BOONE - The Kirkwood Eagles lost to Iowa Western, 25-20, 26-24, 14-25, 25-17, Friday in a showdown between two of the top junior college volleyball programs in the country.

Iowa Western is ranked No. 1 in NJCAA Divison I and Kirkwood is ranked No. 9 in NJCAA Division II.

Erin Wenzel led the Eagles with 15 kills. Heather Poula collected 14 kills and 12 digs. Halle Lueck had 39 assists and 15 digs. Megan Allmandinger had 13 kills, Nicole Snyder 16 digs and Becca Bell six blocks.

Kirkwood (32-8) salvaged a split at the tournament in Boone with a 25-18, 25-12, 25-19 sweep of Marshalltown.

Bell provided 11 kills and four blocks. Wenzel and Poula had eight kills. Lueck dished out 32 more assists. Marisa Stark had 14 digs and Snyder 13 digs.

Kirkwood and DMACC both finished with 9-1 records in the ICCAC conference this season to tie for first place. Kirkwood won the head-to-head matchup.