The stakes are high tonight in West Liberty when the No. 6 Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk volleyball team travels to meet the No. 10 Comets. On the line is the lead spot in the River Valley Conference championship chase, state rankings and potential playoff seeding. The Golden Hawks enter the evening on a roll 11-2 overall and 1-0 in conference, winners of 11 straight matches, including a three set road sweep of rival Washington Monday. Mid-Prairie enters the night ranked No. 6 in Class 3A in the latest poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. In Class 3A as a team, the Golden Hawks are second with 332 assists, second with 350 kills, fourth with a .289 kill efficiency, third with 517 digs, and seventh with 77 aces. Individually, Jovi Evans 96 kills are eighth most in 3A, with teammate Harper Pacha’s 84 the ninth highest total. Evan’s .315 kill efficiency is 10th best in 3A. Dakota Mitchell is fifth in Class 3A with 152 digs, her 18 aces are sixth most. Pacha’s 14 are ninth most.

West Liberty is 8-3 this season, 1-0 in conference. They are ranked No. 10 in the latest 3A poll from the IGHSAU. Saturday, they went 4-0 to win the Tipton Tournament title. The Comets have 478 digs, eighth in 3A, 256 kills, 235 assists, a .230 team kill efficiency and 49 aces. Individually they are led by, Emma Yoder’s 194 assists and 11 aces, Gabriella Morales with 125 digs, eighth in 3A, Sophie Buysse’s 65 kills, and Mallory Wulf with eight blocks. This week, Mid-Prairie co-head coach Sherry Evans spoke with KCII Sports about what she likes most in her team’s play during their current winning streak.

Sherry

West Liberty has won 28 of the last 31 meetings between the two schools, with each taking one of last year’s two matches. Action starts tonight at 7p.m. at West Liberty High School.