Box Score The Cloud County Thunderbirds improved to 20-7, 10-3 with a victory over the Pratt Beavers on Wednesday night at Arley Bryant Gymnasium. The win sends Cloud to the 20 win mark for the first time since 2005. It also marks the 10th straight victory for the T-Birds, and keeps Cloud County alive in the conference title hunt.
Cloud dropped the first set to the Beavers 21-25. A back and forth match from the start, Cloud took their last lead at 19-18. Pratt then went on a 6-2 run to finish the set and take the early lead.
The second set was every bit as intense as the 1st. The match was never seperated by more than two points. Tied at 19-19, Gaby da Silva took over. She would register four kills in the final six points and rally the T-Birds to a 2nd set victory, tying the match 1-1. Cloud overcame a series of service errors keeping Pratt close throughout but won the match 25-23.
The T-Birds fell behind in the 3rd set and trailed by as many as five midway through. The sophomore trio of Laura Sudbeck, McKenna White, and Gaby da Silva put Cloud on their back and brought the T-Birds back. White finished Pratt with a big kill to take the 3rd set 25-20.
Cloud played their best volleyball of the night in the 4th set. They jumped out to an early lead and finished the Beavers off by the score of 25-16.
Freshman Cara Flach turned in one of her best performance of the season with 14 kills and three blocks. Da Silva also had 14 kills and three blocks on the night.
Jaci Kolm finished the night with 49 assists.
Haley Falk had 24 digs. Mandy Michaelis turned in her strongest effort of the season with 21 digs.
The T-Birds overcame a season high 12 service errors on the night.
Cloud will travel to Jayhawk Conference leader Hutchinson this Saturday. Hutch beat the T-Birds early in the season, despite Cloud being without sophomore leader McKenna White. The T-Birds and Blue Dragons will square off at 2:00pm on Saturday.
