The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region IX Volleyball Tournament in Cheyenne, Wyoming, saw two thrilling semifinal matches among northern region teams on Thursday, Wyoming News Now reports.
With high stakes, Laramie County Community College (LCCC) and Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) both emerged victorious, securing their places in the Region IX championship match.
LCCC entered the semifinals as the North’s fourth seed, fresh from an upset over the fourth-ranked team in the nation. Facing them was Western Wyoming Community College (WWCC), the North’s second seed. The match was a fiercely contested back-and-forth, with the Mustangs taking the first set 25-22, and LCCC responding with a 25-21 win in the second.
WWCC head coach Fredann Soto’s adjustments led to a strong third set, where the Mustangs won 25-17 and appeared poised to maintain control. However, LCCC regrouped, launching an 11-4 run that helped them secure the fourth set 25-23 and push the game to a decisive fifth set. In the final set, LCCC narrowly edged out WWCC 15-13 to clinch the match, marking their first trip to the Region IX Championship game since 2018.
LCCC’s sophomore middle blocker Elysiana Fonseca credited their underdog mindset for the victory.
“We went in, and a lot of people thought we were the underdog, so we used that as motivation,” Fonseca said.
Fellow sophomore McKienna Kehl, who recorded a career-high 13 kills, echoed Fonseca’s sentiment, noting the team’s determination to “stay together” and keep their momentum.
In the other semifinal, top-seeded Eastern Wyoming College took on Central Wyoming College (CWC), the third seed from the North. EWC quickly gained an advantage in the first set with strong contributions from freshman outside hitter Una Stepic, ultimately taking the set 25-21.
CWC responded with a quick lead in the second set, but the Lancers quickly countered, reclaiming the lead and eventually extending it to 19-13. Despite a late push from the Rustlers, EWC held on to win the set 25-23. The third set started competitively, but EWC pulled ahead in the latter stages, completing a 3-0 sweep with a 25-18 win.
With the victory, EWC will now face LCCC on Friday, November 8, in the Region IX Championship at 5 p.m., hosted at LCCC’s home court. The winner of this championship match will secure a spot in the NJCAA national tournament, while the losing team will compete in the consolation bracket for another chance to qualify for nationals.
