The Northwest College volleyball team needed two wins to make a push toward the postseason and got them, defeating Eastern Wyoming College 3-2 on Friday before defeating Laramie County Community College 3-1 on Saturday. Trapper Torey Parker earned the Region IX Offensive Player of the Week honors, finishing with 35 kills combined over both matches.

NORTHWEST 3, EASTERN WYOMING 2

(25-22, 26-28, 25-27, 29-27, 15-10)

In what turned out to be a marathon match on Friday evening the Trappers (12-14 overall, 4-5 Region IX North) welcomed in the Lancers (9-18 overall, 4-4 Region IX North) hoping to split the season series after being swept in Torrington earlier this month.

“I think that first time around was a big wake up call to us as a team and how we should be preparing and focusing on certain things,” coach Nicole Buck said.

Northwest trailed midway through the first set 13-10, before a quick rally pushed the hosts ahead 15-14.

The Trappers continued to hold the lead, winning the set on a Parker block 25-22.

Eastern again led midway through the second set, as the Lancers were up 15-12.

Northwest rallied, and tied the score late at 23 and even had a chance at a second set win after a Jaylin Mills kill made it 24-23.

Eastern scored consecutive points and took the lead, and continually held a one point lead whenever Northwest answered to tie the match.

The Lancers finally got their winning point on a hit out by the Trappers, tying the match 1-1 after the 28-26 victory.

Eastern again held a lead early in the third set, but Northwest kept within striking distance throughout.

Northwest had a chance at a set win up 24-23 after rallying to take the lead on a kill blocked out.

Just like the second set, the Lancers responded and got late points to take the 27-25 win and the 2-1 set lead.

In the fourth set Northwest took the lead midway through 11-8.

This time it was Eastern which pushed ahead late, and had a chance at set point up 24-23.

The Lancers had several attempts at match point, but the Trappers found enough to push ahead late as a Parker hit was blocked out and the Lancers hit another out to give Northwest the 29-27 win.

“That’s not just an improvement in the actual skills and physical abilities. It was an improvement in the mental game, which is something we’ve really been trying to focus on,” Buck said. “That was such a gritty battle, and sometimes you can lose it by just taking a mental break at the wrong time. So it just showed that the girls are getting better at finding ways to score, but they’re also finding ways to stay in the match mentally just a little bit longer to be able to see it all the way through.”

In the fifth, Northwest held a narrow 10-9 lead, before scoring five of the next six, winning on a kill by Jaylie Critchfield to take the 15-10 victory.

Parker led Northwest with 20 kills, hitting .514 in the match and adding 5.5 blocks, three of those solo.

Mills added 11 kills and McKinlee Scammon had 10.

Critchfield had 50 assists in the match, Mills led with 18 digs, Critchfield had 15, Ellee Summers had 11 and Scammon added 10.

Scammon led Northwest with three aces.

“It took all 17 of us on the roster to win that game because it wasn’t just what happened in the game. It was all the preparation leading up to it, the film sessions, recreating scenarios in practice,” Buck said. “In the match we knew in order to win that game we were going to have to mix up the offense as much as possible because they’re a good blocking team, so we couldn’t just rely on one hitter.”

NORTHWEST 3, LCCC 1

(25-16, 24-26, 26-24, 25-18)

The Trappers needed another win on Saturday, as they were looking for a season split against the Golden Eagles (3-22 overall, 1-7 Region IX North).

Northwest came out hitting strong, recording 16 kills in the first set and winning easily 25-16.

Both teams recorded 13 kills in the second set, but the Golden Eagles just pushed ahead of the Trappers for the 26-24 win.

Northwest returned the favor in the third, recording one more kill than LCCC and pulling off a 26-24 win to take a 2-1 lead.

Northwest then put together its best hitting set of the day to put away the match, as the Trappers had 16 kills on a .324 hitting percentage as a team to earn a 25-18 win.

“I think we proved we were the better team, but we just proved that when you put the work in and trust the process, which is what we’ve been focused on, it works,” Buck said.

Mills led with 17 kills, just ahead of Parker with 15.

Critchfield led with 35 assists, Summers led with 20 digs as Critchfield had 18, Bell had 12 and Scammon had 10.

