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Washington Evening Journal
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Balanced Plainsmen sweep Iowa Valley
Johnson leads way with eight kills
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BELLE PLAINE — The Belle Plaine volleyball team moved back to .500 for the season. The Plainsmen are 4-2 in South Iowa Cedar League play following a sweep against Iowa Valley Monday.
The Plainsmen took the three sets by margins of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-19.
“We all kept each others energy up really well and talked well on the court,” outside hitter Jules Stamp said of the win.
As the Plainsmen have done for most of the season, they won Monday with a balanced offensive attack. Five players had three to eight kills in the match, each getting several opportunities.
“It’s been really nice having Alli (Hoover) setting everyone up equally,” Stamp said. “Everyone gets a shot and everyone can get going. She has trust in all of us to hit the ball.”
The young team has had some position changes to adjust to this season.
Kennedy Coover started the season as a libero and has been moved back to outside hitter where she played last season. Annika Hultquist has stepped into the libero position.
“Our coach knows what she is doing, and we trust her,” Stamp said of the changes.
Iowa Valley jumped to a quick lead in set one, leading 5-2 after a Clara Fry kill.
The Tigers held that lead until a Hultquist ace gave the Plainsmen a 10-9 lead.
Much of the rest of the set was back-and-forth, with the Plainsmen ending it on a Lily Robertson ace.
Belle Plaine jumped out to the lead in set two, but the Tigers worked their way back to tie things at 12. The Plainsmen were able to pull away slowly after things were knotted up.
Maeci Marshall had four kills for the Tigers in the set, as did Stamp for the Plainsmen.
The Plainsmen got up big in set three, leading 17-6. The Tigers were able to claw back and cut the lead to four at 21-17.
Fry led the Tigers in the match with nine kills; Marshall added seven.
Iowa Valley (5-21) has three conference games remaining.
Taylor Johnson led the Plainsmen with eight kills. Stamp and Hoover each had six. Hoover also assisted on 20 of the teams 29 kills.
The team also had 10 blocks and 10 aces.
Belle Plaine (11-11) will be kept bust before postseason play, with four conference matches remaining.
