With the addition of Hawkeye, Division II volleyball will have a full, five-game slate every Wednesday this fall. Check out the recaps each week in The Dig!
Division II Conference Matches
#9 Iowa Central (6-0; 1-0) def. Iowa Lakes (3-5; 0-1), 3-0
Iowa Central took their momentum from last fall into the start of the conference season last night against Iowa Lakes. The Tritons didn't allow more than 16 points in a single set and swept the Lakers. Offensively, they picked up 14 kills in each of the three sets. The 9th ranked Tritons were led by Amaya Finley who nailed 12 kills. Libby Zorn picked up nine kills as well.
Iowa Lakes' path doesn't get any easier next week, as they travel to Northeast to face Region XI's other national tournament representative in 2017. Iowa Central will head to Southwestern to take on the Spartans.
#17 Northeast (2-3; 1-0) def. Southeastern (1-4; 0-1), 3-0
Northeast wants to return to the national tournament for the third straight season under coach Amanda Schultze in 2018. They started the season off on the right foot by sweeping past Southeastern. Despite the win, Northeast hopes to improve on their overall record. The 17th-ranked Hawks are just 2-3 on the season having dropped their last three games prior to Wednesday night.
Southeastern and Coach Michele Glass will look for their first conference win next week against Ellsworth. Northeast hosts Iowa Lakes.
BOX SCORE
DMACC (6-0; 0-1) def. Kirkwood (4-2; 0-1), 3-1
The first week of the season could very well have determined the 2018 ICCAC Division II Volleyball conference champion. Over the past five seasons, since 2013, one of either DMACC or Kirkwood has claimed the crown. Last night in Boone, both teams entered the match unranked in the NJCAA poll, the first time the Bears since 2006 and for the Eagles since 2012. The match was as competitive as anyone would have expected. Despite the 3-1 win for DMACC, both teams score a minimum of 21 points in each set. DMACC won the first set 25-22, but dropped the second set, 26-24. The Bears would rally to back-to-back 25-21 set wins in the third and fourth sets to end the match.
Madisen Paulsen, Peyton Parker and Amber Dilsaver collectively did the damage for the Bears. The three combined for 25 of the teams 36 kills. Daiton Martin was huge off the serve, notching five aces a, also scooping 20 digs. Kirkwood was led by Alexa Ingram and Abbi Tunis who tallied 13 and 9 kills, respectively.
DMACC faces Hawkeye, who won their first-ever conference match against Ellsworth, 3-0. Kirkwood looks to bounce back against NIACC in their conference home opener on Sept. 5.
NIACC (3-2; 1-0) def. Southwestern (0-5; 0-1), 3-0
NIACC shined in there conference debut against Southwestern, winning in straight sets. The Trojans filled the stat sheet with many members contributing. Kennedy Meister led NIACC with 12 kills and 16 digs while Sydney Roush had 18 assists and three aces and Connor Gauch had 18 digs, just to name a few. Southwestern didn't make it easy. They fought hard after losing the first set 25-15.
In the final two sets, the Spartans closed the gap but fell 25-19 and 25-23. Southwestern hosts Iowa Central in Week 2 while NIACC heads to Kirkwood to see if the can start the season 2-0.
Hawkeye (5-1; 1-0) def. Ellsworth (0-2; 0-1), 3-0
Off to a strong start to the season in general, Hawkeye picked up their first ICCAC conference win in program history in Iowa Falls on Wednesday night. The RedTails, already 5-1 in the early 2018 season, moved past the Panthers in straight sets. Hawkeye setter, Maggie Driscol, was the highlight, controlling the game with her passing. She dished out 36 assists on the night, particularly to Jessica Hopkins and Megan Hudson, who totaled 14 kills apiece.
Ellsworth's setter Jena Gerot and Coach Sara Jesse's protege, paced the Panthers with 27 assists of her own while Gigi Olivo picked up 25 digs to keep the Panthers involved. Offensively, Jordynn Wesselink and Marshalltown transfer Jesenia Colbert led Ellsworth with 11 and 10 kills.
In the end, Hawkeye won 25-21, 25-18 and 27-25.
Ellsworth will face Southeastern next week and Hawkeye will be tested, hosting the DMACC Bears in Waterloo.