NEW SHARON – North Mahaska’s volleyball team continued its quest for a top finish in the South Iowa Cedar League. On senior and cancer awareness night the Warhawks topped Colfax-Mingo to secure the top spot in the SICL West standings. They defeated the Tigerhawks 25-22, 25-15, 25-5.
North Mahaska had a solid serving night and played strong at the net. They knocked down 18 aces including eight in the final set.
“Overall, we played a lot better tonight than we did last night,” said NM coach Erica Groom. “After last night’s game we talked about where we want to be and tonight, we really picked it up.”
The teams were tied 12-12 in the match until the Warhawks began to pull away. Sydney Andersen smashed a kill and behind Ally Livezey’s serving NM pulled away to a 19-16 lead. The Warhawks increased the lead to 20-17 only to see the Tigerhawks rally to tie the set at 21-21 and again at 22-22. A mishit gave North Mahaska the set win.
Colfax-Mingo made a quick lead of 2-1, then the Warhawks began a run. Libby Hargis dropped in a pair of aces as NM moved out to an 8-3 lead. Andersen added another ace to put the Warhawks up 19-9. Leading 22-15, Regan Grewe was serving when Breckyn Schilling and Andersen smacked down kills before Grewe served up an ace to end the set.
Set three was not close. NM broke away from a 1-1 set behind Grewe’s three aces to lead 13-2 and the Warhawks never looked back.
Grewe and Andersen led the team in kills with nine and eight respectively. Schilling had four and Abby Van Weelden recorded three. Ally Livezey recorded eight service aces, Grewe had six and Libby Hargis two. Hargis was the assist leader with 12 and Lily Hartwig recorded nine.
Schilling had three blocks in the match and Hargis led in digs with 15. Grewe had 10, Livezey eight and Andersen six.
North Mahaska (15-7, 6-1) closes out the conference season at English Valleys Thursday. They will play in the Oskaloosa Invitational Saturday before hosting English Valleys and Colfax-Mingo Monday in the SICL tourney. EV (12-11, 4-3) and CM (7-14, 1-5) play at 5 p.m. with the winner facing the Warhawks. North Mahaska is the champion of the West Division. Belle Plaine is the regular season champion at 7-0.
