Ranked volleyball teams will collide Tuesday when #7 (2A) Aplington-Parkersburg brings their undefeated record on the road to defending Class 2A champion #6 (2A) Dike-New Hartford. The match will air on 99 The Wave.
The Falcons (8-0, 1-0 NICL-C) are coming off a hard-fought 3-1 win over #14 (2A) Hudson in Thursday’s conference opener, and they had a rare Saturday without competition. With a mostly veteran team, the Falcons lead the Central with a .284 kill efficiency and a division-high 67 aces. Senior Peyton Klooster has taken the lead offensively with 75 kills on the season.
Despite the early-season success and the Wolverines being off to a slower than usual start, Falcon coach Candace Kleespies says DNH must still be viewed as a formidable team.
“DNH is always DNH,” Kleespies says. “It doesn’t matter that they lost three D1 athletes from last year. They’re just always going to be a good solid volleyball team who plays the game right. You definitely have to go in with your best effort against them. It has to come from all six girls that are on the court all the time. And so you give that, you give your biggest effort, your best effort, and you see what happens.”
DNH (4-8, 1-0 NICL-C) is coming off a 1-2 outing at a tournament at #1 (3A) Mount Vernon, where they defeated Columbus Catholic, and fell to the hosts and #3 (4A) North Scott. A new-look offense has been led by Izzy Norton and Shannon Moorman with 72 and 61 kills on the season. They’ve been aided by veteran setters Lucy Varney and Addy Joslin.
DNH has won 20 straight in the series, dating to 2007.
Pregame coverage will begin at 7:20 p.m., followed by the first serve at 7:30.
