Wolverines hammer Warriors, head to 2A semifinals

CEDAR RAPIDS – Amber Rickert and Morgan Weber set the tone for the Dike-New Hartford volleyball team as it began its latest run at the state tournament.
 
Rickert, a junior, had a career-high 17 kills and Weber matched her career best as the sophomore slammed 16 kills in a straight-set sweep over Wapsie Valley in the Class 2A state volleyball quarterfinals at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday.
 
D-NH won 25-12, 25-9, 25-9. The Wolverines will play Council Bluffs St. Albert in a 2A semifinal at 4 p.m. on Thursday. St. Albert swept Unity Christian in a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday.
 
Rickert said that she had to overcome some communication issues early in the season to become the offensive weapon she has been this season for the Wolverines.
 
"I just wanted to help out the team more and contribute more so I decided to start talking more," Rickert said. "I know they are running the best out there so if I can do something for them, I know they want me to."
 
Baylee Petersen had 10 kills with 11 digs and twin sister Sydney Petersen made stellar plays in the back row toward her team-leading 16 digs.
 
The Wolverines burst forward with a seven-point run in the first set, with two kills each from Weber and Rickert, to open up what had been an 8-5 contest to that point.
 
D-NH dominated the second set with a 11-2 run to start and went up 7-1 to start the third set, never truly being tested by a familiar NICL East opponent.
 
"Our girls did a very nice job of moving the ball around," Harms said. "(Madison Hedges) does a good job of deciding who to set and when to set, she has a great feel for the game and has done a remarkable job for us this season."
 
Read more about Dike-New Hartford's tournament run in the Nov. 16 Grundy Register.
 
D-NH 25-25-25
Wapsie Valley 12-9-9
Kills: D-NH (Amber Rickert 17, Morgan Weber 16, Baylee Petersen 10, Carlee Dove); WV (Mikenna Joerger 5).
Assists: D-NH (Madison Hedges 36, Sydney Petersen 2, Sydney Lage); WV (Erika Jeanes 13).
Digs: D-NH (S. Petersen 16, B. Petersen 11, Weber 10, Allie Aalderks 4, Hedges 2, Rickert 2, Lage 2); WV (Kaci Beesecker 13).
Blocks: D-NH (Weber 2, Rickert 2, Jill Eilderts); WV (Brandi Marticoff 2).
Aces: D-NH (S. Petersen 5, Aalderks 3, Courtney Bolhuis, Weber, Hedges).