The Hillcrest Academy Raven volleyball team will be back on Dwight Gingerich Court Thursday for Southeast Iowa Superconference action when the Wapello Arrows visit. The Ravens are 1-11 on the season. They were swept by Pekin on the road Tuesday. For the season, the Ravens are led by Esther Hughes with 65 kills, fourth most in the Superconference. Norah Yoder has 56 assists, best on the team and eighth in the Superconference. Grace Miller paces the Raven defense with 117 digs, fourth in the north.

Wapello comes into the game with an overall record of 6-7. Last time out the Arrows beat Highland in four sets. For the year, Wapello is led by Lindsy Massner with 84 kills, second in the Superconference. Her 143 digs are second most in the conference. Serah Shafer’s 195 assists lead the Superconference. This week, Hillcrest head coach Taylor Kurtz explains that her team’s focus is more inward than it is on the Arrows. “As much as I want to be able to look ahead and tell our girls, this is a good hitter, hey look for this. I go into each match with a clean slate. I tell the girls it doesn’t matter what the other team is doing, it matters what we do. I watch the other team during warmups and then give keys from that. The most important thing I tell the girls is that it doesn’t matter who we are playing, we have to go play our game.”

These two teams met twice last year with Wapello winning both in straight sets. Action begins tonight at 6p.m. in Kalona.