10/23/14 • By Kyle Cummings / kcummings@columbustelegram.com

COLUMBUS -- Central Community College sophomore Skyler Erickson ended her regular-season volleyball career with the Raiders in style.

The All-American powered for 13 kills, two aces and a block, helping the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II, No. 2 Central Community College volleyball team beat Northeast Community College 25-15, 25-19, 25-15 Thursday at the Raider Fieldhouse.

"Skyler starts out with a kill and she gets kills the whole night and that's a really nice end to her regular season here as a Raider," Central head coach Mary Young said. "She's a decorated player for us and has done so well. She had a nice match and came with a lot of fire and a lot of energy tonight. That's really wonderful for us to see at this point."

Not only did Erickson pick up Central's first point of the match, she recorded a kill for the Raiders' first point in each set.

Erickson rode that early momentum to tally six kills in the first set, helping the Raiders control from the start.

Central carried that success through most of the second set, breaking out to a 5-1 lead.

Northeast began to inch into the match, however, narrowing Central's second-set lead to three points several times.

The Hawks threatened Central's lead behind Brittany Sullivan, who tallied four kills in the second set and 10 kills on the match.

"We struggled a little bit on the block," Young said of the second set. "We talked about getting a hand on the ball. We answered with a big stuff block."

Central regained control late in the second set and never looked back, taking the second set 25-19 and the final set 25-15.

"Northeast is a tough team and they played us tough," Young said. "We feel good about that and to maintain the poise and come off ball break like that is really something for us."

Erickson's 13 kills led the way for the Raiders, while Payton Chohon added nine kills and Megan Anderson recorded seven. Cassidy Yong had 33 assists for Central, as well.

For Northeast, Lakeview alum Taryn Luedtke tallied a pair of kills, Schuyler graduate Kiara Lopez recorded four assists and Creston native Haley Roelle added an ace.

The win marked Central's 11th in a row -- its longest of the season.

"Our girls are real focused right now and it's where we want them to be at the end of the season," Young said. "We're in a good spot."

Central will hope to use that focus, traveling to Division I, No. 1 Iowa Western today.

The Raiders knocked off Iowa Western in five sets early in the year, which was Iowa Western's only loss.

"Iowa Western definitely wants to play us again," Young said. "They're not happy about losing to us, but you know what, we're excited to play them again. It's fun to play them. It's a great match and it's great volleyball. We have a chance to get better tomorrow and that's the way we're going to look at it."

Thursday at the Raider Fieldhouse

Northeast (15-14) 15 19 15

Central (29-5) 25 25 25

* KILLS: Northeast - Brittany Sullivan 10, Sarah Maxson 6, Grace Ecklund 5, Taryn Luedtke 2, Sydney Whitmarsh 2; Central - Skyler Erickson 13, Payton Chohon 9, Megan Anderson 7, Makaleigh Yantzie 5, Morgan Nikkila 4, Cassidy Yong 2, Makayla Augustine 1

* BLOCKS: Northeast - Sullivan 2, Whitmarsh 2; Central - Chohon 4, Yantzie 4, Anderson 3, Yong 1, Erickson 1

* ACE SERVES: Northeast - Haley Roelle 1; Central - Erickson 2, Brooke Robertson 2

* ASSISTS: Northeast - Maggie Earney 16, Kiara Lopez 4; Central - Yong 33, Robertson 3