The spotlight shines on Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman tonight for a matchup of ranked teams when the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk volleyball team hosts the West Liberty Comets in a key River Valley Conference contest. Mid-Prairie is 7-2 on the season after dropping a five set match at West Branch a week ago. The Hawks are ranked No. 15 in Class 3A in the latest poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. This season the Golden Hawks have 272 assists, fourth in 3A, 283 kills, fifth in 3A, 40 blocks, 349 digs, 74 aces, second in 3A, and an 83% serve efficiency. Individual leaders include sophomore Jovi Evans with 158 assists, ninth in 3A, sophomore Harper Pacha with 85 kills, 10th in 3A, junior Dakota Mitchell with 121 digs, sixth in 3A and 16 aces, fourth in 3A, and junior Callie Huber with 17 blocks.
West Liberty is 7-4 this season. The Comets won three of four matches over the weekend at the Muscatine tournament, taking down Burlington, Williamsburg and the home Muskies before falling to Durant. The Comets are ranked No. 11 in Class 3A this week. Statistically, West Liberty has 246 kills, 228 assists, 431 digs, 10th in 3A, 26 blocks and 39 aces. Individual leaders include Ava Morrison with 120 assists, Sophie Buysse with 81 kills, Gaby Morales with 124 digs, fifth in 3A, Maelyn Wainwright with 11 blocks and Kylee Pelzer with eight aces.
The Comets have won 27 in-a-row against the Golden Hawks including a pair of matches last year. Mid-Prairie’s last win came in 2009. Action starts at 7:15p.m. At Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman.