Broncbusters Open Season with Five-Set Thriller over Northeast Nebraska

Photo by: Adam Shrimplin/Garden City Athletics

Garden City, KS – The 2025 Broncbuster Volleyball season opened with a bang on Friday at the Scooter's Coffee Invite, as Garden City outlasted Northeast Nebraska in a gritty five-set battle (20–25, 25–18, 25–20, 18–25, 15–12).

The Hawks controlled much of the opening set, taking advantage of early errors to build a lead. Despite strong defensive work from sophomore Kamdyn Carr (38 digs on the morning), Garden City's rally fell short in a 20–25 first set loss. At the net, Andrea Djordjevic made her presence known early, stuffing multiple attack attempts and finishing the morning with 20 digs and 2 blocks.

The Busters flipped the script in the second set. Behind the steady serve of Paris Bond and the offensive spark of Djordjevic, Garden City built momentum. Duru Karagoz chipped in with four total blocks while Kat Miscevic fired home clutch kills, hitting an efficient .318 with 2 aces. Garden City weathered a late Hawks surge before Bond delivered the final point to seal a 25–18 win.

The third set showcased the Broncbusters' balance. Beatriz Da Cruz was efficient at the net, posting a .333 hitting percentage, while Vitoria Reis anchored the back row with a team-high 27 digs. Garden City pulled away late for a 25–20 victory and a 2–1 match lead.

Northeast Nebraska wouldn't go quietly, responding with a dominant fourth-set performance. The Hawks capitalized on Buster miscues, forcing a decisive fifth set with a 25–18 win.

In the fifth, resilience carried Garden City. Miscevic and Djordjevic combined for timely kills, while Lexi Arwine steadied the defense with 21 receptions and 7 digs. With the crowd behind them, the Broncbusters edged out the Hawks 15–12 to claim their first win of the season.

Garden City (1–0) opens the Scooter's Coffee Invite with a hard-fought victory, setting the tone for the rest of the tournament and the season ahead.