DRAGONS DROP 5-SET HEARTBREAKER AT COLBY

Lauren Willson had 15 kills and 10 digs to lead the Blue Dragons in a five-set loss at Colby on Wednesday. (Casey Bailey/Blue Dragon Sports Information)
Lauren Willson had 15 kills and 10 digs to lead the Blue Dragons in a five-set loss at Colby on Wednesday. (Casey Bailey/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

COLBY – The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team was trying to pull off a feat done only five times in program history on Wednesday at undefeated Colby.

The Blue Dragons dropped the first two sets to Colby, but rallied to win the third and fourth sets. Hutch had a late lead and had Colby on the ropes. The Trojans remained undefeated with a 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 17-25, 16-14 win over Hutchinson.

Hutch is now 4-5 overall and 3-2 in the Jayhawk West. Colby improves to 13-0 overall and 4-0 in the West. The Blue Dragons are home on Saturday against Garden City in a 5 p.m. first serve at the Sports Arena.

After rallying to force a fifth set, the Blue Dragons built a 12-9 lead in the fifth set, Forcing Colby to take a timeout. Colby then scored the next three points to knot the match again. A critical call went against the Dragons when the down official called a late touch on the Dragons, so inside of Hutch leading 13-10, the lead was 12-11. Hutch had one match point, but couldn't convert.

Sophomore Elena Takova had a huge match hitting .410 with 19 kills on 39 swings and only three errors.

Freshman Lauren Willson had a season-high 15 kills and hit .182. Freshman Eden Hiebert had 15 kills on .163 hitting. Sophomore Lexi Hogan had 12 kills.

Willson posted her first career double-double adding 13 digs. Sophomore setter Cassidy Crites had her fifth double-double of the season with 22 assists and 13 digs. Sophomore Payton Gawith had 12 assists.

Sophomore libero Raychel Reed had a season-high 26 digs.

Hutchinson is now 0-2 in five-set matches this season and has dropped six consecutive five-set matches going back to last season.