Tigers obliterate Friends JV to remain unbeaten

With four ranked opponents awaiting the top-ranked Cowley College volleyball team when they play at the Pensacola (FL) Tournament on Friday and Saturday, the Lady Tigers got in a tune-up on Tuesday in a 25-8, 25-4, 25-8 dismantling of the Friends University JV inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

Cowley, winners of a NJCAA Division II record 63 wins in a row, improves to 22-0 on the season.

Tuesday's contest was a mismatch from the start as Cowley scored seven of the first eight points and coasted to the 25-8 win of set one.

Set two was much of the same, with the Lady Tigers scoring the first 14 points with sophomore Sadie Lewis serving and went on to the 25-4 victory.

Cowley continued to pour it on in set three, again scoring the first 12 points with Lewis serving. The Lady Tigers would start to bring in the reserves as they went on to the 25-8 win.

Lewis finished with a season-high 25 assists and four of Cowley's 14 service aces.

"Sadie came in and did a fantastic job of distributing the ball to our hitters and with her serving," Cowley head coach Steven Gream said.

Laura Bonomi led Cowley with 17 kills, while Sara Puskus and Lu Ceroni finished with 12 kills and six kills, respectively. Nin Lady Tigers registered at least one kill in the victory.

"I was really proud of our players for playing to our standard of play and not letting down with the big leads or when we subbed players in," Gream said. "Our players that we subbed in came in and contributed to the match and got some much-needed work while allowing others to rest and have the opportunity to cheer for them. It was a fun night of just being us and everyone getting involved."

On Friday, the Lady Tigers will face seventh-ranked Gulf Coast State College at 9 a.m. before taking on fifth-ranked Heartland Community College at 5 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, Cowley will play 14^th-ranked Enterprise State Community College at 10 a.m. before taking on 10^th-ranked Pensacola State College at 2 p.m.

"This tournament is like a mini national tournament with so many ranked teams there," Gream said. "it is a great way for us to prepare for the postseason and finish up our regular season."