Last week was a rough week at home for the Rainy River Community College volleyball team when the Voyageurs lost their third consecutive Minnesota College Athletic Conference match.
One Saturday, RRCC was swept by Central Lakes, 11-25, 14-25, 7-25.
“(Saturday) was tough,” said Voyageurs head coach Mel Millerbernd. “That’s why (Central Lakes is) No. 1 in the conference.”
Central Lakes is tied with Itasca for the best conference record in the MCAC North at 6-0. RRCC has only one conference victory in six matches.
Millerbernd said the Raiders, who have two 6-foot hitters, “kind of have it all.”
“The big front row, the great Libero, the nice serving — they’re the real deal,” she said. “They’re the whole package, but we need to be able to, if we can’t block the ball, we need to be able to dig it.
“We didn’t play very good defense (Saturday). We need to improve on that.”
RRCC’s statistical leaders included: Nakita Estling, 13 set assists; Kristen Cruickshank, 10 digs; and Rachel Clark, nine digs.
Northland 3, RRCC 0
Coming off a heartbreaking loss in five games in the RRCC gym last week Wednesday against Hibbing, the Voyageurs were swept at home Friday by Northland, 16-25, 13-25, 21-25.
RRCC was led statistically by: Estling, 17 set assists; Clark, 12 digs; Andrea Barylski, seven kills; and Cruickshank, six kills.
Northland is right behind Itasca and Central Lakes in the MCAC North at 4-2.
Millerbernd said the Voyageurs, who return to action at 6:30 p.m. today at Vermilion, need to work on the basics of volleyball.
“Talking, calling the ball, getting in better position — we need to keep working on that,” she said.
