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HLV-TC goes 2-0 at home triangular
Gensley leads team with 15 kills
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
VICTOR — HLV-TC would be the first to tell you they came out flat in their first set against Meskwaki Monday at their home volleyball triangular.
“We came out flat and were playing a little low (energy-wise),” senior Nicole Gensley said.
What was more important was how HLV-TC responded.
After dropping the first set 21-19 to Meskwaki, HLV-TC showed pure determination in the second set.
The Warriors took the set 21-3, scoring nine unanswered to end the set.
“I think we just gained more energy and were kind of hyping each other up more,” Gensley said of the turnaround. “We just had to come together and get our hype up.”
Limiting the Meskwaki attack was crucial too.
Dorothy Bear had six kills and an ace in the first and just one in the second.
The momentum carried into the winner-take-all third set, with HLV-TC coming out on top 15-8.
Back-to-back blocks from Caidyn Schmidt and a kill from Karley Moore sealed the match.
In match one on the evening, the Warriors came out on top over Hillcrest Academy in straight sets (21-15, 21-17).
Leading just 13-12 in set one, a Gensley block and kill turned the momentum for the Warriors. Moore and Aubrey Zittergruen also had kills late.
In set two, the Warriors seemed to be pulling away, but three straight kills from the Ravens’ Niva Helmuth made the score 15-14.
The Warriors didn’t falter after that, closing out the match strong.
When the Warriors needed a point most, the play was the same — setter Erilea Kupka to Gensley, who, in her senior year, has stepped into the primary attacker role for the Warriors.
“It feels pretty good,” Gensley said of her expanded role. “The team really helps me out with it and they’re supportive.”
Gensley led the team with 15 kills; Caidyn Schmidt added 11.
The team also totaled 13 aces, and Kupka had 36 assists.
Coming off getting their first win of the season over the weekend, the Warriors stood at 3-6 after going 2-0 Monday.
As South Iowa Cedar League play gets underway this week, the Warriors hope to carry some confidence moving forward.
“I think it really helps us to kind of be focused on winning the match a little bit more and not taking the losses to heart and moving on,” Gensley said.
“We need to continue to improve our energy and looking for places that are open on the court to attack.”
