Tigerhawks show off depth in SICL win over Keota

COLFAX — Colfax-Mingo junior setter Katelyn Steenhoek prefers spreading the ball around to her teammates throughout each match.

While setting the hot hand can be beneficial, Steenhoek also wants every Tigerhawk hitter to get a fair chance at the net.

That strategy worked out for the Colfax-Mingo volleyball team on Thursday as five players totaled at least four kills during its 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 25-22 South Iowa Cedar League win over Keota,

“I told them I don’t think there was a game MVP in that one,” Colfax-Mingo head volleyball coach Mike Hunsberger said. “That was a team win. There were moments we needed every one of them, and they all stepped up.”

Steenhoek’s favorite target in the team’s latest win was Britney Keeney, who put down a career-high 14 kills. But Grace Hunsberger had nine kills, Isabelle Utz collected six and Mickey Bucklin registered four.

Even Steenhoek herself tallied eight kills as she works as the hitting setter in the 6-2 formation this season.

“I think it’s going great,” Steenhoek said about the 6-2. “We’re working well as a team and doing an awesome job together.”

The Tigerhawks improved to 10-1 against Keota since 2015. The Eagles’ only win during that time frame came in a five-set thriller last season.

Other than the balanced attack at the net, Colfax-Mingo flipped the script this season in part because of 13 aces and eight blocks.

Keeney got the Tigerhawks off to a hot start. C-M led 7-0 and 10-1 in the opening set, and Keeney produced three kills and a block during that stretch.

Utz opened the match with a kill and then made it 9-1 with an ace later. Keota trimmed its margin to 11-10 though after a 9-1 run of its own.

Colfax-Mingo (7-3, 1-1 in the conference) pushed its advantage back to four a few points later, but the Eagles refused to falter. They closed the gap to 16-15 and 21-19 later, but a tip by Steenhoek swelled the Tigerhawks’ lead.

Kills by Grace Hunsberger and Steenhoek and a block by Bucklin finished off Keota in the opening set and gave the hosts an early advantage on the scoreboard. Bucklin had a career-best four blocks in the win.

The second set was nip and tuck both ways. Neither team led by more than two until Keota used a 5-0 run to move in front 20-14.

Grace Hunsberger put down a kill and served up an ace to melt C-M’s deficit to three, but the Eagles closed out the set with a 3-1 run to even the set at 1-all.

“This conference has so many teams that are unknowns this year,” Coach Hunsberger said. “We’re going in kind of knowing what to expect, but it’s hard to get a good read on who teams are. Keota’s not a bad team, and we knew that. We challenged our kids after (Keota) tied the match because we were in a battle. And they did a good job continuing to fight and playing to the end.”

Keota (4-3, 0-1) scored the first three points of the third set, but two kills by Keeney and a combo block from Keeney and Dakota Allen trimmed the margin to 4-3.

The Eagles stayed in front until a 4-0 run by C-M flipped the advantage to the home team. But neither team led by more than three until Grace Hunsberger’s kill forced a Keota timeout and put her team in front 16-12.

I set everywhere. I’m trying to move the blockers, and everyone should get a fair chance to hit.

—  Colfax-Mingo junior setter Katelyn Steenhoek

Keeney opened the 7-0 run with back-to-back aces and Grace Hunsberger put down a pair of kills to swell the advantage to 19-12.

Keota forced a Tigerhawk timeout with a 4-0 run, but a Hope Allen ace extended the lead back to five.

The Tigerhawks scored three of the final four points in the set and all three came on kills from Steenhoek, who led the Tigerhawks with 17 assists, eight kills, 11 digs and three aces. Her kill efficiency was .231.

“We knew we had several pieces from last year moving into new and bigger roles this year,” Coach Hunsberger said. “We just really tried to work on playing as a team. We’re nowhere near where we want to be yet, but we’ve grown a lot in that area and are getting better and better.”

The fourth and final set started similar to the previous two frames. Neither team led by more than two until Keota scored three straight to go up 10-7. But three kills from Keeney drew the Tigerhawks even at 12-all and a Bucklin kill later kept the set tied at 15-all.

“We just really need to work on reading the ball a lot,” Steenhoek said. “That’s one thing we struggle with, and one thing that we need to improve.”

Colfax-Mingo had an answer for every Keota run. The Eagles led 7-5, 10-7, 15-12 and 18-15, but the Tigerhawks closed the gap to 18-17 after another ace by Allen.

Kills by Utz tied the frame at 20- and 21-all. The set was tied at 22-all as well, but C-M got the final three points to close out the win.

Hope Allen matched Steenhoek with a double-double. She posted 14 assists, 10 digs and two aces, while Keeney totaled 14 kills, eight digs and five aces.

Grace Hunsberger added 11 digs to her nine kills, Utz had 12 digs and two aces to go with her six kills and Grace Allen contributed a career-best 22 digs. Macie Porter finished with six digs.

“I set everywhere,” Steenhoek said. “I’m trying to move the blockers, and everyone should get a fair chance to hit.”

The Tigerhawks were 88-of-94 in serves with 13 aces. They had a kill efficiency of .156.

Keeney was 21-of-21 in serves with a kill efficiency of .220. Grace Allen served 13-of-13, Hope Allen was 12-of-12 and Grace Hunsberger served 10-of-10.

“I don’t know that we have a No. 1 option,” Coach Hunsberger said. “They all showed tonight they’re capable hitters, and we need them all.”

Notes: Coach Hunsberger was proud of the way his team responded to adversity. The Tigerhawks came back from a deficit in three of the four sets, and the home team’s student section played a factor throughout the night. “A lot of those boys are my basketball players, and we challenged them to come out and be loud,” Coach Hunsberger said. “They filled the seats and cheered loud and it helps so much.”

BGM 3, Colfax-Mingo 1

BROOKLYN — Five Tigerhawks registered at least three kills and Hope Allen and Steenhoek both posted double-doubles, but Colfax-Mingo fell to BGM in four sets on Tuesday.

The Bears knocked off the Tigerhawks in C-M’s SICL opener 25-22, 25-21, 23-25, 25-15 at home.

“We know we didn’t play like we’re capable of on Tuesday,” Coach Hunsberger said. “I don’t know if that was because it was a full gym and the first conference match or whatever. But we were stuck in the mud.”

The Tigerhawks finished with only six aces, had a kill efficiency of .031 and registered just one block at the net.

BGM (4-1, 2-1) served 95-of-97 in the win and Mya Beck and Kylie Arment each had double-doubles to lead the Bears.

Steenhoek led the Tigerhawks with 13 assists, 15 digs, six kills and two aces and Hope Allen added 14 assists, 18 digs and two aces.

Keeney put down nine kills and had three digs, Utz totaled seven kills and 11 digs and Grace Hunsberger tallied four kills and four digs.

Grace Allen contributed 19 digs, Meadow Lane posted 15 digs, Porter and Dakota Allen each chipped in eight digs and Bucklin put down three kills.

Colfax-Mingo was 76-of-84 in serves with six aces. Hope Allen served 16-of-16 and Keeney and Grace Hunsberger each finished 16-of-17.

“We challenged them to respond and come right back and show they were capable of playing better,” Coach Hunsberger said. “I’m so proud of how they responded after Tuesday’s loss.”

Beck led the Bears with 12 kills and 17 digs and Arment added 13 assists and 12 digs. Shaye Strong contributed 25 digs, Emersyn Minnaert totaled 24 digs and BGM served up five aces.