Mid-Prairie wins RVC match over Durant

WELLMAN — The Golden Hawks were not seriously challenged Tuesday evening by River Valley Conference opponent Durant until the third set became tied at 15 and head volleyball coach Sherry Evans called time out.

“I told them to stop messing around and playing at (Durant’s) level,” Evans said. “Just do the things that we know how to do well.”

Ella Groenewold must know how to block and kill well because her actions scored the next three points, and Mid-Prairie scored a 25-21 win after winning the first two sets 25-14, 25-18.

The victory gave the Golden Hawks a 7-5 overall record, 2-3 in the RVC. It came on Senior Night when Cana Rediger, Madeline Nonnenmann, Ainsley Miller and Alyssa McDowell were feted.

Nonnenmann connected on a kill at 21-16 prompting a Durant timeout. McDowell produced a kill for game point and freshman Dakota Mitchell landed one right in the middle of Durant to end it.

“I think we always tend to tense up when other teams get a few points in a row on us,” Groenewold said. "Coach just told us that we can succeed as a team if we do what we are taught in practice. I feel like we all came out and smacked on the ball. And we all just did our part.“

“Ella was just an animal up there with her solo blocking, and she is such a coachable kid that we are challenging her to do a lot of different things,” Evans said. “Maya Nonnenmann did well hitting on the outside and all of our setters run great offense.“

Behla Schmidt did her part in the second set as she put down two kills off quick sets from Landry Pacha for the last two points.

“We played some different people from our last match, and I think I like it,” Evans said. “We’re going to be a good blocking team.”

“Landry and me just connected really well, especially tonight,” Groenewold said. “We did well on the quick sets, and I love running those. With our blocking on some nights we don’t have it, but tonight it was there.”

Groenewold qualified for state in the high jump and uses much of that knowledge to excel on the court. “I don’t get tired because of the adrenaline, and plus it is so much fun.”

Part of the fun has been the team chemistry, according to Groenewold.

“It’s so great to have a group of girls that connect so well together. We have a lot of young girls that are really talented,” she said. “Every girl on this team has a very important role, and they all do their part and that helps us win games.”

The Hawks have won back-to-back RVC matches after winning just three all of last season. Their overall record was 9-16. The last double-digit win total was 2016- and 2015 was the only season in last 12 there were not more losses than wins, finishing 16-16.

“We are coming around, but we have things to work on,” Evans said.

“Our seniors are just the greatest group of girls, and they are also nice. If I could change anything about them, it would be to get them to have a more competitive edge because they’re just so nice. But moving forward, the fact they’re so nice means they’re going to be great adults.”