Crucial match Friday at home

The Northwest Trappers needed only six sets to score conference wins last week, as the end of conference volleyball play approaches.

The Trappers dominated Central Wyoming 25-16, 25-7, 25-14 on Friday and held off a challenge from Western Wyoming 25-19, 25-13, 25-22 Saturday.

The wins kept the Trappers in a tie for first place with Laramie County — which will come to Powell this week for a match that should determine which team will enjoy the top seed at next month’s conference tournament.

The Trappers took a quick lead over Central Wyoming in the first set when the Rustlers’ couldn’t return a Maliyah Tela serve and Olivia Jarvis and Lauga Gauta each recorded a kill. Northwest built a four-point lead, but Central stayed close, tying the set at eight and again at 14. At that point, a Lauryn Dela Cruz kill and a tip by Tela stretched the lead to 17-14, and the Trappers ended the set with an 8-2 run.

Set two opened with an 11-1 run for the Trappers, and Central never recovered. Jarvis opened the scoring with a kill and later served three aces. She also assisted on a block with Aleksandra Saric, who made a solo block. The Trappers lost the serve, but regained it with the score 13-5 and reeled off seven unanswered points. Jarvis scored game point to end the set 25-7.

Central scored first in set three — for their only lead in the match — but quickly lost it on an attack by Gauta; she then went to the service line and served an ace. Northwest built an 9-4 lead early with net play by Julianna Hughes and Jelena Slijepcevic. Northwest gradually took control until their lead reached double digits at 23-13. Hughes scored to put the team at match point and Nevena Pejovic ended the match.

Coach Shaun Pohlman said he thought the Rustlers “had an off night.” Central is winless in conference play, but Pohlman thinks the team may not be at full strength.

“They might have an injury or two that are hurting them,” he said.

Gauta led the team with 14 kills and Dela Cruz made 11. Jarvis and Holly Pittman each added five kills to the offensive effort. Slijepcevic and Tela shared time at setter, recording 19 and 25, respectively. Defensively, Dela Cruz recorded 11 digs, Alye Wagner six and Tela five.

The Trappers met a bigger challenge against Western Wyoming. The Mustangs scored first, and while the Trappers quickly went in front, they were unable to push the lead past two points until an ace from Tela and attack by Jarvis made it 10-6. Western came right back, though, tying the score at 10. Northwest again built a three-point lead, 14-11, only to see Western tie it up again. Two more tie scores were recorded before the Trappers engineered a 5-1 run. Trailing 21-17, the Mustangs were unable to close the gap, and a block by Dela Cruz and Jarvis gave the Trappers the set 25-19.

The Trappers had an easier time of it in set two, taking an early lead and gradually increasing it. The Mustangs were never able to score more than two consecutive points and the set went to Northwest, 25-13.

Set three, however, was a repeat of the first. The Trappers led by as many as four points, but Western kept fighting back. When NWC misplayed an attack and let the ball drop to the floor, the match was tied at 17. The Mustangs then took the lead with a block, but lost it on a serving error. They took the lead once more, 19-18, but then the Trappers took charge. Jarvis tied the match, followed by scores from Dela Cruz and Saric to put the Trappers up by two. They held on to win the set 25-22, and the match 3-0.

Pohlman credited Western Wyoming for their performance and said the Mustangs will be a factor in the conference tournament.

“They are obviously talented, and they have competed in a lot of games with good teams,” he said. “They definitely could be a dark horse in the tournament, even though their conference record isn’t good.”

Pohlman said he was happy with the Trapper’s performance during the weekend, especially some who are returning from injury.

“Aleksandra (Saric) has been injured and she’s making big strides coming back,” he said. “She had five kills on Friday and seven on Saturday. It’s been fun watching her come back.”

Another player returning from injury is Slijepcevic.

“(Slijepcevic) played well this weekend, and that’s good for us because (she’s) our other setter. That covers us if there’s an injury,” Pohlman said. “She’s not really a backup. She’s as good as Maliyah (Tela) and that’s important.”

Pohlman also singled Wagner for her play as the team’s libero.

“Saturday might have been her best game of the season,” he said.

Gauta and Dela Cruz led the team in kills against Western with 12 and 10, respectively. Saric finished with seven and Jarvis four. Slijepcevic contributed 18 assists and Tela 16 to the offensive effort while Gauta served six aces. Defensively, Wagner picked up 17 digs, Gauta seven, Dela Cruz five and Tela four. Jarvis assisted with three blocks, while Dela Cruz and Pittman each made two assisted blocks.

The conference season ends this weekend, and it brings a crucial match for the Trappers in their quest to return to the national tournament. Friday night brings the Laramie County Golden Eagles to Powell, and a win by the Trappers would earn them the top seed in the conference. The teams are tied for first with 7-1 records, and both are ranked nationally, with 19th-ranked Powell a step ahead of 20th-ranked Laramie County. Saturday afternoon, the Trappers will host Eastern Wyoming to close out the regular season.

Action begins at 7 p.m. Friday in Cabre Gym. Saturday’s match begins at 3 p.m.