Oct. 3, 2005

It wasn't the perfect match. In fact, the play of the Northeastern Junior College volleyball team Saturday might have been a step down from the recent past. But the fact remains that the Plainswomen played well enough to get their 10th straight win, this one coming against Trinidad, 30-13, 26-30, 30-20, 30-24 at Jackson Edwards Arena.

It was Northeastern's first home match since Aug. 31.

Coach Marci Henry was not pleased with her team's performance. "I am very disappointed because we have made huge strides," she said. "We gave an effort like we did the last time we were here."

The last time the Plainswomen were at Jackson Edwards Arena, they beat North Platte in three games. After that game, they left for a month-long road trip with a 4-2 record that would eventually tumble to 9-9. Since that point, Northeastern has played its best volleyball of the season in winning the WyoBraska tournament and winning the last nine games of the trip.

So Henry expected a little more from her team Saturday.

"We didn't play well in any aspect of the match," she said.

After easing to a win in the first game, Trinidad came back to get the second game. While the score was close in the third and fourth games, Northeastern never wavered.

Janie Elkins had four straight kills late in the fourth game to put the match away. Ashley Murphey led Northeastern with 13 kills on the night.

Ashley Kauffman and Shelby Heggie each had nine kills.

Elkins and libero Lindsey Wilson each had 11 digs.

Henry, though, was frustrated that her team would not play to its potential.

"No one is allowed to have a bad day," she said. "We are 28 games into the season. We have to find a way."

After heading to Lamar Tuesday, the Plainsowmen return home Friday and Saturday for the Pizza Hut Invitational.

Story by Dan Nied, @ Journal-Advocate