OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County volleyball team improved to 11-1 on the season and to 10-1 in the Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference with a 3-0 sweep over Labette (1-12/1-11) on Saturday at JCCC Gymnasium. In addition, the Lady Cavaliers took over sole possession of first-place in the conference race after Highland was upset by Kansas City Kansas on Saturday.
Sophomore right-side hitter Makayla Powell was solid at the net for JCCC. She finished with a team-high 15 kills and registered a kill percentage of .483, her second-best of the season. An all-conference and all-district selection last year, Powell has now topped double figures for kills in all 10 matches he has played this season, and 32 times over her career.
Coach Jennifer Ei also got solid efforts from hitters Gracie LaForge and Shannon Riley. LaForge tallied nine kills and hit .600. Riley has six kills and posted an kill percentage of .462.
Three players reached double digits in digs, led by Makenzie Griffel with 18. She has been in double figures in all 12 matches this season. In the previous 3-0 victory over Hesston, she recorded her 500th career dig.
Alyssa Smith and Maddie Steiner followed with 13 and 11 digs respectively.
Kallie Fenscke was the top setter against Labette, finishing with 25 assists. That was her second-highest total of the season.
Ryleigh McBurney added 13 assists. Both players have reached double figures for assist in every match so far.
Johnson County, currently the No. 4 team in the country, will play four matches this week, two at home and two on the road. The week begins on the road against Cloud County on Tuesday, March 9. JCCC returns home to host Labette again along with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on Thursday March 11. The Labette match will begin at 1 p.m., and the NEO A&M match is scheduled for 5 p.m. They close out the week at No. 7-ranked Highland on Saturday, March 13.