CASPER, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team fell to Polk State College in four games, dropping the Cougars into the consolation bracket Thursday evening at Casper, Wyoming.

              WNCC received 19 kills from Lara Picht in the four-game loss 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18 against Polk, the No. 6 seed in the tournament.

              While a bid for a national title came up short, the Cougars still have a chance to finish fifth in the nation by winning its final two matches. WNCC, who advanced to the Elite Eight with a sweep over Monroe College 25-23, 25-18, 27-25, will take on Northwest College Friday at 2:30 p.m. with the winner playing for fifth on Saturday and the loser playing for seventh.

              WNCC coach Binny Canales said they will come back because the his team wants to finish the season on a good note when they battle Northwest Friday.

              "It will be a battle of Region IX," he said. "We will get things together. We will talk. I know they want to finish the season on a good note."

              Canales said they just ran into a good Polk State squad Thursday night.

              "Polk is a good team and they created problems for us," Canales said "We didn't match-up well. We changed some match-ups early and tried to do different things and it worked for a little while. They adapted and they came out with the win."

              While it is disappointing to lose, the Cougars did try their best to get the win and fought to the end. Canales said they will come back to to try to finish the season on a win-streak.

              "They can come back and get a two game win streak," he said. "Right know they are in the locker room talking. It depends. It is hard to get them motivated and that is something that we really have to work on for right know. When we came out today for the match, our motivation level was low."

              Canales said they tried different things and Polk found answers. He gives credit to Polk, who will play Iowa Western Community College in one of the semifinals on Friday. The other semifinal will pit Miami Dade College taking on Santa Fe. Miami Dade swept Salt Lake Community College while Santa Fe knocked off No. 1 Panola in four games to advance.

              "We knew what we needed to do," he said. "We watched some film that helped some. We knew what we were up against. We knew we had to fight. Polk has some great players and they played amazing. My hats off to them and they did a great job."

              WNCC lost the first game 25-21 but it wasn't without a dogfight. Neither team managed more than a 2-point lead until Polk started to pull away late for the win.

              The second game saw Polk bolt to a 9-5 lead and kept the Cougars at bat, allowing only one service run for the 25-19 win.

              The third game was also a dogfight and it seemed as if Polk was going to get the sweep leading 22-19 at one time. Picht changed the momentum with a kill and then Kaylee Spreier had three service points for the 25-23 win.

              The fourth set wasn't to be. WNCC led 6-5 at one time, but that was the only lead they managed as Polk went on a 6-point service run for a 21-10 lead before winning 25-15.

              Bia Berti finished with a double-double of 41 set assists, 18 digs, while getting three points.

              Picht finished with 19 kills, nine digs, and seven points, while Barbara Briceno had 13 kills and six digs.

              Also for the Cougars,Spreier had six points, five digs, and five points; Brooke Kaawa had eight kills, nine digs, four set assists, and four points; Kadara Marshall had two kills and two solo blocks; and Genesis Benitez had 11 digs and four points.