The Highland Community College volleyball team bounced back with a strong home-court performance Friday, September 18, defeating Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in four sets. The Scotties opened the match with a 25-20 victory, but NEO answered in the second set, edging Highland 29-27 in an extra-point battle. Rather than letting the close second-set loss change the momentum, Highland responded by taking control of the match in the third set, winning 25-17. The Scotties then closed out the match with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set. The win gave Highland a solid response on its home court, particularly after the teams battled through a closely contested second set. The Scotties' ability to regroup and win the final two sets secured the four-set victory.
Then Highland Community College volleyball team put together a strong weekend at the Johnson County Tournament, winning both of its matches with victories over Hawkeye Community College and Lincoln Land Community College. The Scotties opened tournament play with a hard-fought five-set win over Hawkeye, 26-24, 21-25, 15-25, 25-21, 15-9. After dropping the second and third sets, Highland responded when it mattered most, taking the fourth set to force a decisive fifth and then controlling the final set for the 15-9 victory.
Highland finished the Hawkeye match with 69 kills on 173 attacks for a .208 hitting percentage, along with 67 assists, 67 digs, six service aces and four total blocks.
Cali Honeyman led the Scottie attack with 21 kills while hitting .341.
Paige Heiman added 11 kills,
Miranda Rieger finished with 10 kills and a .389 hitting percentage, and
Addison Schwinn contributed nine kills.
Hallie Holthaus made an impact in several areas, leading Highland with 29 assists while also recording three service aces on a perfect 21-for-21 day from the service line.
Emma Hyde added 21 assists. Defensively,
Daynica Euwer led the Scotties with 21 digs, while
Harlee Blackwell recorded 13 and Holthaus added 11. Honeyman also contributed at the net with two solo blocks and one block assist. Highland carried that momentum into its second match, sweeping Lincoln Land in straight sets, 25-18, 25-14, 25-19.
The Scotties were especially steady from the service line against Lincoln Land, with only one serving error in 73 attempts. Highland finished with 45 kills, 39 assists, 47 digs and five service aces while hitting .211 as a team.
Honeyman again led the offense with 12 kills and added three aces while serving a perfect 14-for-14. Heiman and
Tailyn Kadavy each recorded nine kills, with Kadavy hitting an impressive .444 on 18 attacks. Rieger added eight kills. Holthaus led Highland with 16 assists, while Hyde added 11 and
Bella Ah-Mu contributed five.
Cami Dalinghaus paced the defense with 10 digs, followed by Honeyman with seven and Euwer with six. Schwinn and Kadavy each contributed two block assists.
Across the two victories, Highland totaled 114 kills, 106 assists, 114 digs and 11 service aces. Honeyman led the offense with 33 kills over the two matches, while Holthaus handed out 45 assists. The weekend gave the Scotties two very different types of wins — one requiring them to battle through five sets and another in which they controlled the match from start to finish. In both, Highland showed balance across its offense, defense and serving game as the Scotties continue through the heart of their season.
Come out to Ben Allen Field House on Wednesday, September 23, at 6 p.m. as the Scotties return to conference action against No. 2 Cowley County Community College. Highland will be back on its home court again Thursday, September 24, when the Scotties take on Bethany College JV at 5:30 p.m.
