Sweep sends the Springville Orioles to 1A semifinals for first time since 2008

CEDAR RAPIDS — After three state-tournament appearances in four years, the Springville volleyball team is no longer content.

Utilizing a balanced junior attack, the Orioles have set out to do some damage to the bracket.

Junior outside hitter Mikaya Nachazel recorded a game-high 15 kills as the third-ranked Orioles swept No. 9 Audubon, 25-16, 25-15, 25-19 in a Class 3A quarterfinal Wednesday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'I feel like we just prepared so well for this game and that's what made us successful tonight,' Nachazel said. 'I knew if I just went to the corners, deep corners, tips, like all the holes that were open. So that is where I was going.'

If Nachazel and her mates felt prepared for first-time tournament qualifier Audubon, it was not by accident. Fourth-year Springville Coach Claude Howard spent five days solely studying the Wheelers in order to ensure his team pushed past the quarterfinal round for the first time since 2008. An all-night study session likely awaits as Howard prepares for a semifinal Thursday at 6 p.m. against second-ranked Hudson (34-4).

'I think it paid off,' Howard said. 'We understood what we needed to do. We knew where we needed to serve. We knew where we needed to swing and I think ultimately that was the key for us.'

In Game 1, Springville responded to a 6-2 deficit with a 23-10 surge, then pushed lead in the second game to double digits with 20 of 30 points. In the Game 3 clincher, Springville rallied from a pair of deficits and twice tied the game. The match was won with 11 of the final 14 points as Springville (29-7) won its 14th-consecutive match without surrendering a game.

'We're a pretty calm group,' senior setter Olivia Dlouhy said. 'When we're down, we're not really panicking. We know what we need to do to get back in it.'

Nachazel is one of five Springville juniors who entered the state tournament with more than 130 kills. Middle hitter Alyssa Jaeger led the Orioles with 11 digs and five aces, while Madi Wagaman distributed 16 assists for Springville, which was swept in last year's quarterfinal by eventual state runner-up Sidney, and in 2013 by eventual state champion Janesville.

'I think last year's success motivated us,' Nachazel said. 'We didn't get as far as we wanted to, so this year we're having a good mindset of now that we're here, we just want to win the whole thing. That's our mindset.'

Senior outside hitter Kaitlin Schultes had 11 kills and six digs for Audubon (27-7), which bows out in the opener of its first tournament appearance.

'They were the more aggressive team, they were the one that put the runs together,' sixth-year Audubon Coach Molly Lange said. 'When they swung, my girls were back on their heels. And were just kind of second-guessing ourselves. At this level, we can't do that.'

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