BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

The Garden City Buffaloes have swept nine consecutive Western Athletic Conference volleyball championships entering Saturday's WAC Tournament at Great Bend..  

Garden City is 5-2 against WAC teams this season, but Great Bend (4-2) and Liberal (4-3) own winning records against other league teams. Great Bend is the site of Saturday's 2020 Western Athletic Conference volleyball tournament. 

"It's definitely wide open and any team could win it," said Great Bend coach Shelly Duvall. "The team that's hot that day will win it. We want every team to play their best because we want to earn it."

Great Bend outlasted Dodge City in a fierce 5-set match Monday, but turned around and lost to state-ranked Smith Center and Phillipsburg Tuesday.

"We're at our best when the girls are smiling and loving playing the game," Duvall said. "If we achieve our three goals -- mental toughness, communication and trust, we like our chances. We've sharpened our rotation since the start of the year. It's fun to see our mental toughness every match. We're taking it one match at a time."  

All-WAC Sydney Unruh joins Lexi Deines, Zoe Jerke, Rachel Panzer and Alayna Irwin for defensive digs, serves received and ballhandling assists. Brynn Boxberger leads the hitting with Valarie Luna, Candice Smith, MaKenzie Premer and Deines contributing winners.

"We've done a better job reading the blocks and finding a spot to hit," Duvall said. "Brynn Boxberger has been our hitting leader, but everyone is contributing."  

Great Bend (15-9) and Hays High (11-18) will play in the 5A Great Bend volleyball substate Oct. 24. Dodge City (17-12), Garden City (13-13) and Liberal (13-14) will compete in the 6A Dodge City volleyball substate Oct. 24.

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Great Bend 15-9 (4-2 WAC teams), Dodge City 17-12 (3-5 WAC), Garden City 13-13 (5-2 WAC), Liberal 13-14 (4-3 WAC), Hays High 11-18 (1-5 WAC)

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE

GREAT BEND HIGH SCHOOL

Great Bend def. Dodge City, 25-10, 17-25, 25-22; Garden City vs. Hays High

Great Bend vs. Liberal; Garden City vs. Dodge City

Garden City vs. Liberal; Hays High def. Dodge City, 25-20, 20-25, 25-20

Great Bend vs. Hays High; Liberal vs. Hays High

Great Bend vs. Garden City; Dodge City vs. Liberal

GREAT BEND (MONDAY)—Great Bend def. Dodge City, 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 23-25, 15-8

DODGE CITY STATS—Valarie Luna 7 winners, 1 dig, 4 serves received; Makenzie Premer 7 winners, 1 block, 2 serves received; Lexi Deines, 8 winners, 28 digs, 1 ballhandling assist, 36 serves received; Alayna Irwin, 4 service assists, 10 digs, 27 ballhandling assists; Brynn Boxberger, 13 winners, 1 service assist, 4 digs; Sydney Unruh, 1 winner, 3 service assists, 32 digs, 25 serves received; Rachel Panzer, 20 winners, 1 service assist, 23 digs, 20 serves received; Zoe Jerke 12 digs, 3 service assists, 30 ballhandling assists; Candice Smith, 5 winners, 2 digs

PHILLIPSBURG—Smith Center def. Great Bend, 25-15, 25-14; Phillipsburg def. Great Bend, 25-20, 25-23

SMITH CENTER STATS—Valarie Luna 1 winner, 1 block; Makenzie Premer 1 winner, 1 block; Lexi Deines, 3 winners, 10 digs, 13 serves received; Alayna Irwin, 4 digs, 4 ballhandling assists; Brynn Boxberger, 4 winners, 2 service assists, 1 dig, 1 serve received; Sydney Unruh, 6 digs, 4 ballhandling assists, 9 serves received; Rachel Panzer, 6 winners, 5 digs, 16 serves received; Zoe Jerke 1 dig, 7 ballhandling assists; Candice Smith, 1 winner, 1 dig

PHILLIPSBURG STATS—Luna 2 winners, 1 block, 2 digs; Premer 6 winners, 1 block, 1 dig; Deines, 3 winners, 3 service assists, 12 digs, 21 serves received; Irwin, 4 digs, 9 ballhandling assists; Boxberger, 6 winners, 1 dig, 1 serve received; Unruh, 10 digs, 2 ballhandling assists, 17 serves received; Panzer, 5 winners, 2 service assists, 5 digs, 2 serves received; Jerke 4 digs, 12 ballhandling assists; Smith, 1 winner

ELLINWOOD—Ellinwood def. Kinsley, 25-7, 25-14; Ellinwood def. Otis-Bison, 25-18, 25-7; Otis-Bison def. Kinsley, 25-12, 25-20

HESSTON—Hesston def. Pratt, 25-20, 25-20; Smoky Valley def. Hesston, 26-24, 25-17; Smoky Valley def. Pratt, 25-10, 25-16

HILLSBORO—Nickerson def. Hillsboro, 18-25, 26-24, 25-21, Nickerson def. Hoisington, 25-19, 25-23; Hillsboro def. Hoisington, 25-17, 16-25, 25-16

LARNED—Haven def. Larned, 25-13, 25-7; Russell def. Larned, 25-17, 25-20; Haven def. Russell, 16-25, 25-17, 27-25

MACKSVILLE—Macksville def. LaCrosse, 21-25, 25-23, 25-14; Victoria def. Macksville, 25-10, 25-12; Victoria def. LaCrosse, 25-7, 25-5