DCCC’s local products key in getting a home win against Colby Trojans

The Dodge City Community College Conquistador volleyball team had a week to gameplan for their home Jayhawk Conference match against the Colby CC Trojans Wednesday. After the team's four-set loss to Pratt a week ago, Dodge City came back and took care of business against Colby at the DCCC gymnasium in four sets to improve its record to 13-10 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
    A couple of locals helped Dodge City's cause along the way as well.
    Middle blocker and Dodge native Jamisha Johnson had eight kills and no errors on the match, while Ensign product Mikaela Holsten had five kills, no errors and left the match with a .333 hitting efficiency.
    Holsten added 2.5 blocks as well from the front line.
    "Tonight was one of the funnest nights we've had this season," said coach Shaun Pohlman. "I think that enthusiasm was one of the reasons we were so successful."
    The Conqs stormed out of the gates in the first set and controlled the pace throughout. After a 25-18 win, the Conqs seemed to be in control of the match.
    But Colby jumped all over Dodge in the second set. After starting the set on a 9-2 roll, the Trojans jumped ahead 19-6  on their way to an eventual 25-14 win.
    With the win, the Trojans tied the match, but also stole the ever-important momentum of the match.
    "We have to learn how to play set number two," Pohlman said. "It's all part of being a consistent team, but Colby made fewer mistakes in the second set, and because they did that and jumped on us early, we just couldn't catch up."
    But the Pohlman's Conqs responded in the third and fourth sets. They survived a scare late in the third set after a 12-6 start and finished strong for a 27-25 win to go up two sets to one.
    Big blocks by middle blocker Shannan Lane and Holsten brought Dodge back from a 23-24 deficit to pull out the win. One of Holsten's biggest blocks came in crunch-time on the 27th point of the third set.
    "We've got to start strong and finish strong, and we held through that all night," Pohlman said.
    The Conqs would not be denied in Wednesday's fourth and final set. The team began the set on a 13-5 run. The attack of Lane, Johnson and team captain Janelle Burnett and Holsten's block were too much for the Trojans to bear, and the Conqs eventually led out to a 21-11 lead before finishing the set off 25-14 on a Trojan double-hit.
    "We've still got some smaller blips here and there," Pohlman said. "Kinks are going to happen, but they were fewer and farther between in this one. We're really starting to pave a smooth road after some ups and downs."
    The Conqs will look to continue along the winning path Friday at Saturday at a tournament hosted by Hesston College. The Conqs are guaranteed four matches.