Fluent returns; Cougars roll

CEDAR RAPIDS — Anna Fluent had a postmatch date Thursday night. With an ice bucket.

'I'm sore, but I'm fine,' Fluent said after ninth-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy swept Cedar Rapids Jefferson (25-14, 25-10, 25-17) in a Class 5A regional semifinal volleyball match at Kennedy High School.

'I didn't know I would be playing tonight until (Wednesday). The last two days, I'd been feeling more comfortable.'

A senior setter bound for Loyola University in Chicago, Fluent sprained her right ankle a week ago. After five days off, plus a lot of ice and supportive tape, she was deemed ready to play.

'It was very relaxing to have her back,' said Paige Franck, who might have been thrust into the setter's role had Fluent been ruled out. 'We're pretty flexible, so I wasn't too worried, but it was great to have her out there.'

Kennedy (28-9) dominated throughout, and advanced to Tuesday's regional final opposite No. 15 Ankeny (24-12), a straight-sets winner over Des Moines Lincoln.

The Cougars have fallen in the regional finals three straught years. But this year, they're at home, where they are undefeated and have won 27 consecutive sets.

'I think we can definitely do it,' Fluent said. 'We're sort of an underdog — they beat us earlier this year — but not really.'

Kennedy ruled all facets, building a 43-18 advantage in kills (Nebraska-Omaha commit Macy Anderson ripped 13 of them) and 10-1 in aces (four each from Franck and Tianna Drahn).

Jefferson retired at 16-22. With a young lineup, the J-Hawks' day is coming. But the present is ripe with opportunity for the Cougars.

The first set was over in a hurry. Kennedy scored six straight points for a 7-2 advantage, and it was never a contest. Second set, more of the same — at 10-7, the Cougars tallied 15 of the next 18.

Jefferson made the finale interesting for a while. It was 16-all before the Cougars applied the final dagger. Franck and Anderson collected two kills apiece in a 7-0 run, then Anderson closed it out with a pair of blocks.

Franck added 10 kills, Brinley Milbrath nine, Emma Boote six. And Fluent made it all hum with 36 assists, gimpy ankle and all.

'I saw her (Wednesday) and it was like, 'How are you, never mind, you're playing,'' Kennedy Coach Michelle Goodall said.

Maddie Slagle counted nine kills for Jefferson, which started two freshmen — setter Maddy Baxter and libero Kaylee Donner.

'Kennedy's a good team. We would have had to have brought every weapon we had,' said J-Hawks Coach Amy Norton. 'You could see the difference in experience in the first set. This was a big stage for our young players.'

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY 3, CEDAR RAPIDS JEFFERSON 0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-17)

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

Serving — Jefferson 41-44 (.932), Kennedy 66-73 (.904).

Aces — Jefferson 1 (Kaylee Donner), Kennedy 10 (Paige Franck, Tianna Drahn 4).

Kills — Jefferson 18 (Maddie Slagle 9), Kennedy 4 (Macy Anderson 13).

Assists — Jefferson 17 (Maddy Baxter 15), Kennedy 42 (Anna Fluent 36).

Blocks — Jefferson 5 (Kristen Naber 2), Kennedy 7 (Anderson 4).

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