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Washington Evening Journal
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Wolves fall in regional opener
Winfield-Mount Union can’t hold off Danville in 1st round of postseason
WINFIELD — Winfield-Mount Union had already beaten Danville once on the volleyball court this season, but the Wolves faced a different type of Bears team in Monday night’s Class 1A Region 8 opener.
Road team Danville came in hungry for a win, and the Wolves couldn’t quite figure the Bears out. Danville scooped up some revenge and a ticket to the next round with a three set sweep, winning 25-15, 25-18 and 25-19.
“That's been our struggle all year,” said WMU head coach David Pieart. “At times we are moving and energetic and focus, and executing. And at times, despite our best efforts, it just doesn't seem to be there.”
After a relatively strong start in the first set, Danville came back to tie the game at 7-7. The match was tied 8-8 as well, but the Wolves would only score seven more points for the rest of the set, as the Bears closed the set out on a 17-7 run.
The Wolves played from behind for most of the second set. Danville held a medium-sized lead throughout, and although WMU caught a little bit of fire to cut the Bears’ lead to 22-18 late, Danville scored the next three points, and the Wolves’ backs were against the wall after a 25-18 second set defeat.
WMU was down as much as nine points in the third set. The Wolves trailed 17-8, putting Danville just eight points away from a win, but WMU began to claw back.
The Wolves got the game all the way down to four points, at 23-19, but Danville buckled down and scored the next two points to end the Wolves’ season.
“You can't start waiting until the last half-dozen points of set three to start playing,” Pieart said. “But I think that was the best we looked all night.”
Aurey Meeker led the Wolves with eight assists and three service aces in the loss. Meeker also had three kills, which coled the squad, along with Kellee Milks, Mariana Hagmeier and Audrie Gipple.
WMU finished the year 17-14 overall and 7-1 in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division. One year after winning the conference but graduating a bulk of its talent, the Wolves were one win away from repeating.
“Based on what we lost last year, a lot of people had written us off before the season had even began,” Pieart said. “We finished second in the conference. We made it to Day 2 of the conference tournament. We made it to the conference finals. We overachieved people's expectations.”
Danville plays at Holy Trinity in the regional quarterfinals on Wednesday night.
