DRAGONS DROP 2023 SEASON OPENER TO McCOOK

Anna Dean tallied 12 kills and seven blocks in the Blue Dragons' season-opening four-set loss to McCook on Friday at the McCook Invitational.

August 18, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

McCOOK, Nebraska – Sophomores Taniya Golden and Anna Dean combined for 26 kills and 12 blocks, but the No. 19-ranked Hutchinson Community College volleyball team lost its 2023 season opener on Friday at the McCook Invitational.

Tournament host McCook Community College defeated the Blue Dragons 25-27, 21-25, 29-27, 21-25 in the first of four matches this weekend.

Golden, the 2022 Jayhawk Conference Freshman of the Year, opened her sophomore season with a team-high 14 kills and five block assists. Golden had her first double-double of the season with 11 digs.

Dean posted 12 kills and had a team-high seven total blocks, including one solo block.

Freshman middle McKenzie Murphy debuted with eight kills and five blocks. Alejandra Briseno had seven kills.

Giovanna Ravanhani finished with a career-high 46 assists and three service aces.

Alondra Velez led the Blue Dragon defense with 20 digs. Isabella Rolandini added 16 digs.

SET 1: The Blue Dragons built an early 6-2 lead on a Golden ace, but McCook countered with an 8-3 run to take a 10-9 lead. The Dragons rallied to take leads of 13-11 and 17-14 in the set on a pair of blocks. Golden dropped a back-row tip for a kill for a 21-19 Hutchinson lead and another kill for a 22-21 lead. Tied at 25, McCook had a block and a Dragon net violation to take the first set, 27-25.

SET 2: Dean put down back-to-back kills for a 6-3 lead. A McCook set error upped the Dragon lead to 11-7 and a Murphy kill boosted the margin to 14-9. But the Blue Dragons sided out at 50 percent in the second set. McCook had four three-point runs after the Dragons built their 14-9 lead. The Dragons led 18-16 after a Callie Muff kill, but the Indians reeled off six points in a row for a 21-18 lead. McCook scored 11 of the final 14 points of the set, winning the set 25-21.

SET 3: The Blue Dragons were eight points away from being swept as McCook built a 16-12 lead. The Dragons climbed back into the set to a 6-2 run capped off by a Murphy/Golden double block. The Dragons took a 22-20 lead after a Golden ace serve and led 24-23 after a Dean kill. Down 26-25, Hutchinson fought off a match point with a Dean kill. Down 27-26, a second match-point was erased when Ravanhani's setter dump knotted the set at 27. Back-to-back kills from Golden gave the Dragons a 29-27 set victory.

SET 4: Hutchinson got out fast as Ravanhani had three ace serves in a 7-0 run to star the set. The lead grew to 11-3 after a Velez ace serve and was 14-7 after a Dean solo block. McCook's offense then got rolling with an 8-1 run to cut the Hutchinson lead to 16-15. The Indians didn't let up as they scored 18 of the final 25 points of the set to close out the match with a 25-21 win.