The North Butler volleyball team came through with clutch scoring runs in three competitive sets to win 3-0 over West Fork in Top of Iowa Conference East play on Tuesday, as aired on 104.9 KLMJ. It was also the Warhawks senior night, as they recognized five seniors before the game.
The first set featured six ties, including a tie at 16 late in the set. North Butler went on a 9-2 scoring run from that point to go up 1-0 in the match. In the second set, West Fork led by as many as six at 14-8, then the Bearcats drew even at 17. The Warhawks went up 22-17 late in the set, the Bearcats went on a 6-1 run to tie the set at 23. The Bearcats scored the final two points of the set to take a 2-0 lead in the match. In the third set, the Warhawks led by as many as six, with a 15-9 advantage. The Bearcats tied the set at 16, and each team traded scores to reach a tie at 21. The Bearcats scored four of the final points in the match to secure the conference road win. Bearcats Head Coach Sarah Goodrich shares how the team navigated tightly contested final two sets.
“Definitely just a next ball mentality. We kind of like to come out hot and then kind of let go of some of that energy. That next ball of the point isn’t done until it’s truly done and fighting one ball at a time,” says Goodrich. “Coming into those second and third sets, weren’t our greatest starts from the beginning. Some minimal errors that came here and there. It’s going to happen, it’s the game of volleyball. Coming back together, resetting and playing our game instead of really looking across the net and seeing what they were doing.”
Warhawks Head Coach Emily Greimann notes the need for decreasing errors and the opportunity to recognize the seniors.
“We knew it was going to be a close one coming in. Honestly I’m proud of their fight. I thought there was a lot of great things that happened. Ultimately it comes down to who makes less errors. That’s one of the things that I would like for us to work on minimizing going forward. I’m proud of their fight and I know that they lay it all out there,” says Greimann. “I love this group of seniors. They have been with me since I’ve coached them in softball and middle school basketball. We’ve been through a lot together. To see them now, to see the leaders that they’ve become and just the amazing women that they are. They lead this team and they’re just a really good group.”
Addison Ulrich had 12 kills and Zoey Thompson had eight to lead the team. Abby Schoning and Brooke Rother each had six kills to lead the Warhawks.
North Butler (10-13, 4-3 TIC-East) will compete at the Oelwein tournament on Saturday. West Fork (7-7, 1-4 TIC-East) will return to the court at Nashua-Plainfield on Tuesday, October 7.
