SMCC Women's Volleyball Opens Season at NMMI Classic

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College women's volleyball team (0-4) opened its 2022 season with four matches at the NMMI Classic on the campus of the New Mexico Military Institute Aug. 19-20 in Roswell, N.M. Although the Cougars fell in all four contests, they put together some solid performances as they prepare for ACCAC action. 

Amarillo College Recap

The Cougars lost to Amarillo College in its season opener on Aug. 19: 25-16, 25-17 and 25-20. Freshman Mariah Smith led SMCC with six kills on 12 attacks and hit .333 for the match. She added a solo block in her Cougar debut. 

Sophomore Madison Cadden finished with five kills on 12 attacks and hit .333. She also recorded a solo block and had a service ace. Freshman Rylee Pitts added three kills and a solo block in her SMCC debut. 

Sophomore Imani Cannon led the Cougars with 11 digs and had a service ace, and freshman Rylee Wengert added five digs. Freshman Rylee Russell led SMCC with nine assists and added a kill and three digs. 

Tyler Junior College

In their second match on Aug. 19, the Cougars fell 3-1 to Tyler Junior College: 22-25, 25-22, 25-18 and 25-18. SMCC hit a blistering .632 in the first set with 12 kills and zero errors. SMCC hit .290 for the match, collecting 36 kills on 100 attacks. 

Cadden hit .424 with 14 kills on 33 attacks to lead the Cougars. Pitts added 10 kills, hitting .259 on 27 swings, and Smith added four kills on 11 attacks. 

Freshman Delicea McAuley led SMCC with 19 assists and added five digs and a service ace. Russell finished with 15 kills, four digs, two service aces and two solo blocks. 

Cannon posted a team-high 13 digs to go with a service ace, and Wengert finished with seven digs. 

Odessa College

The Cougars fell in three sets to Odessa College on Saturday, Aug. 20: 25-17, 25-15, 25-13. 

Cadden led SMCC with seven kills on 22 swings, and Jalyssa Rogers, Emily Wilson, Smith, and Pitts each had a pair of kills.

McAuley led the Cougars with 13 kills and added a dig, and Cannon paced the squad with eight digs. Wilson and Wengert added four digs apiece. 

New Mexico Military Institute

The Cougars fell in straight sets to the host Broncos, 25-12, 25-18, 25-23. SMCC collected 11 kills and hit .308 on 26 swings in the third set. 

Rogers and Cadden finished with a team-high five kills for SMCC. Wilson added four kills and seven digs, and Pitts had four kills and a solo block. 

Sophomore Gracie Henderson led SMCC with 11 assists and added a pair of digs. McAuley added 10 assists, two digs and a service ace, and Cannon finished the weekend with a team-high 12 digs.