CHANUTE — Iola Middle School’s volleyball seventh-graders didn’t come away with a victory Thursday, but the Mustangs pushed host Royster to the limit nonetheless.
After the Mustang A team struggled in their first set, things brightened considerably in the second. Iola and Royster traded scoring runs throughout before the host Rockets emerged with a 25-22 win to secure the best-of-three match.
“I can’t say enough great things about these girls,” Iola head coach Aubrey Westhoff said. “They worked their tails off during those A team games.”
Westhoff singled out the work of Hilary Gean, “who had some amazing hits,” and Cora Boren’s serving. “Leanna (Flory) had some great second hits and saves as well,” she said.
Brynna Jelinek and Keira Goranson each had three aces, followed by Gean with two and Boren with one. Boren, Flory, Jelinek, Goranso, Gean and Moira Springer also passed well, Westhoff noted.
Iola’s B team followed a similar pattern, falling just short, 26-24, in one set.
Willow Clemmer had four aces, Mariana Lara had two and Nebula Burrow and Mariah Mathis had one apiece. Mathis, Lara, Flory, Burrow, Clemmer and Gabby Guerrero all had quality passes during the match, Westhoff noted.
Marah had an ace in the C team match, won by Royster, 25-5. Helena Morrison, Kori Winslow, Lara, Trinity Olive, Guerrero and Tarra Sailor all delivered quality passes in the set.
ROYSTER also prevailed in eighth-grade play, defeating Iola’s A team, 25-19 and 25-12.
Haidyn Desmarteau led the Mustang A team with four aces, followed by Sophia Doty with three, Leila Johnson with two and Adelynn Droessler, Jayna Ivy, Athena Cook and Hannah Thompson, one each. Others with good passes or hits were Kashyn Curry, Bayleigh Scheibmeir, Lily Jerome, Kinzley Fountain, Camryn Wille, Breighlynn Rutherford and Kailyn Rodriguez.
The Mustang combined B/C team fell, 27-25 and 25-14.
Doty had three aces, Johnson had two and Athena Cook, Ivy and Droessler had one each. Mary Burris, Blayke Folk, Macie Stokes-Huntsinger, Piper Jordan and Makayla McCann also had good passes or hits.
IOLA’S eighth-graders will have the second seed in Saturday’s Pioneer League Tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. at Osawatomie. Iola takes on Anderson County at 9 in the Mac Steele Gymnasium. The seventh-graders hold the sixth seed and will take on Burlington at 9 in the Red Gym.
