10 Best: Des Moines East at Ames
Ames (5-6) handled Des Moines East (0-4) on Tuesday night for a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-10, 25-9). The Little Cyclones’ offense played relatively fast, and although they made some errors, were consistent on defense and powered past the visiting Scarlets.…
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Continue ReadingAmes (5-6) handled Des Moines East (0-4) on Tuesday night for a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-10, 25-9). The Little Cyclones’ offense played relatively fast, and although they made some errors, were consistent on defense and powered past the visiting Scarlets. Here are the 10 best performances from Tuesday:
Ames tops Des Moines East 3-0 (25-13, 25-10, 25-9) to improve to 5-6 on the season. Here’s the final point.
Caroline Wolters with an all-around match: 7 digs, 2 kills, 2 aces, 3 assists. #iahsvb pic.twitter.com/yfHPskBeFy
— Hayes Gardner (@HayesGardner) September 11, 2019
Most all-around player
At 5-foot-9, junior Caroline Wolters does not have overpowering height. She does, however, have a powerful right arm. The athletic outside hitter attacked the net aggressively on Tuesday. She finished with just two kills, but also added seven digs, two aces and three assists. She’s probably the Little Cyclones’ most all-around player and she showed it.
Best service
Ames junior Rachel Rosacker led the match with three aces, which she accumulated in the second set. She’s a capable setter (14 assists on Tuesday), but she’s made an especially strong mark serving this season, with 18 aces on the year. Rosacker is able to change speeds and place her serves effectively to make serve-receive a chore for opponents.
Best showing by a sophomore
When asked who has especially impressed her this season, Ames coach Meg Williams pointed to sophomore Alexa Kopaska, who finished with four kills and four digs. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter/right side is a strong offensive weapon and is also otherwise skilled.
“She’s definitely earned her spot,” Williams said. “She comes to practice and she works hard every single day and gives 110 percent and especially in games, she gives that same effort, too.”
Best showing by a sophomore, Part II
Des Moines East struggled throughout the match, but had plenty of strong glimpses. One was sophomore Emma Rounds, who played well in the back row both on serve-receive and when Ames attacked, but also notched two block-kills. Only 5-foot-7, she timed and elevated her jump for a couple of big moments for the Scarlets. She has the makings of a solid outside hitter.
Best larger-than-life showing
Another strong glimpse was Des Moines East senior Bre Howard. She’s libero-sized, but played all over for the Scarlets and even got a block on Ames 6-footer Christabel Forney on one point. Howard added some well-placed back row kills, just over blockers.
Craftiest moment
Speaking of Forney, she’s one of the Little Cyclones’ strongest offensive weapons. She’s a hard-swinging lefty and has the ability to hit a heavy ball. However, it was a tip of hers that proved to be a memorable moment. During the final point of the second set — perhaps the longest rally of the night — Forney poked the ball over a couple of blockers and onto the line for the set victory. She added another well-timed tip for a point later on, too.
Most vocal leader
Ames senior libero Abi Janzen is the team’s top communicator.
“She’s just always talking out there, helping out her teammates and saying positive things,” Wolters said of Janzen.
Janzen is a capable libero (5 digs against East) and knows when to let balls sail out of bounds. She has the makings of a college, likely Division-III, defensive specialist.
Best hustle play
Ames senior Emily Matulac played sparingly at defensive specialist, but made a great diving save. On a miscommunicated pass from setter to hitter, Matulac dove forward and sent the ball over the net, prolonging a point that the Little Cyclones eventually won.
East’s top server
Des Moines East’s Caitlyn McFadden helped her team out in the third set with a couple of aces. The 5-foot-6 junior found a couple of holes in the Little Cyclones’ serve-receive and capitalized.
Best middle hitter
Ames junior Maddie Timmermans has been a source of strength for the Little Cyclones. She leads the team in kills and kill efficiency, and demonstrated that a few blocks and some forceful kills at the net.