Oct. 31, 2005

On the surface, it was an easy win for the No. 17 Northeastern Junior College volleyball team.

But still, coach Marci Henry was not thrilled about the way her team played against McCook Friday at Jackson Edwards Arena.

While the Plainswomen managed a relatively easy sweep - 30-18, 30-16, 30-11 - it wasn't until the third game that Henry believed her team lived up to its talent.

"I didn't feel we were giving them our best effort," Henry said. "I didn't appreciate that. Finally, in game three we did."

Northeastern improves to 32-11 on the season. Since beginning 9-9 in its first 18 matches, the Plainswomen have gone 23-2 with both losses to Region IX rival Western Nebraska.

That success made Friday's match against McCook more of a tune-up for the Region IX tournament than anything else.

Perhaps because of that, the Plainswomen played to their opponent's level.

Henry knows her team still has a long way to go if it wants to beat Western Nebraska, the No. 2 team in the nation, in the Region IX tournament.

The Cougars swept Northeastern Wednesday at Jackson Edwards arena.

"Wednesday showed us that we still have some things to do to get better," Henry said.

Apparently, she did not see much of that against McCook, when the Plainswomen had 12 unforced errors in the first game.

However, Northeastern played tough defense throughout the night.

Jimilia McNeal had 10 blocks, one off the school record she set earlier this season.

As a team the Plainswomen had 17 blocks. Janie Elkins had 15 digs and Lindsey Wilson had 14 while Erin Holbrook had 10.

"We blocked well," Henry said. "Controlling the net was a big difference."

In the third game, the Plainswomen had 10 blocks, giving them some momentum and energy in a game they basically had already won.

"That boosted our intensity," McNeal said. "In the first two games we weren't very energetic."

Offensively, Stacy Manweiler had 36 assists and 16 service points.

Shelby Heggie led in kills with 12 and Elkins had 10.

Northeastern will play its last regular season match Wednesday at home against Eastern Wyoming.

It will be the last chance for the Plainswomen to escape the habit of playing down to their opponents, like they feel they did Friday.

"We played to their level," McNeal said. "It was slow. We had to realize that we need to play at our level."