It is the final Region IX South conference game of the season for the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team when they take to the court Wednesday night and the team knows how important that match will be when Northeastern Junior College pays a visit to Cougar Palace.
The No. 2 ranked Cougars will battle the Plainswomen at 7 p.m. A win Wednesday and the Cougars will wrap up the No. 1 seed for the Region IX South tournament that begins next week in La Junta, Colorado.
The contest not only is a match between the two South rivals, but it is also PAWzitively Pink night at Cougar Palace for breast cancer awareness. Breast cancer survivors get in free while anyone wearing pink will get $1 off admission.
With all the hype for breast cancer awareness, the match itself is one of importance. WNCC leads the South conference with an 8-1 record, while NJC is 6-2.
The Cougars, 29-3, have won eight straight since suffering a loss to Otero Junior College on Oct. 6. The Cougars are a perfect 12-0 at home this season with two home games left after Wednesday when they host Laredo Community College on Friday at 7 p.m. and then No. 3 Iowa Western Community College at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
NJC has three matches left after Wednesday, hosting McCook on Friday before returning to Cougar Palace on Saturday to play Laredo Community College and Iowa Western Community College.
NJC enters Wednesday's contest with a 13-16 record. The Plainswomen have won their last four. NJC topped Otero Junior College in five games on Saturday 17-25, 25-14, 20-25, 25-14, 15-6.
WNCC and NJC have faced each other twice this season. The first time at the Pizza Hut Invite in September, the Cougars won 25-13. 25-15, 25-17 in a non-conference contest. The two teams went four games on Oct. 12 in a conference showdown before WNCC came away with the win 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 25-17.
WNCC is led by sophomore Barbara Briceno, who leads the nation in a couple categories. Briceno leads the nation in total kills with 497. Aleksandra Malek of Colby Community College is the closest with 442 kills. Briceno is fourth in kills per set at 4.28. Briceno also leads the nation in total points (kills/blocks/aces) with 576, averaging 5.0 per set.
Bia Berti is also among the leaders, sitting third in total assists with 1,069.
Briceno, with just three more kills, can become only the fifth player in volleyball history to hit for 500 kills in two seasons. The other four include Patty Azevedo, Agata Rezende, Silvia Oliveira, and Kaleinani Kabalis
Right now Briceno is sitting at 1,072 career kills, which is 10th on the career kill record list. Briceno is behind Deborah Araujo (1,075 kills) and Brittany Fornstrom (1,085 kills).