By Marissa VanWingen
mvanwingen@iafalls.com
Ellsworth Community College dug their heels in and won the five set match over a visiting Hawkeye Community College 25-18, 25-21, 16-25, 20-25, 15-12.
Taking a lead in the fifth set is always crucial and back-to-back aces by Camylle Le Meur started ECC (6-7, 2-3) off strong. On a hitting mistake by the visitors, the lead reached 4-1 but like so many other times throughout the match, momentum shifted. Hawkeye evened the score at 4-4 and took their first lead (5-4). Madi Hughston put down a kill for the hosts to shift the match back in the Panthers favor and the home team scored seven in a row, with the help of two aces by Hughston, and led 11-5. The visitors would come storming back and cut the difference to two (11-9) and would even the score again at 12-12.
Setter Vera Hojnacki dumped the ball over the net for the Panther lead and back-to-back RedTail hits soared out of bounds to give the hosts the much needed ICCAC win, 15-12.
In the first two games of the match ECC never trailed. The hosts built an early lead in the opener and went on multiple scoring runs. With the help of four Hawkeye errors and back-to-back Juliana Nunez points, the Panthers created a 14-6 advantage. The lead remained eight and ECC won on a hitting miscue by the RedTails (25-18).
Set two Hawkeye (6-9, 1-3) took a couple of advantages early, but after being knotted at 3-3, the hosts pulled away and did not relinquish the lead again. The largest spread was 22-14 on an Anthea Deweer ace. Later, the RedTails made things interesting with back-to-back ace serves to cut the difference to four and the score would be as close as 24-21 when a cross court Panther hit was called out. The set would end on an Elsa Raga hit.
The next game was back and forth with nine even scores and five lead changes. The last ECC advantage was 12-11 on a service error. Hawkeye recorded a kill and scored seven points in a row to lead 18-12 and earn the 25-16 victory.
The fourth set was much of the same, even at 7-7 before the visitors scored five in a row to pull ahead. The deficit would be cut to two before swelling again back to five as the RedTails evened the match at 2-2 with a 25-20 win and force a fifth set.
For more photos from the match, visit: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.timescitizen.com%2fgallery%2f&c=E,1,25vLzIDl85FYqmXTJzSkstPycH4Duo6ipwLagJJWWiUnmaxzJou1UYB-RwQVeHLRHQXZbAwPq0XRRotbWYmGGHwsYNJ60X6hsAS5gy5L9aw8yfHDN6fLU_ch&typo=1
ICCAC Volleyball
Wednesday at Iowa Falls
HCC: 18| 21| 25| 25| 12
ECC: 25| 25| 16| 20| 15
ECC Stats Unavailable
