Kirkwood Community College - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

KCC women begin year No. 1 in nation

Here's a dose of bad news for anyone who has to play the Kirkwood women's basketball team this season.

The Eagles, who went 37-0 last year and won the national title, could be even more talented this season.

"This group has a chance to be pretty good," Coach Kim Muhl said. "We're long, we're athletic.

"We have more depth than last year," he announced. "We just don't have the monster inside."

That "monster" last season was Simone Goods, the powerful center who was named the National Player of the Year and the Outstanding Player in the NJCAA national tournament.

Goods graduated after averaging 16.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Muhl will rotate several players in the post this  year, but knows it will be difficult to get the same production near the hoop.

Otherwise, Muhl likes what he sees as the Eagles prepare to open the season at the State Fair Tournament in Sedalia, Mo., this weekend. Kirkwood faces Iowa Western Friday and State Fair Saturday.

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KCC volleyball ends regular season with win

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The 13th-ranked Kirkwood volleyball team ended the regular season with a 23-16 record Saturday after topping Sauk Valley, 25-17, 25-21, 25-17, at the Parkland tournament.

Margaret Micka paced the Eagles with 12 kills, Ady Wintermote had 11 and McKenzie Petersen added eight.

Lauren Keane collected 31 assists, Alexa Whipple had 20 digs and Abbi Tunis blocked six shots.

Kirkwood will host NIACC in the semifinals of the regional tournament Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Johnson Hall.

No. 13 Eagles spike East Central

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The 13th-ranked Kirkwood women's volleyball team  swept East Central, 25-9, 25-14, 25-18, in the first round of the Parkland tournament Friday.

Margaret Micka led the Eagles with 11 kills. Ady Wintermote had eight kills and McKenzie Petersen contributed seven.

Lauren Keane rolled up 35 assists in three sets. Alexa Whipple had 13 digs and Wintermote had 11. Abbi Tunis blocked five shots.

Kirkwood raised its record to 22-16.

Eagles repeat as undefeated ICCAC champs

The Kirkwood Eagles captured the ICCAC volleyball title last year with a perfect 8-0 record, but two All-Americans and four other key players graduated and left the cupboard a little bare.

Panic time? Not on your life.

Kirkwood finished another perfect run through the conference this season with a hard-fought 22-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22 victory over 20th-ranked Northeast Community College Wednesday night at Johnson Hall to end the ICCAC campaign with another 8-0 mark.

"It's an awesome feeling," said Alexa Whipple, one of only three sophomores on this year's club. "We wanted to prove to ourselves that we could do it again.

"This year we had a fresh team," she said. "It's kind of cool, making a new team and stuff. It was a lot harder than last year, but it's still awesome."

The 13th-ranked Eagles (21-16) will host NIACC in the regional semifinals next Wednesday night.

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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 place 2nd at KCKCC golf tourney

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The Kirkwood Eagles finished second at the KCKCC golf tournament Tuesday in Kansas City, Kan.

Barton County captured the 36-hole event with a four-man score of 591. Kirkwood finished at 607.

Barton and Kirkwood were tied for first place after 18 holes, but the Barton golfers caught fire Tuesday with three rounds of even-par 72 and another round of 73.

Niall Powell of Kirkwood placed fourth at 6-over 150, five shots behind the winner. JD Goodfellow and Ryan Morrison finished at 153, Will Babcock 154 and Max Thrune 155.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Barton County 591, 2. Kirkwood 607, 3. KCKCC 619, 4. Indy CC 673, 5. Hesston 681, 6. Allen County 684, 7. Barton County 'B' 715.

Kirkwood golfers share lead at tourney

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The Kirkwood men's golf team is tied for first place after the first round of the KCKCC Fall Invitational at the Dub's Dread Golf Club Monday in Kansas City, Kan.

Kirkwood and Barton County both finished the first 18 holes with a four-man score of 302. The final round is Tuesday.

Will Babcock led the Eagles with a 2-over-par 74, followed by Max Thrune (75), JD Goodfellow (76), Niall Powell (77) and Ryan Morrison (78). Babcock stands in second place, one shot behind the leader.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. (tie) Kirkwood 302, Barton County 302, 3. KCKCC 317, 4. Indianapolis 335, 5. Hesston 338, 6. Allen County 341, 7. Barton County 'B' 357.