Spartan volleyball fights back for 5th in NICL tourney

ACKLEY – After a loss to Denver in Tuesday’s NICL quarterfinals, Grundy Center volleyball rebounded for two wins against ranked competition to take fifth place in the second annual North Iowa Cedar League Volleyball Tournament.

Grundy Center, ranked 10th in 2A, defeated 1A No. 12 AGWSR, 25-20, 25-19, and knocked off ninth-ranked Sumner-Fredericksburg, 26-24, 28-26, for fifth place.

Carlie Willis slammed 20 kills in the win against Sumner-Fredericksburg. Ellery Luhring had 28 assists and nine digs. It was a slight measure of revenge for the Spartans after a five-set loss to Sumner-Fredericksburg on Sept. 22.

In Tuesday’s opening rounds in Grundy Center, the Spartans swept Jesup, 25-18, 25-9, and fell to 2A No. 4 Denver, 27-25, 25-18. 

The Cougars started off with a victory over Hudson in the opening round at Wapsie Valley on Tuesday, 25-16, 25-19. Third-ranked Wapsie Valley was too much for AGWSR in the final match of Tuesday, with the Warriors defending their home court 25-12, 25-19. After the loss to the Spartans, AGWSR beat South Hardin in three sets to lock up seventh place.

In the pivotal match with the Tigers, Brynn Smith had 18 kills. Trevyn Smith added 21 assists and 11 digs.

G-R wins 9th-place pool

After a first-round loss to Sumner-Fredericksburg, Gladbrook-Reinbeck broke off three consecutive wins to finish ninth in the NICL tournament.

The Rebels fell to 2A No. 9 Sumner-Fredericksburg 25-13, 25-22. Then they swept East Marshall, 25-16, 25-11; beat Columbus 25-23, 25-19 and topped Hudson 25-14, 25-22 to win the pool.

In the final match of the tournament, Ava Wyatt had 12 kills and five digs. Emma McClintock added 18 assists and eight digs and Kloie Hendricks had a team-leading 11 digs.