Iola Middle School’s eighth-graders ended 2021 on a higher plain than when they started the volleyball season in August.
After hosting Chanute’s Royster Middle School Thursday, the Mustangs were in Osawatomie Saturday for the Pioneer League Tournament.
The A team dropped a 25-12 and 25-9 decision to Royster Thursday.
Madison Hall and India Barney each had an ace serve. Barney had several nice diving passes, head coach Terri Carlin said. Ariana Werner had an assist and a kill. Lily Lohman had a kill, while Bella Rahming added a block. Madilyn Ashworth gave the team a spark off the bench with her passing, Carlin said.
The B team fell, 25-17 and 25-16
Lohman had a pair of ace serves. Stephanie Fees and Faith Warden each had an ace.
Saturday’s action featured some of Iola’s best volleyball of the season, Carlin said.
“They really worked together and set the ball up great,” Carlin said. “We didn’t win any matches, but the girls fought hard and took both matches to three sets.”
Iola fell, 25-18, 23-25 and 15-3 to Wellsville.
After a solid first set, Iola had confidence that carried into the second set.
“The girls knew they were playing great,” she said. “Lots of things were going right. It was so great to see them excited and really having fun.”
Passing issues derailed Iola in the third set.
Warden had one of her best matches of the year, with four kills and an ace.
Barney had five passes that were set up for kills, to go with two aces and a kill. Lohman had four aces and two kills.
Arianna Werner, one of the team’s best all-around players, had two assists, two aces and two kills. Madison Hall had a kill and three aces. Kandrella McCullough had four assists.
