Marshalltown rallies for first win

On the brink of gaining their first win at home as well as their first conference victory, the Southwestern volleyball team was up 2-1 in the best-of-five match Thursday night against Marshalltown Community College.

The Tigers came in at 0-3, all in conference play, after Carlee Flack was named interim coach of a nine-player roster on Aug. 8. All nine players are from central and eastern Iowa except for setter Addy Stull, an Illinois native.

The Tigers rebounded and forced a fifth set (to 15 points) in taking set four, 25-22, and seized the early momentum in set five by bolting to a 3-0 lead.

Two of Southwestern’s kill leaders for the night, freshman Addison Martin of Omaha and sophomore Skyelar Lawal of Miami, Florida, sparked a strong Spartan response to take a 9-6 lead.

Attack errors out of bounds and a costly service error allowed Marshalltown to overtake the Spartans 13-11. After Kaylee LaPlant’s kill, Marshalltown added the last point in the 15-13 win for the team’s first victory of the season.

The final point was somewhat controversial, in that Marshalltown’s spike was ruled out by the line judge, but then overturned by the head official for the 15th point.

“I saw it as out,” said Southwestern coach Brianna Maitlen. “But we had our chances before that. I honestly think we got nervous and tired in that last game. Number 9 (5-11 Morgan Harvey) and 18 (5-11 LaPlant) were hitting over our blockers. They played well. Our girls played their butts off and it shouldn’t have come down to that final point.”

After dropping the opening set, 25-17, Southwestern won the next two, 25-23 and 25-20. The offense was clicking.

“Our passing has gotten better, and we were getting more kills in those games,” Maitlen said. “You could see our confidence was growing as we got the 2-1 lead.”

Harvey (17 kills) and LaPlant (14 kills) were effective as Marshalltown captured the final two sets. The Tigers also had an advantage in blocks, 9-3.

Spartan outside hitter Abby Eaton of Mount Ayr injured an ankle in the first set and did not return to the court Thursday.

On Saturday the Spartans played at Concordia, Kansas, in the Cloud County Classic. LaBette Community College defeated Southwestern 3-1, and Cloud County won a 3-0 sweep.

Southwestern, now 2-14 overall and 0-4 in ICCAC play, hosts Southeastern Community College (12-6, 4-0) at 6 p.m. Monday.

Marshalltown 3, SWCC 2

SWCC statistics

Kills — Addison Martin 12, DJ Steinkuehler 10, Skyelar Lawal 10, Gaby Cardenas 9, Maddie Richter 4.

Setting assists — Cadence Perkins 41.

Digs — Sophie Rahe 23, Perkins 22, Emma Follmann 21, Richter 14.

Blocks — Martin 2, Richter 1.

Serving aces — Sophie Rahe 3, Danica Chamberlain 3, Addison Martin 2.