Reivers end on a high note taking 7th place in NJCAA tournament

Story Credit: Kevin White - Daily Nonpareil

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Iowa Western volleyball team finished seventh in the nation on Saturday with a 25-11, 25-11, 25-17 consolation victory over Hill College in the NJCAA Division I tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

The second-rated Reivers tied for the ninth-highest finish in the 34-year history of the program and closed at 39-3. Coach Alicia Williams said sophomores Caitlyn Cooper, Makayla Doyle, Emi Pua'a, Kaci Hohenthaner and Isabel Hinkeldey set the tone.

"I'm not going to lie. I had a little tear in my eye because this is a special group,'' Williams said. "I just really liked the way that the sophomores kind of took charge of the day. It was like, 'I want to go out on my last day as a Reiver feeling good about it.' They were poised and yelling and screaming and cheering and happy to be with each other, and that's what it's all about.''

There was never a doubt on Saturday as to the better team, the coach said.

"We came out really strong,'' she said. "We were in a good mood this morning. I could tell it was going to be a good day. It was a great way to end.''

The Reivers hit a sizzling .369 in the match. Irina Alekseeva and Cooper led with 10 kills each, as Alekseeva hit .412 and Cooper .280. In the middle, Doyle added nine kills and a .615 hitting efficiency, and Morgan Bossler checked in at six kills and a .385. Hina Pua'a dished 36 assists.

Hohenthaner, a former Lewis Central standout, led at the service line with three aces.

"She did great. Our serves were really aggressive, and she hit her zones,'' Williams said.

Iowa Western finished 8-2 against teams who qualified for the national tournament.

"When you really look back at the four months as a whole, it's hard to do what we did,'' Williams said. "I'm proud of the way that they came back today.''

Iowa Western (39-3) 25 25 25

Hill (27-4) 11 11 17

IW (kills-aces-blocks): Savannah Downing 0-0-0, Irina Alekseeva 10-0-1, Kaci Hohenthaner 0-3-0, Ariana Macies 0-1-0, Ali Verzani 3-0-2, Caitlyn Cooper 10-0-2, Nina Hood 2-0-0, Makayla Doyle 9-0-2, Morgan Bossler 6-0-2, Emi Pua'a 0-0-0, Hina Pua'a 2-0-0, Isabel Hinkeldey 0-0-0.

Set assists: IW, H. Pua'a 36, E. Pua'a 3, Hohenthaner 1. Digs: IW, Macies 9, E. Pua'a 9, H. Pua'a 8, Downing 7, Cooper 5, Alekseeva 2, Hohenthaner 2.