Badgers drop WJCAC opener to NMMI

The Amarillo College volleyball team dropped their first conference match of the season on the road against 12th ranked New Mexico Military Institute – the defending Western Junior College Athletic Conference postseason champions on Sept. 13.

The Broncos downed the Badgers in straight sets (25-12, 25-21, 25-18) behind a game-best 15 kills by 6-foot-1 Leah Linares, a freshman from Guadalajara, Mexico. Linares tallied the highest hitting percentage of any opposing player this season in the match (.538)

Two-time WJCAC Player of the Week Victoria Oliveira, a 6-foot-2 freshman from Sao Paulo, Brazil, finished the match with 11 kills via a .261 hitting percentage.

NMMI tallied the second highest hitting percentage by a Badger opponent in the match (.336), trailing only fifth ranked Northeastern Junior College.

A slow start by the Badgers in set one ignited a 9-1 run by the Broncos to start the match and the home team held at least a four-point advantage the rest of the way in set one.

Amarillo College took advantage of multiple self-inflicted errors by NMMI in set two and were in a favorable position to take the frame with an 18-14 lead. Freshman Zaiah Buchanan and sophomore Jaron McAden helped propel the Badgers to their advantage midway through the set with two kills apiece.

A Carli Colbert ace, Jorja Wilson block, and a D'Leah Hill back-to-back block and kill ended the run.

The Broncos ensued with an 11-3 rally to take the second set and secure momentum to close the match in set 3.

Amarillo College held a 9-8 advantage in set three before NMMI took the lead for good at 10-9. The Badgers fell behind 18-10 and did not get closer than five points to conclude the match.

D'Leah Hill led the Badgers with seven kills and Wilson added two blocks.

Rachel Russell added a team-best 17 digs and Colbert contributed 23 assists.

The Badgers record fell to 5-8 with the loss and 0-1 in conference play.