Central volleyball grabs pair of wins in another busy week
Tori Sylvester picked up eight kills in Central’s loss to Turkey Valley. (Photos by Bev Hamann)
Tessa Sylvester attempts a kill in last week's match against the Trojans.
By Willis Patenaude | Times-Register
The Central volleyball team was busy on the court again last week, starting with a Sept. 9 game against Turkey Valley and a Sept. 14 tournament in Jesup.
Opening the week against the Trojans, the Warriors found themselves in a highly competitive match, dropping the first two sets 25-22 and 25-18. They rallied to win the third 25-23 with a “hard-fought effort,” said coach Kelly Erickson, before falling in the fourth set 25-18, and losing the match 3-1.
“Overall, I was proud of how well we played together as a team,” Erickson said. She noted the improved serving percentage of 87 percent, just shy of the team’s goal of 90.
Offensively, however, the Warriors faced some challenges, with 36 hitting errors and only 28 kills. Erickson pointed out that, while the players didn’t perform as well as hoped in those areas, they’re “working hard in practice, and seeing consistent improvement.”
Tori Sylvester and Alivia Wiley had standout performances, as Sylvester contributed eight kills and 11 digs, while Wiley matched her with eight kills and added 15 digs. Katie Royer led the team with 24 assists and recorded 21 digs on defense. Brylee Erickson also had a strong game with 17 digs and five aces from the service line.
The remainder of the week, according to Erickson, was spent preparing for the Jesup tournament on Saturday, where the Warriors started the day with an impressive win against the Valley Lutheran Crusaders. Central won the match in straight sets, 21-4 and 21-12.
Royer finished with an impressive 15 assists, while “orchestrating our offense efficiently,” Erickson said.
Freshman Ella Frieden led the team with four kills, while Tessa Sylvester, Oakley Armstrong, and Wiley each added three. The team was more efficient on offense, committing only six hitting errors.
On defense, the Warriors had just five digs, which Erickson said was due largely to “our excellent offensive placement and strong serving performance.”
Royer went 11 for 11 from the serving line with six aces, while Wiley was eight for nine with four aces and Armstrong was eight for eight with three aces.
“Overall, the team missed only three serves, finishing with a serving percentage of 93 percent, exactly where we aim to be. It was a solid performance in both serving and offensive execution,” Erickson said.
The Warriors squared off against West Central in the next match, and in what Erickson said was the team’s “best offensive performance of the day.”
The Warriors won in straight sets with scores of 21-15 and 25-23. Aiding the victory were Central’s 16 kills and 91 percent serving mark.
Tori Sylvester was a perfect 10 for 10 on serves, with one ace, while Wiley and Royer each went eight for eight, with Royer recording one ace and Wiley adding two.
On defense, Tori Sylvester and Royer led the team with seven digs each, while Erickson added six.
“Their efforts were crucial in keeping us competitive throughout the match,” Erickson said.
Royer also led the offense with 14 assists, and Tori Sylvester had 10 kills.
Following that victory, the Warriors faced a tough South Winneshiek team, falling in two sets, 21-16 and 21-14. The Warriors struggled on the serve, hitting only 84 percent and missing five serves.
“It was a challenging match, but the team continued to fight hard throughout,” Erickson said.
Reese Berns put in a solid effort at the service line, going seven for seven, with Erickson commenting that “her consistency was a bright spot in the match.”
The Warriors also struggled offensively, finishing with 12 hitting errors and matching that with only 12 kills. Leading the way was Tessa Sylvester, who recorded four kills, followed closely by Tori Sylvester with three. Tori Sylvester, Erickson and Wiley each collected seven digs, while Royer finished with six.
“Their efforts helped keep us competitive throughout the match,” Erickson said.
Then it was on to the North Linn Lynx, with Central losing 21-19 and 21-15.
“Despite the loss, the team fought hard and kept the matches competitive,” Erickson said.
The Warriors’ serving struggles continued, as they missed nine attempts and finished with a 74 serving percentage. Erickson put some of that on fatigue, commenting that the team will “need to focus on maintaining consistency moving forward.”
Tori Sylvester and Armstrong led the team with four kills each, while Royer contributed 11 assists. Defensively, Tori Sylvester earned nine digs, followed by Wiley, Royer and Erickson with five each.
Central ended the day against Jesup, with Erickson commenting that the team “struggled to make things happen on offense. It was a challenging match, and we couldn’t quite find our rhythm.”
Serving remained an issue for the Warriors, as they missed six serves and served at just 29 percent. However, Armstrong had a strong performance, going seven for seven.
Offensively, Wiley led the team with four kills, followed by Tori Sylvester with three. On defense, Tori Sylvester again led the way with nine digs, while Erickson contributed seven. Both Royer and Armstrong had five digs each.
“Overall, we finished the day with two wins and three losses. Moving forward, our focus will be on maintaining consistency in our serving and improving our offensive efficiency. We’re committed to making progress in these areas to build on our strengths and continue growing as a team,” Erickson said.
The Warriors will play one varsity game this week, on Thursday, Sept. 19, against Kee.
