Fast-paced Grundy Center sweeps Sidney in state volleyball quarterfinals

CEDAR RAPIDS — Grundy Center pulled a new trick out of the tool box.

The Spartans call it Zero Tempo.

'We've been working on it for five weeks, but we weren't going to pull it out until state,' said junior middle hitter Kylie Willis, who was one of the main beneficiaries. 'It worked out perfect.'

Playing at its fastest level of the season, third-ranked Grundy Center rolled to a sweep of No. 6 Sidney, 25-12, 25-17, 25-18, in a Class 2A quarterfinal at the state volleyball tournament Wednesday afternoon at the U.S. Cellular Center.

So what's Zero Tempo? It's a quick set to the middle hitter, so quick that the hitter is airborne before the ball has left the setter's hands.

'We ran it so quickly that they weren't able to keep up with us,' Landry Luhring said. 'It's awesome that we were able to run it. It screws with the head of the opponent. They don't know where the ball is going.'

The Spartans (37-6) were dominant Wednesday, needing only 58 minutes to get on and off the floor. They'll need to be even better when they face No. 2 Western Christian (38-6) in a semifinal at 4 p.m. Thursday.

'I don't think we'll be intimidated,' Grundy Center Coach Lori Willis said. 'Our ball control needs to be a little better.'

Grundy Center amassed a 48-22 advantage in kills, hitting .314 as a team. That rate got a big boost from Brooke Flater, who knocked down 12 kills without an error in 15 swings.

Kylie Willis led the Spartans with 13 kills. Hailey Wallis had 11.

The Spartans weren't under much stress in any of the three sets. Sidney's only multiple-point lead was 4-2 in the third set, and Grundy Center erased that with four straight points.

'In the end, they were the better team,' Cowgirls Coach Amy McClintock said. 'They were bigger, and they ran quicker stuff. They were in system most of the time, and we struggled.'

Sidney (31-6) was competing at state for the third straight year, the first time in 2A. Camryn McClintock led the Cowgirls with eight kills.

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