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Solid effort not enough for Cottey
By Jason Peake
Daily Mail Sports Editor
NEVADA --Despite a solid effort, the Cottey College volleyball team could never quite get over the hump on Tuesday night.
Visiting Northeastern Oklahoma A&M pulled out a close victory over the Comets, winning 26-24, 25-22, 27-25 at Hinkhouse Gymnasium.
The host Comets had set points in both the first and third sets of the match, only to see the Norse pull out a close win each time.
"Tonight was another step forward in our getting better," Cottey Coach Marla Kannady Foreman said. "We did have our opportunities in game one and game three to clinch, but didn't get it. However, if I look at the whole night, I'm fine with it. I can tell they wanted it. The girls played hard and played as a team. And that's important to me."
The first set was tied at 20. Sam Pierce had two kills for the Comets, but NEO responded each time.
Moments later, a service error on NEO gave Cottey a 24-23 lead. The Comets committed a hitting error, making it 24-24. NEO's Samantha Smith had a kill at the net and then the Norse blocked a Cottey kill attempt for the final point.
Cottey stayed close in the second set. Kills from Alexis Self and Pierce, along with an ace by Taylor McCue cut NEO's lead to 23-20.
But once again, the visitors got it done at the end and earned the win.
In the third set, both teams once again went back and forth throughout.
The set was tied at 22 when two-straight hitting errors on NEO gave Cottey a 24-22 lead.
The Comets served into the net on the next point. NEO's Cassie Green slammed a kill to tie it up. Cottey's Lindsey Aldridge scored at the net, but NEO got an ace by Green and then the Comets failed to return a serve, giving NEO the victory.
Foreman noted her team fared much better on Tuesday against NEO A&M than when the two teams met in Miami, Okla. in September.
"It was a dramatic change," Foreman said. "We scored a lot more against them this time. I'm seeing progress against these tougher teams."
The Comets are now 5-18 on the season, but Foreman said she's seen a lot of progress lately.
"I'd give anything to get the girls a good win," Foreman said. "They are working hard in practice. I wish they could get another win to pay off that hard work. But I know the girls are determined not to give up on the season. And I'm proud of them."
Cottey is home again this Friday night against Allen County Community College of Iola, Kan. The match begins at 6:30 p.m.
It will be the final home match of the season for the Comets.