS) added eight kills, three digs and a pair of block assists, while Leia Seiler (Fort Lupton, Colo., Fort Lupton HS) had five kills and Sombers had four kills and five block assists.

Morgan Little (Las Vegas, Nev., Hutchinson CC) - in her final match as a Bulldog - had seven digs, an ace and a team-high 17 assists. Little finished her career with 1,106 career assists and 303 digs.

Kaitlyn Heinis (Oviedo, Fla., Paul J. Hagerty HS) added nine assists and Jamie Siess (Tecumseh, Kan., Shawnee Heights HS) posted a match-high 22 digs.

Like Kite, Tabor's Amy Horner - the 2017 KCAC Player of the Year - had an equally up-and-down game. She led all players with 17 kills, but also had 12 attack errors.

Kim Hockley added nine kills, while Jessanna Nebel had eight and Kendra Kroeker seven for the Bluejays, who went on to upend regular-season co-champion Ottawa in the final.

Ali Jost had a team-high 14 digs, while Megan Voth had 22 assists and 11 digs.

McPherson finishes the year at 22-12, setting a new single-season program mark for victories. The 43 victories over the past two seasons are the most for any back-to-back seasons in program history. The Bulldogs lose just one senior (Little).