Tigers fall short versus runner-up Mount Vernon
CEDAR RAPIDS — No regrets.
That is precisely what the Red Oak Tigers volleyball team wanted going into the state tournament last week.
“We said before the match, go in with no regrets. We didn’t want to look back and think what could we have done better,” Red Oak volleyball coach Angela Montgomery said. “We swung hard, we converted and did what we needed to do. [Mount Vernon] just did it a little better than us today.”
One of the best seasons in Red Oak volleyball history came to an end at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids Thursday afternoon as they lost in the semifinals to state runner-up Mount Vernon 3-1.
“We would’ve liked to be setting up a practice right now, but we’ll be thankful for what we have and the run we made this year and hope we get back next year,” Montgomery said after the match.
The Tigers bounced ahead right away by taking the first game from the Mustangs 25-23.
Both teams were tied 3-3 early in the first game when Red Oak pulled ahead scoring four straight points. This was capped off by a Sierra Athen kill, to make it 7-3, forcing Mount Vernon to call a time out.
The Mustangs regrouped after the time out and closed the gap to 10-8, courtesy of a kill by Kaitlyn Volesky.
The game stayed close, but Mount Vernon soon pulled ahead 18-12, forcing Red Oak to burn its second time out.
The Tigers clawed back, starting with a kill by Grace Blomstedt to cut the Mustangs’ lead to five. Kate Walker recorded an ace, followed by another Blomstedt kill and the lead was down to three. Red Oak then got the lead down to two, but Mount Vernon put another point on the board to make it 19-16.
Red Oak continued to rally, thanks to Blomstedt who spiked the ball for a kill to make it 20-18 and then got it to a one point deficit with an ace on the next serve.
Red Oak tied it twice, one at 21-21 with a kill by Madison Gilbert. Red Oak took the lead on a block and extended it with aces by Athen to put them ahead 24-21.
Mount Vernon wasn’t done as they scored twice to cut the lead to 24-23. It wasn’t enough as the Tigers scored the final point to get the first game win.
“It showed we were there to play and we were there to fight,” Red Oak senior Madison Gilbert said.
The Tigers took an early lead in game two, but Mount Vernon soon had it tied 10-10 and took the lead on an ace by Sydney Meeker.
Walker got a kill to tie and Red Oak regained the lead before the Mustangs got it back. They swapped the lead several times before Red Oak pulled away 19-15.
Mount Vernon rallied once again to take the lead. Red Oak tied it, but the Mustangs held on to win game two 25-21.
Game three was also close, but Mount Vernon jumped out to a lead. The Mustangs were up 14-11, but Red Oak battled back to tie the game.
“We definitely tried as hard as we could to get whatever they were throwing at us and we had a lot of long rallies, so we were picking up a lot of what they tried,” Gilbert said.
The Mustangs’ offense began to get back on track as they continued to attack, denying Red Oak the lead and jumping ahead 18-14.
“That first set, they weren’t quite as scrappy as the last few sets,” Walker said about Mount Vernon. “They just started to win all those long rallies that we won in the first and second games.”
Red Oak tried to close the gap but the third game went to Mount Vernon as they won 25-20, taking a 2-1 lead.
The Mustangs used the momentum from their game three win to jump out to a decisive lead in the fourth. Red Oak fought to keep close, but Mount Vernon won the fourth game 25-15, advancing on their quest for the state championship.
“They threw in a lot of lengths, like shorts and longs and I think that’s kind of what got to us,” Gilbert said.
Red Oak had a busy match, recording 48 kills and 53 digs as a team. The Tigers were led by Walker, who had 21 kills and 16 digs in her final match for Red Oak volleyball.
Walker and Gilbert were the leading diggers for Red Oak, facing down numerous difficult kill attempts by Volesky and Emma Cochrane. Volesky had 19, while Cochrane finished with 12.
“It almost made us be on our toes more,” Walker said. “When you get that dig, the energy in the arena is amazing.”
In addition to Walker, it was also the final matches for seniors Gilbert, Blomstedt and MaKayla LeRette.
