News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 208

COMETS RALLY TO BEAT OCC ON ROAD

The Cottey College Comets found themselves down two games to one against Ozark Christian College last night, but rallied to get the win in five games, 25-16, 20-25, 24-26, 25-17 and 15-11.

Although Cottey grabbed a game one win with relative ease, it was a much improved OCC team that took the floor last night. In fact, the Lady Ambassadors had Comets' head coach Marla Kannady Foreman concerned.

"They have improved greatly since the first match of the season when we saw them at our house," said Foreman. "I can tell you that from the start of game three, my heart was pumping as if I were in the middle of a race, and it didn't let up until the fifteenth point in the fifth set. Ozark has at least three very talented young ladies, and the Ozark coach was utilizing them at every point, even with back row attacking when they weren't on the front line. He played a very smart match with us, and I have to give him credit for making my players earn their win."

After the game one victory, the Comets found themselves in a hole early in game two. They were down by as many as 11 points, at 13-24, but went on a 7-0 run to close the gap to 20-24. Unfortunately for Cottey, they couldn't sustain the streak, and OCC closed out the game on the next point.

The third game turned out to be a "dog fight" in the words of Foreman, as both teams battled back and forth trying to gain the upper hand. The score was tied frequently from 20 points on, and it was simply a matter of who was going to make a critical mistake at the end. Tied at 24-all, it was the Lady Ambassadors who didn't crack as they gained the win and a one-game advantage.

The Comets stayed focused for game four, however, and were back in the attack mode they demonstrated in the first game. The offensive attacks were executed well, but Cottey's wall of defense was a force to be reckoned with at the net.

Tied at two games each, game five came down to winner take all, and both teams wanted it. Ozark took the first two points of that game, making Foreman a bit nervous.

"I have always told my players that you don't wait around to act with a 15-point game, as it will go much faster than the 25," said Foreman. "We then came back and tied it at 2-2, and continued to have an 8-6 lead on them when we switched sides of the net."

OCC, however, tied the game at nine, but Cottey played aggressively and outscored Ozark 6-2 to grab the win and the match.

Team leaders for the Comets were Carmen Kintz with four aces and 42 digs, Jesse Jargowsky with 28 assists, and Anna Cruse with seven blocks. Lauren Jenkins and Kaley Rogers tied with 13 kills each.

The win raised the Comets' record to 16-6 on the year. Next up is a road trip to Springfield to face Baptist Bible College on Thursday evening. The final home match of the season will be on Monday, October 27, when the Comets face Northeast Oklahoma A&M Community College. That game will begin at 7 p.m. inside the friendly confines of Hinkhouse Gymnasium.