Metro Sports Report

Coe volleyball team nets 2 wins

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Coe College volleyball team earned a pair of wins at the Naperville Tournament Friday, beating Robert Morris 3-0 and Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 3-1.

The Kohawks topped Robert Morris 25-16, 25-10, 25-17. Brianna Smith had 10 kills and six digs, Lauren Himen also had 10 kills, Madi Miller had 13 digs, and Mackenzie Harbaugh had 32 assists.

Coe beat Saint Mary’s 25-23, 21-25, 25-21, 25-17 behind Harbaugh’s second triple-double of the season. She had 11 kills, 10 digs and 37 assists. Jaimee Rindy also 11 kills, Smith had 14 kills, and Miller had 20 digs.

Coe is 15-8.

Hoffmann helps Mustangs spike Waldorf

FOREST CITY – Leslie Hoffmann had 17 kills to lead the Mount Mercy volleyball team to a 3-2 win over Waldorf Friday night.

Mount Mercy prevailed 25-17, 21-25, 25-19, 13-25, 15-12.

Cori Peterzalek had 22 digs, Lauren Stopko had 20 digs, Becca Thompson added 10 digs, and Allie McQuiston had three service aces.

Mount Mercy improved to 20-9, while Waldorf fell to 5-21.

Burke lifts RoughRiders in shootout

KEARNEY, Neb. – Cal Burke scored in a shootout to give the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders a 2-1 win over Tri-City Friday night in front of 2,136 fans at the Viaero Event Center.

Cedar Rapids remained undefeated at 5-0.

The Storm scored in the second period, but the RoughRiders came back in the third to tie the game on a goal by Luke Morgan, with assists by Ben Foley and Pavel Tkachkov.

The score remained tied through overtime, and Cedar Rapids won the shootout 1-0 on Burke’s goal.

Tri-City had a 35-30 edge on shots, but Ryan Larkin made 34 saves for the RoughRiders.

Young J-Hawks play for 'Mom & Dad'

The Jefferson volleyball players call their coaches Mom and Dad. Which seems to fit just fine.

Married first-year co-coaches Amy and Will Norton, both 32, are like new parents raising a young family.

There are only two seniors on the 15-girl roster. Three freshmen are starters and all six ninth graders play prominent roles in the rotation.

The team leaders in kills, assists and digs are all in their first or second year on the varsity.

Yet even with a decidedly baby-faced lineup, the J-Hawks have more than held their own this year against arguably some of the best teams in the state.

An 11-13 record hardly reflects their overall consistent play.

“We’ve only lost to one unranked team,” says Will Norton. “The others have all been ranked in the top 15 in their class.”

Moreover, notes Amy, “We’ve pushed a lot of really good teams. Our record may not show it, but I think we’ve proven that we can play with anybody.”