Gilbert had five kills and was 14-for-14 on her serves with an ace. Gilbert said she’s ecstatic to be here.
“I’m with my best friends,” she said. “I don’t know how many times Angela and I tell each other we love each other during the middle of a match. I’ve been growing up playing with Kate, Grace and MaKayla forever and I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of girls. Sierra, Dana, stepping up like everyone out on the court, they’re my best friends and I love them so much.”
Gilbert finishes her senior season with 97 kills and 160 digs.
“For Madison, she’s somebody who shows every night and proves you don’t have to be 6’1” to get the job done,” Montgomery said. “She came through huge and so I think for people who are undersized, she can jump ridiculously. She’s somebody that has beaten a lot of odds.”
Blomstedt had a career-year for her senior season as she recorded 363 kills, which puts her over 1,000 for a career.
But Blomstedt has taken on a bigger role by working with kids who aren’t in high school.
“She loves working with the younger kids. Getting that excitement started early for volleyball in Red Oak is huge and we have a lot of young kids out here supporting us today, not just high schoolers,” Montgomery said. “For her to be so approachable and caring for those kids, that would be huge for me to have a senior like her step up and find a fourth or fifth grade volleyball player.”
LeRette didn’t see playing time during the semifinal, but as libero she has stepped up when the team has needed her this season. In 66 sets for Red Oak, LeRette has seven aces on 79-for-89 serving, as well as 36 digs.
As for Walker, career accomplishments are too long to list. She went to state in two separate sports this season, first in cross country a few weeks ago, placing 31st. If that’s not enough, Walker was picked for the all-tournament team, recording the second-most kills in the 3A tournament with 36. Only Jordan Smith (44) of the state champion Solon squad had more kills in the tournament.
“I just think the tradition is so much fun,” Walker said. “Having the community behind you is amazing, just the spirit of Red Oak and how big volleyball is, it’s just great.”
Montgomery said all the seniors will be missed and they’re all-around good kids.
“It’s tough, but they’ve left their mark and they’ve shown what Red Oak is capable of,” she said,
On the flip side, Red Oak will return key players who can make a lot of noise for next year, led by Angela Mahoney.
The junior had two kills in the match, but led the team with 26 assists.
Mahoney has primarily served as setter for Red Oak this season, recording 596. Despite her setter status, Mahoney is third on the team in kills with 183.
Dana Marsden is also another key returner as she was second in the match in assists with 18. She had 475 assists as a sophomore setter this season.
Sierra Athen will also be a key returner to the Tigers. She had four kills in the semifinal, but has played a big role as a freshman, being a middle hitter in the front row alongside Blomstedt.
“Any team can make noise, they just have to come with the mind-set that they can and we definitely have the tools,” Blomstedt said.
There are other players on the bench, including Brooke Janssen, Bailey Bruce, Emma Ross, Hannah Vial, Sydney Streicher and Sarah Behrens, who could all step up for the Tigers starting next season.
“We’ve seen kids on the bench right now that have a lot of potential to come in and step into those roles that are being exited by Kate, Grace and Madison,” Montgomery said.
Quarterfinals
Red Oak reached the semifinals by picking up their first state tournament win since 2005 as they defeated Sioux Center 3-0.
“Last year, we broke through getting a set. We had a lot of regrets after the Kuemper [Catholic] match last year, knowing that watching them in the finals, that could have been us and I honestly think that it lit a huge fire, I know it did for me,” Montgomery said.
It was the first tournament win for the Tigers since they defeated Waterloo Columbus 3-2 in the 2005 2A State Tournament.
The Tigers won the first two games in close fashion, each by a 26-24 score. In the second game, the Tigers had to rally back late to get the win and keep Sioux Center from tying the match.
Red Oak held on to win the third game by a 25-18 score. Walker had 15 kills for the Tigers, while Blomstedt had eight and Mahoney had six.
Mahoney also led the team in assists with 19, while Marsden had 11. Walker had 14 digs, while Mahoney recorded 13.