Experience keys Prairie in sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS — There are 10 seniors on the Cedar Rapids Prairie volleyball roster. Very few will play at the college level.

'For most of us, this is it,' Megan Oldenburger said.

Well, not yet.

No. 14 Prairie had a little bit more at the end of each set and swept Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 25-22, 27-25, 25-21, in a Class 5A regional semifinal Tuesday night at Prairie High School.

'This is what we wanted,' Prairie Coach Lynnette Stecklein said. 'We wanted to give ourselves a chance, because anything can happen.'

The Hawks (22-14) advance to Monday's regional final, on the road, against No. 3 West Des Moines Valley (39-4). The winner advances to the state volleyball tournament Nov. 8-11 at the U.S. Cellular Center.

Prairie's last state trip was in 2008.

It was 10 days ago that Prairie blew a 21-7 second-set lead to Cedar Rapids Kennedy, and lost that match in the quarterfinals of the Mississippi Valley Conference tournament.

Tuesday, they led the middle set, 23-15 and 24-18. Jefferson (18-18) scored seven straight points for a 25-24 edge. But this time, the Hawks were unfazed.

'Finishing has been an issue, but we have played a lot of set-to-score games in practice. We're ready for any situation,' setter Karleigh Schilling said. 'We just took it one point at a time.'

A ball-handling error by the J-Hawks tied it, then Jenna Wagemester's kill put the Hawks in front, 26-25. Then it was lefty Annah Waldron with her first kill of the match, sealing the set.

The third set was knotted at 17 before Prairie took the lead for good with four straight points.

Both of the teams' main hitters lived up to their billing. Oldenburger collected 20 kills for the Hawks; Maddie Slagle matched that for Jefferson.

While the Hawks are stocked with seniors, Jefferson's roster is dominated by juniors and sophomores.

'I think our age and our experience made a difference,' Stecklein said.

CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 3, CEDAR RAPIDS JEFFERSON 0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-21)

Class 5A Regional Semifinal, at C.R. Prairie

Serving — Jefferson 63-71 (.887), Prairie 69-74 (.932)

Aces — Jefferson 1 (Raya George), Prairie 3 (Madison Bell, Megan Oldenburger, Haley Stecklein)

Kills — Jefferson 40 (Maddie Slagle 20), Prairie 47 (Oldenburger 20)

Assists — Jefferson 39 (Maddy Baxter 34), Prairie 46 (Karleigh Schilling 43)

Blocks — Jefferson 7 (Kristen Naber 3), Prairie 2 (Oldenburger, Logan Ealy)

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com