Union area VB players to watch

One Union area volleyball team to watch will be the one team that made it to the state tournament last season. There are a number of players from the area’s small schools who may have that special breakout season.

The New London Tigers return a number of players — three juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen — from that state tourney team but lose six seniors and head coach Maureen Heath, who will not return after moving into the same position at West Burlington. Her assistant coach, Lindsey Johnson, takes over the top spot.

⋆ Keaura Williams, junior, New London — Kill efficiency of .233 on 623 attacks with 222 kills (seventh in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South), 46 blocks were 10th.

⋆ Ella Groenewold, junior, Mid-Prairie — Fourth in River Valley Conference South Division with 40 blocks, seventh with 16 solo blocks, 24 assisted blocks is fifth.

⋆ Melina Oepping, junior, Winfield-Mount Union — Third in serving success and attempts and ace serves (44) in Super Conference North, seventh in kills at 110 with a kill efficiency of .284 (11th).

⋆ Sarah Burton, sophomore, Highland — First in SEISC North in serve efficiency at 181-of-184 for .98.4 percent, 10th place was her 174 digs.

⋆ Grace Miller, Hillcrest, senior — Her 235 digs were fourth in the SEISC North.

⋆ Victoria Howell, junior, Columbus — Was fourth in the SEISC North in kill attacks, second in serve attempts but first in success, sixth in aces with 35, success rate of 93.3 percent on serves at 263-of-282, had 176 digs.

⋆ Grace Coble, junior, WACO — Led the SEISC South with 700 assists, an average of 8.0 per set, hit 86 kills on 295 swings for a .203 kill rate, 31 blocks, 193 digs, 25 aces with a 259-for-267 serve success which is 97.0 percent.

⋆ Aliyah Christensen, senior, New London — Assist total of 496 was fourth in the SEISC South, ace serves total of 55 was second, 321 successful serves was fifth.

⋆ Kadence Nusbaum, senior, Van Buren County — Eighth with 271 digs in SEISC South, landed 13 aces on 196-of-204 serves for 96.1 percent efficiency.