Brakkin Larsen led with one block, while Scammon led with three aces.

REGION HONORS

For her efforts with 35 kills on a .449 hitting percentage for the weekend, Parker was named the Region IX Offensive Player of the Week for a second time this season.

“It’s pretty hard to get it even one time. So to get it twice is really incredible, especially in our league,” Buck said. “All the other teams have hitters that are producing a lot. It’s tough competition, and it’s cool to see her and our program recognized for those efforts.”

POSTSEASON PUSH

The Trappers finished the regular season at home on Wednesday night, welcoming in Central Wyoming College (6-17 overall, 5-4 Region IX North).

A win in that contest would most likely lock in the Trappers to the postseason tournament, as a crowded Region IX North only had two known positions as of Wednesday night, with Casper College locked in at the No. 1 seed and LCCC eliminated from postseason contention and four teams fighting for three spots.

“Because everything is so tight, winning would just make things a lot easier. Again, we’re really just focused on the process and making sure that we’re competing,” Buck said. “Obviously it’s important to get the win. There’s still a chance that we could go to regionals even if we don’t because everything is so tight … But it would be nice to just seal the deal with the victory and it would obviously be really important for the girls to just continue to see the pushes that we’ve been making and make one more big push.”

Wednesday’s game was determined after the press deadline. If Northwest advances to the Region IX Tournament the first contest will be Wednesday, Nov. 4.

NORTHWEST 3, EASTERN WYOMING 2

(25-22, 26-28, 25-27, 29-27, 15-10)

Total blocks then solo blocks in ()

Kills — Torey Parker 20, Jaylin Mills 11, McKinlee Scammon 10, Brakkin Larsen 9, Chaney Reish 8, Jaylie Critchfield 2, Eva Murray 1, Saige Kidd 1

Assists — Jaylie Critchfield 50, Ellee Summers 3, McKinlee Scammon 3, Nevaeh Bell 1

Digs — Jaylin Mills 18, Jaylie Critchfield 15, Ellee Summers 11, McKinlee Scammon 10, Torey Parker 9, Lundyn Murray 9, Nevaeh Bell 5, Brakkin Larsen 2

Blocks — Torey Parker 5.5 (3), Chaney Reish 2.5 (2), Brakkin Larsen 2 (1), McKinlee Scammon 1.5 (1), Saige Kidd .5, Jaylin Mills .5

Aces — McKinlee Scammon 3, Lundyn Murray 2, Jaylie Critchfield 1, Ellee Summers 1

NORTHWEST 3, LCCC 1

(25-16, 24-26, 26-24, 25-18)

Kills — Jaylin Mills 17, Torey Parker 15, McKinlee Scammon 9, Brakkin Larsen 8, Jaylie Critchfield 2, Saige Kidd 2, Chaney Reish 2, Eva Murray 1, Lundyn Murray 1

Assists — Jaylie Critchfield 35, Maddie Mills 7, McKinlee Scammon 4, Nevaeh Bell 4

Digs — Ellee Summers 20, Jaylie Critchfield 18, Nevaeh Bell 12, McKinlee Scammon 10, Jaylin Mills 8, Lundyn Murray 7, Maddie Mills 5, Saige Kidd 2, Torey Parker 2, Natalee Hayder 1, Brakkin Larsen 1, Chaney Reish 1

Blocks — Brakkin Larsen 1, Jaylie Critchfield .5, Eva Murray .5, Jaylin Mills .5

Aces — McKinlee Scammon 3, Jaylie Critchfield 2, Ellee Summers 1, Maddie Mills 1, Jaylin Mills 1

REGION IX NORTH STANDINGS

(Overall record then conference record, top four qualify for Region IX Tournament next week)

1. Casper College 16-13 overall, 8-0 Region IX North

2. Central Wyoming 6-17 overall, 5-4 Region IX North

3. Eastern Wyoming 9-18 overall, 4-4 Region IX North

4. Northwest College 12-14 overall, 4-5 Region IX North

5. Gillette College 14-10 overall, 3-5 Region IX North

6. LCCC 3-22 overall, 1-7 Region IX North