Cobras Volleyball Sweeps Four Matches in Straight Sets
Cobras win 24 of 25 sets at Waubonsee Invite
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. – The Parkland women’s volleyball team went undefeated in 12 sets at the Waubonsee Invitational with a 4-0 record on the day and an 8-0 record in its season-opening tournament this weekend. The Cobras won 24 of 25 sets over the two-day tournament.
After winning its final 11 sets on Saturday, Parkland swept through its competition on Sunday with four straight-set sweeps. Outscoring opponents 300-167, and never winning a set by fewer than seven points, Parkland earned wins over Oakton (IL), South Suburban (IL), Sauk Valley (IL) and Waubonsee (IL). The Cobras hit at a .413 clip in its four matches on Sunday, while totaling 35.5 blocks and 34 aces across the four wins.
Picking up where they left off on Saturday night, Parkland opened Sunday with a dominating offensive display against Oakton. Hitting above .400 in all three sets, Parkland only committed five attack errors on 78 swings. Leading the offense was freshman Amanda Greening with 16 kills on 21 errorless swings (.762). Sophomore Ashley King tallied 23 assists to pace the offense, while the Parkland defense was spearheaded by Maddie Allen’s six blocks.
Following Greening’s hitting spree in game one, Parkland spread the ball around in its second match, a sweep (25-13, 25-12, 25-10) of South Suburban, with three players tallying double-digit kills. Abby Burnett led all attackers with 13 kills on just 16 swings (.812), while Greening and Sidney Heck each pitched in 10 kills of their own. The Cobra defense was guided by Ellie Stone’s 13 digs and five blocks from both Allen and Burnett.
In Parkland’s sweep (25-14, 25-16, 25-17) of Sauk Valley on Sunday afternoon, Ryleigh Warfel led the way with Parkland’s first double-double of the day, killing 16 attacks to go along with 18 digs, both of which were a single-match high for Parkland on Sunday. Middle blocker Shelby Nunamker made her first appearance of the day as well, scoring 10 kills on 16 swings without an error and chipped in four blocks. Setting up Warfel and Nunamker was Rachel Verdun with a season-best 43 assists. Gabby Wessels and Brooke Norder joined Warfel in double-digit dig outputs, each registering 17 apiece.
The Cobras closed out the weekend with a 25-18, 25-14, 25-13 sweep of tournament host Waubonsee. Parkland leaned on freshmen Gabby Wessels and Ryleigh Warfel in the final victory of the weekend, as Wessels tallied 15 kills and 10 digs, while Warfel recorded 11 kills and 14 digs. Dakota Harmon and Nunamker led the Parkland defense’s 9.5 team blocks with both middle blockers earning five stuffs.
[Article by Chad Beyler]