The Wauneta-Palisade volleyball team got a major shot in the arm Oct. 19 with a five-set win over Hitchcock County (14-10).
    WP lost to the Falcons 0-2 Sept. 9 at the Hitchcock County tournament.
    History looked like it was going to repeat itself after the first set. After being tied at 9-9, Hitchcock County finished off the set by outscoring WP 4-16.
    WP then fell behind 1-6 to start the second game. The Broncos climbed back to within one point, 10-11, before falling behind 12-17. Serving runs by Lanee Nordhausen and Destiny Beacham brought the Broncos into the lead. A big kill by Faith Simpson put WP ahead for good. The Broncos won the set 25-23.
    Simpson continued to power the WP offense early in the third set to help the Broncos take a 4-0 lead. WP extended its lead to 11-7 before six straight points by the Falcons gave Hitchcock County the lead.
    WP battled back to tie the game at 16 before attack errors stalled the Bronco offense. WP lost the set 20-25.
    WP Head Coach Terra Higgins said she talked to her team about ball control between the third and fourth sets.
    “We needed to control the ball better on our side of the court in order to minimize our errors to win the fourth and fifth sets,” Higgins said.
    The talk worked. WP stormed back to take the fourth set 25-11.
    Simpson carried the Broncos in the fifth set. WP led 7-6 before a Hitchcock County run left the Broncos trailing 7-10.
    After a kill by Simpson, Nordhausen headed to the service line. Two kills and a block by Simpson helped to tie the set. Three straight kills by Simpson gave WP the 15-11 win and the match.

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