Midland College Volleyball Captures 2012 WJCAC Title, Top Seed in Region V-West Tournament

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By Forrest Allen
Midland College Athletic Director

After jumping out to a two set advantage, it appeared the Midland College Lady Chaparral volleyball teamwas poised to secure the 2012 WJCAC championship with relative ease. However the OC Lady Wranglers had other plans. Odessa College rose to the challenge and wrested control of the match by winning sets three and four, forcing the match to a fifth set. Midland College trailed for much of the fifth, but saw daylight when they rallied to tie the set at 11-11. The Lady Chaparrals emerged with the hard-fought, five game victory 3-2. Midland College 21-6 this season and 8-1 in the WJCAC, took the early match lead with scores of 27-25 and 25-22. Odessa then responded by posting scores of 25-19, 26-24, sending the match to a fifth and deciding game. Ultimately MC ended the match on a tip shot by Victoria Smith, an Odessa native, to win the final set 15-13. The loss dropped the Lady Wranglers to 17-13 overall and 5-2 in conference.

The win by the Lady Chaps was significant for a few reasons aside from area bragging rights. The win secured the 2012 WJCAC title, the third consecutive for Midland College. It gave MC the top seed in next week's NJCAA Region V-West Tournament in Lubbock (Rip Griffin Center @ Lubbock Christian University) October 31-November 1. The win also served as revenge for a five set loss to OC back on October 19th in the final match of the Midland College Volleyball Classic.

MC will receive a first-round bye and will open play in the 2012 NJCAA Region V-West Tournament on Thursday, November 1st in a 10:00 a.m. match. A Lady Chap win in the 10:00 a.m. match will land MC in the tournament's 4:00 p.m. finals also on Thursday.

Midland College won the 2010 Region V-West Champion and finished as the runner-up in 2011. This year's Region V-West Tournament will involve a six-team field for the first time ever. The second place team in the final WJCAC standings, will also receive a first round bye.

Midland College was led, in Wednesday's MMA grudge fight, by a record setting performance by freshman setter Kristina Gafford. Gafford chalked up an astonishing 55 assists in the contest. Gafford broke the record, previously held by former MC player Sawyer Schaedig.

Freshman middle blocker Gaby Nieto led all players with 18 kills to pace the Lady Chaps. She was followed by Naomi Posada with 12, Smith's 11 and Dragana Cvoric's 10. Defensively MC saw several solid performances including 15 digs by Cvoric, 12 digs apiece by Gafford and Marina Salazar and ten digs by Sarah Allen.

Congratulations to MC coaches Tammie Jimenez and Darren Taylor and to the Lady Chaps on their 2012 WJCAC Championship.

Next Match: New Mexico Military Institute @ Midland College, Saturday, October 27th @ 2:00 p.m. The match will be the final home match for sophomores Victoria Smith and Dragana Cvoric. Smith and Cvoric will be honored prior to the start of Saturday's match.