Kirkwood Volleyball

Eagles push No. 2 Parkland to limit

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The 13th-ranked Kirkwood volleyball team pushed  second-ranked Parkland to the limit Saturday before falling, 3-2, at the Lincoln Land Tournament in Springfield, Ill.

Kirkwood dropped the first two sets against Parkland but rallied to take the next two sets, 25-21 and 25-22. Parkland captured the fifth set 15-9 for the victory.

Ady Wintermote and Margaret Micka led the Eagles against Parkland with 14 kills. McKenzie Petersen and Abbi Tunis had nine kills.

Lauren Keane dished out 48 assists. Alexa Whipple had 23 digs and Wintermote had 20.

Kirkwood blanked Kansas City (Kan.), 25-22, 25-18, 25-22, in its first match at the tournament Saturday. Wintermote collected 17 kills and Micka had 14.

Keane had 38 assists against Kansas City. Whipple had 18 digs, Keane 16 and Wintermote 15.

The split left Kirkwood with a 21-16 record. The Eagles finished 2-2 at the tournament.

No. 13 Eagles split against ranked foes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The 13th-ranked Kirkwood women's volleyball team split two matches against ranked opponents at the Lincoln Land  tournament Friday in Springfield, Ill.

The Eagles lost to fifth-ranked Lincoln Land, 3-0, in their first match and rebounded with a 3-0 victory over 18th-ranked Johnson County  in their second outing of the day.

Ady Wintermote had 11 kills in the 30-28, 25-17, 25-16 loss to Lincoln  Land. Margaret Micka had eight kills. Lauren Keane finished with 16  assists, Brianna Eberhardt had 21 digs and McKenzie Petersen blocked  six shots.

Wintermote had 12 kills and Micka provided seven kills in the 25-19, 25-22, 25-6 verdict over Johnson County. Keane had 23 assists, Eberhardt 24 digs and Petersen six more blocks.

The split left Kirkwood with a 20-15 overall record.

KCC spikers earn No.1 seed for regional

IOWA FALLS - The 13th-ranked Kirkwood Eagles took care of business Wednesday night and earned the No. 1 seed for the regional volleyball tournament that will begin in two weeks.

Kirkwood swept Ellsworth, 25-17, 25-13, 25-11, to clinch at least a tie for the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference title with one match remaining in the league.

Kirkwood raised its conference record to a perfect 7-0 with the  victory. Iowa Central and DMACC are tied for second place at 6-1, but  the Eagles have defeated both of those teams and would get the No. 1  seed for the regional if the race ends in a tie. Kirkwood closes out league play at home next Wednesday against Northeast Community College.

Ady Wintermote led Kirkwood with 14 kills and 13 digs in the win over Ellsworth. McKenzie  Petersen provided 10 kills and Margaret Micka had seven.

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Eagles whip Tritons for ICCAC lead

The Kirkwood Eagles have taken a few lumps from some of the top volleyball teams in the country this year, but the Eagles keep  battling and they keep swinging.

It paid off Wednesday night.

The 16th-ranked Eagles swept 17th-ranked Iowa Central, 28-26, 25-17,  25-19, in a showdown for the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference lead Wednesday night with typical grit and determination.

Kirkwood fell behind by six points in the first set and trailed by three points in the next two sets as well, but the Eagles stormed back each time for the big victory over the Tritons.

"It was just finding our rhythm and getting after it," said freshman Ady Wintermote, who led Kirkwood with 15 kills. "Once we're in rhythm, we can be a really good team. We can put anyone to the test."

The Eagles have played 12 ranked teams this season and have a 4-8 mark in those matches, but the freshman-packed lineup keeps improving and now has the inside track for the conference title.

"Each game is a growing opportunity," said Wintermote, who starred at South Hamilton High School. "When we go up against ranked teams it's not, 'Oh, no.' It's a time to make a name for ourselves.

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