By PERRY BELL
CEDAR RAPIDS — Mount Vernon returned four starters from the 2008 Class 3A state runner-up team at the volleyball tournament.
The Mustangs dropped to Class 2A for the 2009 tournament and they drew the Pella Christian Eagles.
Coach John Evenhouse knew the task ahead was a big one.
“We have a strong Class 2A field at state every year,” Evenhouse said. “When teams like Mount Vernon drop to 2A, it just becomes one more hurdle everyone has to get by.”
The Eagles weren’t able to get by Mount Vernon in the first round of state competition last Thursday.
The Mustangs beat Pella Christian 25-7, 25-11, 25-9.
Mount Vernon would topple Wapsie Valley 25-16, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18 in the semifinal and Sheldon 25-8, 25-14, 25-9 in the championship match to close the year at 43-1.
“We knew they (Mount Vernon) were very good, we played them at Iowa City earlier this year,” Evenhouse said.
When you play a team with an imposing front-line like the Mustangs have, the Eagle coach said, “You can’t hit into the block and you have to play well defensively. They certainly have the hitters.”
Three Mustang players have either signed or given verbal commitment to playing Division-1 volleyball in college.
The three are Ali Stark, to the University of Illinois; Courtney Kintzel, University of Northern Iowa and senior Brianna Strong to the University of Northern Colorado. Stark and Kintzel are both juniors on the Mustang team.
The three all check in at 6-foot, 1-inch or taller. Strong is listed at 6-2.
Sophomore Jenna Horstman is listed as Pella Christian’s tallest starter at 5’11.
In game one at the US Cellular Center, the Mustangs raced to a quick 5-1 lead.
The score was 7-3 when Stark toed the service line. Four ace serves later and a run of 10 points gave Mount Vernon a 17-3 lead.
Meredith Fopma and Paige Zylstra (two) had kills that brought the Eagles to within 18-6.
A short time later the Mustangs had game one wrapped up 25-7
Game two again saw the Mustangs gain control early as Amanda Platte, Stark and Strong all had early kills to give Mount Vernon a 5-0 lead.
The lead grew to 12-1 before Pella Christian settled down and started to play better.
“Their front line is very good,” Pella Christian senior Bekah Posthuma said. “Their defense is pretty good too.”
Pella Christian’s Courtney Kroeze had back-to-back aces near the end of game two, but it wasn’t enough as the Mustangs won 25-11.
Game three again belonged to the fast starting Mustangs. Mount Vernon led 11-2 before the Eagles traded a few points before falling 25-9.
Jenna Horstman had two of her three kills in the match in game three.
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“This was a rebuilding year for us,” Evenhouse said. “We have a good nucleus back next year, but we’ll miss Bekah (Posthuma) and the rest of our seniors.”
“Facing Mount Vernon was intimidating at times looking across the net at their height,” Pella Christian junior Paige Zylstra said.
“We really came together at a team during the regional tournament,” Posthuma said. “Our confidence level kept building as we faced Clarke and Mediapolis to get to state.”
Mount Vernon 25-25-25, Pella Christian 7-11-9
Pella Christian statistics
Serving — Hannah Ver Meer 2-for-5; bekah Posthuma 5-for-6, 1 ace; Courtney Van Kooten 4-for-4; Courtney Kroeze 5-for-6, 2 aces; Ashley Van Kooten 2-for-4; Meredith Fopma 2-for-3. Team 20-for-28, 3 aces.
Spiking — Ver Meer 9-for-9, 2 kills; Janna Horstman 9-for-12, 3 kills; Posthuma 9-for-10, 1 kill; Fopma 8-for-11, 3 kills; Paige Zylstra 12-for-15, 3 kills; Leah Vander Schel 0-for-1; Jackie Veenstra 6-for-8, 1 kill. Team 53-for-66, 13 kills.
Assists — Posthuma 8, Jasmin Schelhaas 2, Veenstar 2. Team 8.
Digs — Ver Meer 3, Posthuma 2, Fopma 1, C. Van Kooten 2, Darci Jansen 1, Schlehaas 8, A. Van Kooten 7, Kroeze 1, Veenstra 1. Team 26.
Mount Vernon statistics
Serving — Sarah Ryan 13-for-14, 1 ace; Amanda Platte 14-for-15, 2 aces; Ali Stark 16-for-16, 5 aces; Brianna Strong 10-for-11, 3 aces. Team 69-for-74, 11 aces.
Spiking — Platte 19-for-19, 12 kills; Stark 16-for-16, 8 kills; Courtney Kintzel 12-for-13, 8 kills. Team 66-for-70, 38 kills.
Assists — Ryan 34. Team 36.
Blocks — Strong 4, Stark 1, Kintzel 2, Taylor Dicus 2, Aubrey Husak 1. Team 10.
Digs — Platte 8, Stark 8, Kylea Weber 8. Team 34.
