WELLSVILLE — Iola Middle School’s volleyball teams came up short on the scoreboard, but put up valiant efforts nonetheless, their head coaches said Tuesday.
The Mustang squads were at Wellsville for a full slate of matches.
In A team play, Iola’s eighth grade fell, 25-12, 25-23 and 25-10, while the seventh-grade squad fell, 25-10, 25-17 and 25-18.
“We continue to be very scrappy and make some great plays,” IMS eighth-grade A-team coach Terri Carlin said. “We seem to make some tough plays, but then struggle with the easy stuff. I am proud of how the girls are working together. Wellsville had some tough servers, but in the last two sets we really hung in there with them.”
Leading the way were Aurianna Werner and Bella Rahmning with four aces and one kill apiece. Lily Lohman had a pair of ace serves and a kill.
“I was impressed with the play of Kandrella McCullough,” Carlin said. “She did a great job of setting up the ball to our hitters.” McCullough had three assists, an ace and a kill. India Barney served up an ace, while Faith Warden had a kill and Madison Hall an assist.
The seventh-grade A-team showed improvement at the net, head coach Aubrey Westhoff said. “Zoie Hesse, Brooklyn Holloway and Sheridan Byrd did great jobs,” she said. “Sheridan is starting to get the idea of how to play the net as a setter: knowing when to set it up for her teammates, pass it over or tip it to the other team.”
Holloway led with three ace serves, while Byrd had two. Dally Curry had an ace as well.
Westhoff also lauded Jayden Leavitt for her effort on the court.
IOLA’S eighth-grade B team dropped four sets, 25-14, 25-9, 25-19 and 25-21.
Coach Kendra Britt said she was pleased with the work of Madisyn Ashworth, who had seven ace serves and three kills. Nevaeh Hancock added three ace serves. Bella Rahming had two aces and a kill. Carly Kramer notched a pair of assists. Stephanie Fees had an assist, and Marlee Westhoff made several successful serves and passes, Britt said.
The most exciting match of the night was in the seventh-grade B-team contest, with Wellsville coming out on top, 25-19, 27-25, 28-26, 24-26 and 15-9.
“To get the girls going, they had some great passes at a crucial part in the first set,” Coach Westhoff said. “Jayden Leavitt had some great ball placement to get the team set up for some hits. Several of the girls had some great serves.”
Annie House led the Mustangs with five aces, followed by Shyla Preston with three, Lynsie Fehr with two and Kaydance Frame and Melody Norman with one apiece.
“They played some great volleyball tonight,” Westhoff said.
