Badgers best Bulldogs behind sophomore standouts

Adversity has struck in many forms for the Amarillo College volleyball this season.

With a lineup that has been missing at least one starter since the first tourney of the season, the Badgers started conference 0-3, putting them in a near must-win scenario when they traveled to Clarendon College on Saturday.

Amarillo College responded with their two most dominant match-opening sets of the season and survived a late third set rally to sweep the Bulldogs (25-13, 25-14, 28-26).

"I thought we played with confidence and executed well," Amarillo head coach Scott Sandel said. "I think the girls walked in expecting to win that match and we did what we were supposed to do."

The Badgers tallied a season-best .345 hitting percentage as a team in the first two sets of Saturday's match. Sophomore Jaron McAden led the way with a team-best 10 kills via a .389 hitting percentage.

Sophomore setter Carli Colbert had a career day running Sandel's 6-1 system. The Lubbock native dished out a school-record 39 assists and totaled 15 digs. The dig and assist total (54) are the highest combination of the two statistics in Colbert's career and program history.

A pair of sophomores continued their emergence as newfound starters during the Badgers sweep of the Bulldogs.

Abree Elsheimer tallied eight kills via a .238 hitting percentage – both second-highest marks in her lone season with AC. Addison McLain, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, recorded six kills by way of a .308 hitting percentage.

"They both stepped up when called upon and were important parts to our success," Sandel added.

Amarillo College pulled away in sets one and two via a 7-0 run to end the first game and a 14-6 run to conclude the second set.

In set three, the Badgers trailed 12-7 before going on a 9-0 run to take a 16-12 lead.

During the run, D'Leah Hill recorded two kills, Colbert and McAden tallied one kill apiece, and Rachel Russell had an ace.

Clarendon College followed with a run of their own, taking the lead at 21-20 and 26-25.

A McAden Kill, Taylor Irving ace, and a Zaiah Buchanan kill ended the third set and secured the Badgers' first conference victory.

The win improved the Badgers' overall record to 6-11 and moved their conference record to 1-3.

Amarillo College competes in a pair of games with potential postseason implications this week. The Badgers host Western Texas College (11-10, 1-3) on Wednesday, Sept. 27 and follow with another home matchup on Saturday, Sept. 30 against Frank Phillips College (5-11, 2-2).

The Badgers are tied for sixth place in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference with the Westerners. Frank Phillips College and New Mexico Junior College are tied for fourth place with 2-2 records in WJCAC.

WJCAC front runners Odessa College and New Mexico Military Institute are ranked fourth and seventh respectively in the latest set of NJCAA DI rankings that were released on Sept. 25.

New Mexico Junior College is slotted at No. 10.