By DARIN ALLRED
Register Sports Editor
The North Central Texas College Lady Lions volleyball team wrapped up the regular season Thursday with a 25-18, 25-20, 25-16 home win over Ranger College at Lions Fieldhouse.
Now the Lady Lions will turn their attention to the Region V North Tournament next weekend at Brookhaven College in Farmers Branch with a berth to the NJCAA National Tournament on the line.
North Central finished the regular season 15-21 overall and 7-3 in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference.
Against Ranger (0-10 conference), the Lady Lions came out strong in game one. Danielle Hazzard provided the punch early with three kills and a pair of nice serves. Leslye Richmond added two service points as NCTC took a 7-4 lead. North Central kept their lead as Sam Smith and Kate Harrison added kills to make it 12-7.
Ranger got back within two (14-12), but four points from Hazzard, three kills by Smith and a kill by Carmen Stallcup pushed the Lion lead to 21-15. Down the stretch, Ashley Lewis, Carrie Johnson and Hazzard all had kills as North Central took game one 25-18.
The Lady Lions struggled early in game two as Ranger jumped out to a 6-2 lead. NCTC tied things up 6-6 after three points from Richmond that included back-to-back blocks by Stallcup and Hazzard.
Ranger regained the lead and was up 16-12 when another kill by Hazzard provided a sideout. Richmond then served five-straight points that included kills by Hazzard and Stallcup as North Central took an 18-16 lead. It was a lead they wouldn’t give up.
Smith and Johnson had kills, Stallcup provided a block and Andrea Davis served the final three points as the Lady Lions won game two 25-20.
The third game was tight early on until a late rally pushed NCTC to the win. The game was tied 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 and 11-11. During those first 22 points, North Central got kills from Hazzard (2), Smith and Harrison. Hazzard also added a block and Harrison had an ace.
A sideout gave NCTC a 12-11 lead and brought Hazzard to serve. When she was done, the Lady Lions had a 17-11 advantage. Smith, Johnson and Stallcup all recorded kills during her service rotation.
Later, Davis served four-straight points that included kills from Smith, Stallcup and Harrison that made it 22-13. Down the stretch, Stallcup and Hazzard had kills as North Central won 25-16.
The match marked the final home appearance for three NCTC sophomores including Kate Harrison of Denton, Andrea Davis of Aubrey and Leslye Richmond of Pilot Point.
