Cat Scratch Fever
Lady Tigers claw up the competition at home tourney
Issue 3 - 09.22.05

The duo of freshman Marina Tosi and Eliane Domingos get ready to spike the competition. Photo by Jared McGuire

BY MARY AST
Staff Writer

With their highest rankings in five years, the Lady Tigers have been ranked as high as fourth and are currently ranked sixth in the NJCAA Division II poll. After winning their home tournament Sept. 9-10, the Lady Tigers went into last weekend's Garden City Tournament with an eight-match winning streak on the line.

The Tigers cruised through their own tournament only dropping one game in four matches. The team beat Pratt (32-30, 30-21, and 30-24) and Highland (30-20, 30-7, and 30-20) on Friday, and on Saturday won big over Labette (30-19, 30-15, and 30-16) and beat Garden City (30-27, 30-23, 23-30, and 30-18).

Fernanda Domingos and Aubrey Sullivan posted big numbers for the Lady Tigers as they finished with 52 and 51 kills, respectively. Middle hitter Eliane Domingos added 40 kills in the wins.

In a rematch from the previous weekend, Cowley opened the Garden City Tournament on Friday, Sept. 16, with a 26-30, 30-28, 30-25 and 30-18 win over Garden City. Sophomore outside hitter Sullivan led Cowley with 15 kills, while freshman Eliane Domingos added 13 kills.

In the next match of the tournament against Seward County Community College, the Lady Tigers fell short with scores of 21-30, 16-30, and 20-30. Fernanda Domingos led Cowley with 10 kills.

On Saturday the Lady Tigers came back to beat Colby (30-28, 30-15 and 30-15) and Frank Phillips (30-28, 30-27 and 30-24). Against Colby, Fernanda Domingos had 15 kills and seven aces, and Eliane Domingos had seven kills and 15 blocks.

The Lady Tigers set out on Sept. 14 to match up with Coffeyville Lady Red Ravens. This match was important because both teams had a 2-0 record in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.

Cowley defeated Coffeyville 30-28, 30-19 and 30-18. Sophomores Sullivan and Fernanda Domingos led Cowley with 13 kills apiece, while freshmen Eliane Domingos and Kelsey Talbott added 11 and five kills, respectively.

"Everyone is working so hard, we are really playing like a team," Fernanda Domingos said.
On Monday, Sept. 12, solid team contributions helped the Lady Tigers beat Northern Oklahoma College 30-13, 30-6, and 30-23. Sullivan and Fernanda Domingos led Cowley with 12 kills and nine kills respectively. Freshman Brittney Gosdin added five kills and five blocks in the win.

"The younger girls are really doing well, they are working hard," Domingos said. "The team just needs to stay positive each and every game and we will be fine."