CHANUTE — This wasn’t the season of firsts Jessica Peters was looking for.
A loss Wednesday to rival Neosho County Community College ensured the Allen Community College volleyball squad will miss the Region VI playoffs for the first time under Peters’ tenure.
“There was a numb feeling on the short drive home tonight,” Peters said. “It’s just so disappointing that our sophomores had to end their … conference experience like that.”
The Red Devils entered Wednesday in a three-way tie for the seventh playoff seat, but instead wound up ninth and out of the playoffs, courtesy of a 25-16, 25-14, 25-23 loss to Neosho County.
Allen, 13-18 overall, will wrap up its 2012 season Monday in Miami, Okla., against Northeast Oklahoma A&M College.
PETERS SAID Neosho County’s defensive work was pivotal Wednesday, effectively shutting down the Red Devil hitters at the net.
“Allen failed to reciprocate and apply the same ability as Neosho in sets 1 and 2,” Peters said, which led to several extended Panther point runs through the early going.
“Unfortunately, Allen decided it was game time too late in the third set,” she said. “This has become a trend that started roughly around a huge conference loss at home to Coffeyville.”
The Coffeyville loss Oct. 10 instigated a season-ending slump in which the Red Devils dropped seven of their last nine matches.
“Since that match, Allen has struggled to find six individuals who make a team that wants to win,” Peters said. “Some season-ending injuries have also hurt us along the way, but we have a roster healthy enough to compete; we just fail to do it as a team.”
The Red Devils have the same Region VI record (3-8) as Hesston Community College, but were relegated to the ninth spot in the standings after losing to Hesston Sept. 19 — Allen’s first loss to that squad in five years.
Peters cited the effort of three sophomores on the court, Jacqui Ortiz, Hayley Mertens and Randi Billings, ‘who played their hearts out tonight.”
Mertens, who recently was named the NJCAA and KJCCC player of the week for the second time this season, led the Red Devils with eight kills, 11 digs, an ace, a solo block and 10 points overall. Ortiz had eight digs, while Danielle Goodman and Sierra Morgison added four kills apice. Sarah Charbonneau had 12 digs. Billing shad two solo blocks.
Allen 16-14-23
Neosho Co. 25-25-25
Allen’s results: Danielle Goodman, 4 kills, 3 assists, 2 digs, 4 points; Sierra Morgison, 4 kills, 1 ace, 9 digs, 5 points; Sidney Keith, 1 kill, 6 digs, 1 solo block, 2 points; Adriee Munoz, 5 assists, 1 ace, 9 digs, 1 point; Sarah Charbonneau, 1 ace, 12 digs, 1 point; Jacqui Ortiz, 2 kills, 7 assists, 8 digs, 2 points; Cheyanne Miller, 1 kill, 1 assist, 3 digs, 1 block assist, 1.5 points; Hayley Mertens, 8 kills, 1 ace, 11 digs, 1 solo block, 10 points; Randi Billings, 1 assist, 2 solo blocks, 1 block assist, 2.5 points; Autumn Douglas, 1 kill, 1 point
Loss drops ACC from playoff contention
