Golden Hawks top Washington in volleyball home opener

WELLMAN

Mid-Prairie volleyball coach Sherry Evans was convinced the Golden Hawks would win their home opener Monday night.

Even after the Golden Hawks dropped their first set to Washington.

And that’s what she told the team.

“This is our house,” Evans said. “We’re not going to get taken down.”

The Golden Hawks won the next three games by scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-18, to secure a 3-1 victory.

Mid-Prairie junior Jeorgia Evans, an Iowa State recruit, scored a double-double: 15 kills and 13 digs. Ashlee Statler, a freshman, added 9 kills and Claire Trimpe, a junior, had a team-high 14 digs.

After the Golden Hawks tied the match 1-1 with a Game 2 win, a 10-1 run in the third game led the way to a 25-22 win. The Golden Hawks scored six straight points while sophomore Jersey Jergens served.

Jergens had 3 aces and Jeorgia Evans had a team-high 6 aces.

“It was a big win for us. Very proud of them,” Sherry Evans said.

The Golden Hawks begin River Valley Conference South play Thursday night at 3A 13th-ranked Tipton.

Bondurant

Quad

Mid-Prairie, a two-time 3A Regional champion, defeated 4A Bondurant-Farrar and took 3A seventh-ranked Mount Vernon to a dramatic third set in last Thursday’s season-opening quad tournament in Bondurant.

The Golden Hawks swept Bondurant-Farrar, 25-19 and 25-21, and lost to Mount Vernon 17-15 in a deciding third set.

Golden Hawks co-head coach Zeb Evans liked what he saw from a team that has just one senior, Morgyn Bender, who had not played a high school varsity volleyball match until Thursday, and a lineup packed with underclassmen and eighth grader Jaycee Flynn.

“We’re ready,” Evans said. “Our ball control is very good. We’re where we need to be.”

5A No. 5 Dowling Catholic, featuring three NCAA DI recruits, won the mini tournament by defeating Mid-Prairie, Mount Vernon and Bondurant-Farrar. Dowling defeated Mid-Prairie, 25-19, 25-18.

Ashlee Statler, a freshman, had a team-high 7 kills in the win over Bondurant-Farrar and Jeorgia Evans had 6 kills and a team-high 11 digs.

Evans had a team-high 11 kills in the match against Mount Vernon.

Central Lee

Invite

Jeorgia Evans had a team-high 32 kills, 39 digs and 8 aces over three matches at the Central Lee Invitational in Donnellson last Saturday.

The Golden Hawks defeated Durant and Van Buren County, but were swept in two sets by West Burlington, 21-17, 21-15.

Evans had 15 kills, 15 digs and 5 aces in a 15-21, 23-21, 15-8 victory over Durant, and 9 kills in a 21-13, 21-11 win over Van Buren.

Elise Foster, a sophomore, had 12 digs in each match.

Ashlee Statler, a freshman, had 13 kills over the three matches.

Burlington (7-2) won the tournament title.