Hawks block Saints in 1A Region 7 opener

SULLY — Not ready to relinquish hold on their final volleyball season, Lynnville-Sully’s four seniors helped the Hawks claim a Class 1A Region 7 first-round match victory at home on Tuesday.

“We were ready to go. We played very well and we wanted to make it past the first round as seniors,” senior libero Makayla Rozendaal said after the Hawks posted a 25-17, 25-17, 25-10 win over visiting Melcher-Dallas’ Saints.

Rozendaal said it had been tough in practice with Hawk head coach Jayme Deal gone because a death in her family.

She said the Hawks came together as a team to get the win.

Senior Shiloh Cunningham had a six-point service run to push the Hawks ahead of the Saints in the first set. It was 6-all when Cunningham served two aces then had the benefit of kills by sophomore Krystal Van Dyke and senior Carson Fisk.

Lynnville-Sully led 13-9 when Fisk rattled off seven consecutive points from the service line. Working the net to help Fisk score points were sophomore Korinne Jansen, who had two tips for points, and Van Dyke with a block.

A kill by junior Mallory Loftus, who led the Hawks on the night at the net with 10 kills, to claim the 25-17 win in the opening set. The second set was a back-and-forth affair.

It was 18-17 when Lynnville-Sully gained possession of the serve. Cunningham, who was 19-of-20 in the match, served out the set — seven points.

The Hawks got out to a 5-2 lead in the third set. Melcher-Dallas battled back to get within 8-5 but no closer. It was 13-7 and Van Dyke took the serve for Lynnville-Sully.

Van Dyke, who was 14-of-17 for the match, served nine straight points. Loftus had two consecutive kills at the net in the run. Lynnville-Sully won 24-10 and advanced in the Region 7 tournament.

“It’s super exciting that we get to play at home on Monday in the second round,” Makayla Rozendaal said. “I think it will be awesome with our crowd again. The student section was a great tonight.”

Lynnville-Sully (15-12) hosts Grand View Christian (9-32) at 7 p.m. on Monday at Sully. Grand View Christian beat Ankeny Christian 25-15, 25-16, 25-20 in regional play on Tuesday.

Fellow South Iowa Cedar League team North Mahaska beat another SICL team, BGM, 25-12, 25-13, 25-30 on Tuesday. North Mahaska is at 1A No. 7 Montezuma, also of the SICL, in Monday’s quarterfinals.

The winner of the Lynnville-Sully vs. GVC match plays the winner of the Montezuma vs. North Mahaska winner on Oct. 25 at Montezuma.

Cunningham had four aces serves in the match and Van Dyke had two ace serves. Fisk, Jansen, Loftus, and senior Kaylee Maasdam each had one ace serve. Janelle Rozendaal was credited with 20 set assists.

Fisk and Jansen each had six kills and Van Dyke downed five kills. Cunningham made three kills and Janelle Rozendaal had one kill. Cunningham, Loftus and Van Dyke each put up two solo blocks against the Saints.

Defensively, Fisk came up with 13 digs while Makayla Rozendaal and Cunningham had 12 digs apiece. Janelle Rozendaal had 10 digs, Jansen had six, Van Dyke had five and Loftus had three.

On the other side of the Region 7 bracket in opening-round matches Tuesday, Winfield-Mt. Union beat Sigourney 25-21, 25-13, 25-20. Iowa Mennonite swept Tri-County in three sets.

Winfield-Mt. Union hosts Iowa Mennonite at 7 p.m. on Monday in a quarterfinal at Winfield. Class 1A No. 10 New London hosts Keota at 7 p.m. on Monday in the other quarterfinal. The quarterfinal winners play on Oct. 25 in New London.

The 1A Region 7 championship match is at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 at Ottumwa’s Evans Middle School.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com