April 19, 2024

Southwest Valley outlasts Nodaway Valley in five sets

By JARED LARSON

Southwest Valley's Norah Lund (13) returns a ball with teammate Samantha Larsen (11) watching the play in November 2020, when the Timberwolves advanced to the second round of Class 1A Region. (CNA photo)

Southwest Valley encountered an unsweet 16 in their first two sets in Monday night’s home victory against Nodaway Valley.

“In the first two sets it felt like we were playing well to 16 points and then once we hit 16 we started to self-destruct and make a lot of unforced errors,” Southwest Valley head volleyball coach Lindsay Wetzel said. “In the last three sets of the match we finally started exploiting the holes in their defense and were scoring points.”

After having dropped the first two sets 17-25 and 16-25, the Timberwolves settled in having a total of 14 blocks and in addition having an even distribution of kills.

“We had 14 blocks (four solo and 10 assisted) in this match, and I bet we didn’t have 14 total blocks in our first ten matches of the season! We had multiple girls with more than five kills each and that is a huge difference maker,” coach Wetzel said.

Tierney Dalton and Samantha Larsen led the Timberwolves with four blocks each while Charlee Larsen had a match-high 12 kills.

The Timberwolves won the following three sets 25-17, 27-25 and 15-10.

“Tonight was a team win. Everyone contributed in multiple ways and I felt like the girls started to play the way we know they can. They showed a lot of fight and grit to be down 0-2 and come back and beat them the next three sets,” coach Wetzel said.

Southwest Valley improved their record to 2-0 in Pride of Iowa play and 5-6 overall. Nodaway Valley, now 2-1 in the league and 9-8 overall, heads to a triangular in Guthrie Center on Saturday.

Kills – SV: Charlee Larsen 12, Tierney Dalton 9, Samantha Larsen 8, Norah Lund 8. NV: Emma Perkey 10, Whitney Lamb 9, Maddax DeVault 9, Bella Hogan 8.

Assists – SV: Ryanne Mullen 34. NV: Lindsey Davis 24

Digs – SV: Maggie Haer 14, Norah Lund 9, Charlee Larsen 6, Ryanne Mullen 5, Haidyn Top 5. NV: Maddax DeVault 21, Lindsey Davis 18, Rose Lonsdale 11, Madison Long 10, Genevieve Livingston 8.

Service Aces – SV: Norah Lund 4, Maggie Haer 3, Ryanne Mullen 3, Tierney Dalton 3, Haidyn Top 3. NV: Maddax DeVault 2, Lindsey Davis 1, Rose Lonsdale 1.