MIAMI — After splitting two matches to start the week, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Lady Norse volleyball team travels to Iola, Kansas, Friday to compete in the two-day Allen County Community College Volleyball Tournament in the Iola Community Building at Riverside Park.
The Lady Norse (1-2) began the week on Monday by sweeping the junior varsity Eagles of Southwestern Christian University in Bethany in three straight games. NEO won the best-of-five match by 25-6, 25-9 and 25-4 scores.
Returning to the NEO Student Activity Center on Tuesday, the Lady Norse dropped three straight games to Region XIV-District O opponent Metropolitan Community College-Longview.
The Lees Summit, Missouri Lakers are 10-6 on the season after winning three straight games 25-19, 25-22 and 25-11 over the Lady Norse.
"We're going to make a major switch in our rotation going into this tournament between two players," Iverson said. "Right now, some of our freshmen need to slow down and we're also starting to get some of our injured players healthy and back into the mix.
"Now that they've returned to the mix it becomes a catch-up phase for them after missing most of the preseason," Iverson said. "They are three important players to us and they look better every time they take the court."
NEO opens the Allen County Tournament at 1 p.m. Friday against No. 17 ranked Coffeyville Community College. The Lady Ravens are 11-1 on the season.
The Lady Norse face Neosho County Community College of Chanute, Kansas, at noon Saturday, in the second match of the tournament. The Lady Panthers are 6-6 overall.
Concluding the tournament at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Lady Norse square off against host Allen County. The Red Devils are 3-4 entering the tournament.
"We kind of used the eight-day break with this young team to try and figure out our set rotation," Iverson said. "We wanted to have our rotation in place by the time we got to this date.
"I hope we come out of the tournament ahead of schedule," Iverson said. "It's just a matter of putting the pieces together and figure out how we play together."
