Once-beaten Carroll Kuemper returns to 3A semifinals with sweep of Davenport Assumption

CEDAR RAPIDS — Once Carroll Kuemper got rolling, it was a quick return to the semifinals.

The fourth-ranked Knights received a game-high 13 kills from 6-foot-2 middle hitter Kalee Peter and swept No. 7 Davenport Assumption, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16 in a Class 3A volleyball state tournament quarterfinal Wednesday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'You've just got to go in and play your hardest and that's what I did,' Peter said. 'You've got to find the holes.'

Carroll Kuemper (29-1) found plenty of holes and turned away Assumption with four blocks along the front wall. Peter was particularly disruptive with a pair of rejections and eight digs. After claiming the first game 25-20, Carroll Kuemper broke a 17-17 tie in the second game with eight of 11 points.

Junior libero Taylor Promes tallied a game-high 12 digs, while Peter's freshman sister Kara Peter added 11 kills.

'Every game is different and I thought today they came to play,' Carroll Kuemper Coach Keith Stickrod said. 'That is what you wanted to see. You never know with the state what they'll come with. We've got some younger girls and nice freshman … They all came to play and it is nice to see that.'

Carroll Kuemper ensured the sweep with a 7-1 burst to begin the third game, then stretched their advantage to 14-5 before resisting a late Assumption charge. The Knights will face second-ranked Dike-New Hartford (46-5) in a 3A semifinal Thursday at 2 p.m. Carroll Kuemper returns five starters from the team that fell in last year's semifinal.

'Last year we were like, 'Oh wow, we made it to state,'' Kalee Peter said. 'That was awesome for all of us. We hadn't been there the year before. Now we're down here and we're going for it all. … We have to show up. … If we bring our 'A' game, I don't think that there is a team that can stop us.'

Carroll Kuemper has won 10 matches in a row after its lone loss to defending 1A state champion Janesville. Senior setter Abby Lohrmann distributed a game-high 35 assists, while 6-foot-1 sophomore middle hitter Aimee Adams chipped in 10 kills.

Mississippi Athletic Conference player of the year Julia Huiskamp led Assumption (28-9) with 12 kills and 10 digs.

'They have a lot of hitters and they're really good at hitting all shots,' Huiskamp said. 'It's all around the court and it's harder to guess and know where they're hitting.'

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