The Ankeny volleyball team was without sophomore setter Phyona Schrader during the Caroline Found Extravaganza on Saturday at Iowa City West.
No problem.
The 10th-ranked Hawkettes got strong performances from a pair of backups and earned a second-place finish in the tournament. They dropped a 25-15, 25-20 decision in the championship match to Dyersville Beckman, the No. 3 team in Class 2A.
“As a coaching staff we were very pleased with the efforts of our girls,” said Ankeny coach Joe Morton. “We were missing Phyona and we watched multiple girls step up and fill roles they had not been expecting to fill. Lydia Blatt and Lauren Willets stepped in and shared our setting duties and were excellent for us. Taylor Richards and Malea Daugherty led our charge offensively while Kaci Behrens was beyond consistent on our defensive side of the ball.”
Ankeny went 4-2 on the day and is now 12-8 on the season. The Hawkettes also lost to Beckman, 21-17, 21-10, during pool play.
Beckman improved its record to 23-0.
“Overall, we played some tough teams and dropped only two matches to the same team,” Morton said. “It’s hard to take that away from Beckman–they are an incredible team that will compete for the state championship in 2A.”
Ankeny posted wins over Pella Christian, 21-12, 21-18, and Iowa City Liberty, 18-21, 21-12, 15-6, during pool play. Liberty is the No. 10 team in Class 4A.
The Hawkettes then defeated Dowling Catholic, 26-24, 25-22, in the quarterfinals. The win avenged a loss to the Maroons at the Valley Invitational on Sept. 1.
Ankeny rallied from a one-set deficit to beat Mount Vernon, 16-25, 26-24, 15-6, in the semifinals. Mount Vernon is the No. 10 team in Class 3A.
“Our girls have begun to gel and really lock into their goal of being in Cedar Rapids (for the state tournament) in November,” Morton said.
The Hawkettes will meet Dowling (13-5) for the third time this season on Tuesday. The two teams will collide in the CIML Central Conference opener at Ankeny.
