Volleyball roundup: Iowa Valley volleyball sweeps BGM

Iowa Valley, winners of four of its last five matches, traveled to BGM Oct. 2 to avenge the one that got away.

The Tigers and Bears played just nine days earlier at the BGM tourney where the host team took two straight sets.

On this night, however, Iowa Valley (7-22) came to play and swept 25-22, 26-24 and 25-18. BGM (8-11) was never out of the game, keeping it close two of the three, but it was a Tiger night.

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“This match was probably the most technically sound we have played all season. Our girls cleaned up many of the things we have been working on the past couple weeks and limited the errors on our side, both offensively and from the service line, and it paid off for us,” said Iowa Valley Coach Ross Karsten following the match.

“Ella Read had a great night and led the way for us with 14 kills and 4 blocks, but it was a total team effort to come away with the win.”

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In addition to Read’s big night, Izzy Kriegel contributed 31 assists and five ace serves. Hannah Leonard added 11 digs.

Belle Plaine vs Montezuma

Belle Plaine rolled into Montezuma last Monday and then rolled home with a 3-1 match win.

Montezuma (6-15) came out hot and took set one by a narrow 25-23 margin. Then the Plainsmen (15-9) took control, winning the next three straight 25-22, 25-28 and 25-16.

The gap grew a little wider each set.

The Plainsmen’s Jacey Reineke recorded 18 kills, Layne McLeod had 38 assists, Janessa Blomme notched five blocks, Alyssa Steinback added 36 digs and Kayleah Laughlin had four aces to lead the team.

HLV vs Tri-County

Coming into this match, HLV had won 20 of the last 21 meetings against Tri-County. Going out of this match the Warriors had won one more, but it wasn’t easy, despite a three-set sweep.

HLV (8-15) took extra points in set one to put Tri-County away 26-24. The Trojans (1-19) kept it close again in set two but still fell 25-23. HLV had a little more comfortable final set win, 25-19, to complete the 3-0 sweep.

Ema Roberts notched 17 kills and two ace serves. Hailey Jack had 32 assists and two aces. Jordyn Menicucci, McKenzie Kempf and Nicole Gensley each recorded two blocks.

English Valleys vs Colfax-Mingo

A back-and-forth battle broke out in North English Oct. 2 as English Valleys played host to conference challenger Colfax-Mingo. When the battle finished, EV ended on the good side of a 3-2 match.

Colfax (7-12) struck first, winning set one 25-20. English Valleys retaliated in set two with the 25-21 win. Set three went back to the Tigerhawks 25-20. The Bears (12-11) tied things up in the fourth with the most decisive win of the night, 25-17.

English Valleys closed things out in the tie-break set with a 15-12 win, giving it the 3-2 match advantage.

The Bears’ Imigyn Stratton had a big match with 16 kills, 18 digs and four service aces which led to a 91.7% serving efficiency. Kennedy Axmear contributed 17 kills, a couple of blocks, 18 digs and an ace serve.

Delaney Hall, who ranks fourth in the state across all classes in server efficiency at 98.1% on the season, had another outstanding serving performance, hitting 26 of 26 for a 100% night, including four aces.

HLV vs Belle Plaine

Wrapping up the conference regular season schedule, Belle Plaine visited HLV Thursday, Oct. 5. After a back-and-forth five set match, HLV came out on the winning end, 3-2.

Every set was contested, but the first two sets belonged to the Plainsmen, 25-21 and 25-23. HLV came fighting back winning set three 25-19 and set four 25-23 to set up the fifth set tiebreaker.

The Warriors had the momentum coming into the set and came out with a 15-8 win.

Team stat leaders for HLV included Ema Roberts with 24 kills and three blocked shots. Hailey Jack assisted 33 times, McKenzie Kempf dug 24 shots and Nicole Gensley contributed three ace serves.

Belle Plaine’s Kayleah Laughlin had 16 kills, Layne McLeod assisted 39 times, Janessa Blomme blocked five shots, Jacey Reinke had 23 digs and four ace serves.

English Valleys vs North Mahaska

English Valleys hosted North Mahaska on Thursday, Oct. 5 in conference action. The Warhawks (16-7) went home with a 3-1 match victory.

North Mahaska came out strong winning the first set 25-17 and the second 25-23. English Valleys regrouped and rallied to win set three 25-18 and avoid the sweep, but it wasn’t quite enough. The Warhawks narrowly escaped set four with the 25-23 win.

Offensively, the Bears were led by Ava Gehrking’s eight kills. On defense, Imigyn Stratton had 28 digs. Delaney Hall scored three aces.

Iowa Valley at Clear Creek Tournament

Iowa Valley traveled to Tiffin Saturday to participate in the tough Clear Creek Amana tourney. The Tigers dropped four matches on the day.

Clear Creek Amana, 36-0 and ranked number one in class 4A, won match one 21-11 and 21-5. Next up was 4A sixth ranked North Scott (21-3). The Lancers won two straight, 21-10 and 21-12.

The Tigers next faced Central DeWitt and fell 24-21 and 21-3. Rounding out the day was a match against the 12th ranked team in 3A, Mid-Prairie (26-7). The Golden Hawks won two straight, 21-10 and 21-5.

Belle Plaine at Don Bosco Invite

The Plainsmen went 1-2 Saturday when they traveled to Don Bosco High School.

Up first was a match against AGWSR (14-20). Belle Plaine won the first set 21-17 but dropped the next two, 21-17 and 15-11, to drop the match 2-1.

BP rallied in match two taking out East Buchanan (2-22) in straight sets with identical 21-14 scores.

Host Don Bosco was next up. Don Bosco (15-14) was too much for the Plainsmen on this day and walked away with 2-0 match win.

HLV at BCLUW Comet Invite

HLV went 2-2 Saturday at the Comet Volleyball Invitational.

The Warriors won in straight sets over Collins-Maxwell (3-21) by taking set one 21-13 and set two 21-10. HLV also swept West Fork (3-20) by scores of 21-18 and 21-14.

The other two matches found the Warriors on the short end of 2-1 matches.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (18-16) won set one 21-13. HLV rallied in the second to take the 21-15 set win before Gladbrook finished it with a 15-7 tie-break victory.

West Marshall (18-18) took set one 21-7, HLV was a 21-18 second set winner, and then West Marshall closed it out with 15-9 third set win.