Cards’ Bleeker helps select volleyball team win title

On July 7, the Central Iowa Select 16 Maroon girls volleyball team from Des Moines captured USA Volleyball’s American Division National Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The team won ten straight matches to make it to the championship match and dropped only three sets during the tournament. 16 Maroon overcame deficits of 23-19 and 24-19 in the championship match to sweep the Mavericks 900 club from southern California. During the national tournament and course of the regular season, 16 Maroon defeated top clubs from Florida, California, Georgia, Texas and Illinois. It defeated two teams that held No. 1 national rankings. The team included Newton junior-to-be Michaela Bleeker, who earned second team all-conference honors for the Cardinals last year.

Pictured above from front left are Megan Iverson of Waukee, Maddie Thompson of Grandview Park Baptist, Michaela Bleeker of Newton, Claire Wandrey of Ankeny, Kyla Inderski of Urbandale, Kaylee Smith of Indianola, Kayla Aronow of Ankeny, (back row) coach Tony Sunga, Taylor Joens of Johnston, Megan Ballenger of Ankeny, Brooke Reichart of Dowling Catholic and coach Lana Smith.