Badgers become battle tested in Colorado at Soco Classic

Whether the Amarillo College volleyball team had their entire starting lineup available or not, the Badgers faced a daunting task when they took to the Court in Trinidad, Colorado last Friday and Saturday at the Soco Classic.

Amarillo College competed against a pair of nationally ranked opponents without their starting setter, Carli Colbert, due to injury and finished the two-day event with a 1-3 record.

"I thought all three teams we got beat by were quality opponents. Without Carli, in football terms, it's like having a wide receiver start at quarterback. It made a huge difference," Amarillo College head coach Scott Sandel said. "I felt the girls did a good job of battling, but we weren't able to sustain it."

Amarillo College won their final contest of the tournament on Aug. 26 with a sweep (25-15, 25-21, 25-19) over Yavapai College – a program that hails from Prescott, Arizona.

The Badgers dropped their first three matches prior to their lone victory. On Friday, Amarillo College remained undefeated in the first set but dropped both matches in four.

The Badgers fell to Garden City Community College, who had a 3-1 recording entering the contest, in four sets (12-25, 25-13, 26-24, 25-20) to begin the tournament. An hour later, Amarillo College faced 17th ranked Butler Community College and suffered another hard-fought defeat (22-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-17).

"We come out and play great in the first set, but we need to learn how to play hard as possible for three, four or five sets," Sandel noted. "Our effort was pretty solid, the focus wasn't as much."

Amarillo College drew the 8 a.m. slot on Saturday with the 12th ranked squad in NJCAA D-1, Northeastern Junior College.

The undefeated Plainsmen (9-0), who haven't dropped a set this season, ended the Badgers spotless first-set streak and won the match (25-21, 25-19, 25-21).

"There definitely the best team we've played so far. They're ranked 12th but I see them more as a top-5 team."

Sophomore outside hitter and middle blocker, Jaron McAden, put together the most productive four-game stretch of her career from an offensive standpoint over the weekend.

The 2022 Badger Volleyball Athlete of the Year recorded a team-best 43 kills and did so via a .300 hitting percentage – a team-high mark as well.

"She had an outstanding tournament and showed a lot of good things from the outside hitter spot," Sandel said.

While McAden's performance was headline worthy and arguably the best performance overall this season by a Badger, it could not have been accomplished without fellow sophomore Skylar Rivers.

Rivers was tasked with playing setter for the first time in her playing career, including her childhood and club ball, due to the injury of Colbert.

The 5-foot-6, Wichita Falls native led Amarillo College in assists (78 over four games) and tied the fourth-highest assist total in a single game by a Badger in program history (25) during AC's sweep of Yavapai.

"She did a really good job. To do what she did and do it at the highest level of junior college with no setting experience outside of practice, it speaks volumes about her as a player," Sandel said.

Sophomore libero Taylor Irving led the team in digs once again, tallying 54 digs in 72 attempts, followed by Rivers, who added 39 digs.

Freshman KayleeJo Underwood – a 6-footer from Midland Greenwood – led the team in blocks by a considerable margin with 16.

Bushland freshman Rachel Russell ended the tournament with a team-best six aces, vaulting her season total to 11.