Senior libero Riese Gjerde has helped the top-ranked Ankeny Christian Academy volleyball team to a 34-3 record. She had 11 digs on Wednesday as the Eagles swept visiting Twin Cedars in a Class 1A regional quarterfinal.
Gjerde leads the team with 264 digs. She has also contributed 18 aces.
Gjerde surpassed the 700-dig career mark earlier this season. She now ranks second on the school’s all-time list in that category.
Here is some inside info on Gjerde:
Congratulations on the win over Twin Cedars. What did you think of your team’s performance?
I thought we played well. We focused on coming out strong and to play consistent during the whole game.
Your team has now won 24 consecutive matches. Do you feel like you are playing your best volleyball of the season?
I do think we are playing the best volleyball of the season. We have played pretty consistently all season. Now we are focusing on being intentional with what we do in every play and even doing the small things like passing a free ball or serving.
Your team’s only losses came to two of the top teams in Class 2A–to No. 4 Denver on Aug. 26 and twice to No. 3 Grundy Center on Sept. 9. What did your team learn from those losses?
When we lost to Denver, it was the first tournament of the season and we didn’t play well. We knew we could beat them and when we played them a second time, we made sure to start ahead in the game and to keep going from there. Grundy Center is a solid team and was very good competition for us. We don’t see teams play at that level very often with the conference we are in. We played well against Grundy and took a set from them. We had nothing to lose from that game and even though we lost we still walked away from that game with our heads high.
As a senior, have you tried to be a leader for the team this season? And if so, how?
I have definitely tried to be a leader this season. I always try to encourage my teammates and help them. As a senior I’m really trying to focus on doing whatever I can to help the team and soaking up all the memories with the team.
As the defending state champs, do you feel like your team has had a target on its back?
I think we definitely do have a target on our back. Everyone is talking about us winning state again, and it’s really exciting to think about but we also have to focus on now and play one game at a time.
Your team will host Mormon Trail in a regional semifinal on Monday. That’s a team that you’ve already defeated twice, so what will be the key to do it again?
The key is to play like we know how to play and to play consistent. Our team is pretty solid at serving–this definitely helps and gives us an advantage. We work so well as a team, and we have a special bond that not every team has.
With a win, your team would then face CAM or Riverside in the regional final on Wednesday. Do you know much about either of those teams?
I don’t know much about either team. I have watched some film on Riverside. With a win on Monday, we will watch film on the team we play and figure out a plan from there.
I’m sure your team’s ultimate goal is to defend its state title. If you can win it again, how do you think this championship will compare to the first one?
I think the feeling would be similar. Last year we didn’t know we could get as far as we did, and we didn’t know what to expect coming into state. This year we are very hungry for that state title again, and we know we can do it. It meant so much as a team and as a school to win state.
It will be hard to top what your team accomplished last year, when you fought off four match points and battled back to beat Gladbrook-Reinbeck in five sets in the title match. Do you think about that match very often, and do you occasionally re-watch it just to relive those memories?
Yes, I have definitely re-watched it. As state is coming up I’ve looked back on pictures and re-watched the game. Watching the game back gives me chills and makes me so excited for the next couple of weeks.
Plans for next year? Would you like to play volleyball in college, and what are you going to study?
I plan to go to DMACC next year and then transfer to Iowa State to study elementary education. I am not planning on playing volleyball in college.
