Cottey Comets sweep Labette in road win

The Cottey College Comets stopped a two-game losing streak Friday night when they swept Labette County Community College 26-24, 25-13, 25-22.

The first game was a fierce battle against the Cardinals. On two occasions, at 13-12 and 23-22, the home team pulled within a point of the Comets. Cottey was able to hole the advantage, however, and grab a two-point game one victory.

The second game in a match has tended to be the Comets' Achilles heel this season, but it was not so on Friday as Cottey jumped out to a 6-0 lead before the Cardinals even got on the scoreboard. The Comets never let Labette into the game, holding 13-5 and 23-13 leads.

"I have to give my Comets some credit for staying focused and not getting that lax feeling that they always seem to have had most of the season for set two," said head coach Marla Kannady Foreman.

After being crushed in game two in front of the hometown fans, Labette came out with a vengeance in what was to be the final game of the night. In fact, the Cardinals held a slim lead, 11-13, over the Comets before Cottey regained the upper hand. At 23-22, it was still anyone's game, but the Comets stepped up to sweep the final points of the game and the match.

Team leaders for the Comets were Lauren Jenkins with three aces and 13 kills, Anna Cruse with seven blocks, Jesse Jargowsky with 21 assists and Carmen Kintz with 28 digs.

The Comets are within two wins of matching their season high in victories from the 2005 season. "They are seeing that their goal of beating the 17-6 record from 2005 is very much obtainable for them at this point, so they are extremely excited to make things happen in the course of a match," said Foreman. "Our practices have been going quite well here for the last of the season and I have been through some years where you didn't know if the players were going to make it or not, due to lack of energy and motivation. The extreme leadership which continues to pour it out from my sophomores, is a main factor in keeping everyone on board here at the last of the season."

The win raised the Comets' record to 15-6 on the season. Next up is a trip to Joplin on Tuesday, Oct. 21, to face Ozark Christian College. The final home match of the season will be on Monday, Oct. 27, when the Comets face Northeast Oklahoma A&M Community College at 7 p.m.