Hutchinson CC Sports Information

LIBERAL – Sophomore Tatyana Ndekwe continued her strong late-season play, but the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team had a hard time containing the Seward County Saints' big three in the 2017 season finale on Saturday at the Green House.

The Blue Dragons pushed the 2017 Jayhawk West champion Saints hard, but Seward County prevailed in four sets 25-23, 27-25, 20-25, 25-22 to complete an undefeated regular season.

Hutchinson finishes the regular season at 24-12 and finishes second in the conference with a 13-3 record. The Blue Dragons will carry the No. 2 overall seed into the Region VI Tournament, which begins on Tuesday against Dodge City in a 6:30 p.m. match at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons were out-hit .344-.240 in the match, but slightly out-blocked the Saints 9-8. Seward also held a 69-48 dig advantage.

Saint Mariana Nascimento had 17 kills on .457 hitting to lead all players. Giovana Tapigliani had 15 kills and middle Luz Sierra had 10 kills on .571 hitting with six total blocks.

Ndekwe led the Blue Dragons out of the middle with 14 kills on 23 attacks for a .478 hitting percentage. Ndekwe also added five block assists.

Sophomore Page Hiebert finished with 13 kills on .023 hitting. She also had six digs, two service aces and three block assists. Sophomore Nina Pevic finished with nine kills on .217 hitting. Katie Jorn, Leonie Wienkaemper and Patricia Joseph had five kills each.

Jorn posted her ninth double-double of the season with 39 assists and 12 digs to go with her career-best .417 attack percentage.

Raychel Reed had 13 digs for the Dragons. Wienkaemper had five total blocks.

If the Blue Dragons defeat Dodge City on Tuesday, they will return to Seward County's Green House for the Region VI Tournament's final day on Sunday, November 5.