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Cavaliers undefeated season continues

JCCC volleyball players celebrate after a winning point.
JCCC volleyball players celebrate after a winning point.
Posted: Sep 24, 2023

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County Community College volleyball team is off a remarkable start to its 2023 season. The Cavaliers have reeled off 19 straight wins – second best in program history – while only dropping four of 61 sets played (57-4). 

The No. 1 ranked team in NJCAA Division II reeled off five sweeps last week, including four over the weekend at the Kansas City Kansas Classic. JCCC opened with 3-0 wins over Metropolitan and Southeast on Friday and capped the weekend with 3-0 sweeps over St. Louis and Park JV.

Freshman outside hitter Kennedy Smalley (Harrisonville, Mo.) had an impressive week at the net, recording double digits in three of the five matches, hit over .400 in three matches. She recorded 14 kills against Metropolitan and and 13 against Southeast, her second and third best efforts of the season.  She also tallied 14 digs against Metro to post her first career double-double. 

Sophomore outside/right side hitter Sarina Ulberg (Independence, Mo.) also was solid at the net, posting double digit kills three times. Against Fort Scott last Wednesday, she finished with 12 to tie her second highest match total of the season. On Saturday, she contributed 10 kills against St. Louis and 11 in the win over Park.

Leading the offense were sophomore setter Sydney Fiatte (Shawnee, Kan.) and freshman setter Wren VanCleave (Bonner Springs, Kan.)  Fiatte tallied 105 assists on the week, with 20 plus recorded in three matches.  VanCleave posted 78 assists, reaching double figures in all five matches. She also had 10 digs against the Greyhounds which earned her a second double-double on the season.

Defensively freshman libero Lillie Sullivan (Shawnee, Kan.) led the top ranked Cavaliers with 75 digs, topping double figures in all five matches. She recorded 18 digs against Metropolitan, 16 against St. Louis, 15 against Southeast and 14 in the win over Park, which rank 1 through 4 in her best efforts of the year.

Johnson County will return to the court on Wednesday night, September 27, when they host Coffeyville in a Kansas Jayhawk Conference match.