Kennedy prevails in top-5 battle

CEDAR RAPIDS - Amanda Ollinger and the Linn-Mar Lions were a first-set wrecking crew.

Then, the Kennedy Cougars made a little tweak that made a big difference.

Class 5A fifth-ranked Kennedy neutralized Ollinger in the final three sets and downed No. 3 Linn-Mar, 17-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15 in an MVC Valley Division volleyball match Tuesday night at Kennedy High School.

'Coach (Michelle Goodall) kept telling us to keep our composure, calm down and regroup,” said Kennedy's Paige Franck. 'We needed to keep getting the ball up (defensively) and hit our spots.”

Ollinger, a senior who will play basketball at the University of Iowa, led all attackers with 19 kills, but nine came in a first-set blitz before the Cougars (3-1 overall, 1-0 MVC Valley) righted themselves.

'We changed a few people in our rotation and we got a better matchup when we put (6-foot-3) Brinley (Milbrath) on Amanda most of the time,” said Kennedy setter Anna Fluent.

Milbrath led a balanced attack with 16 kills as the balanced Cougars enjoyed a 56-41 advantage in kills. Franck added 14, Macy Anderson 11.

Linn-Mar (1-1, 0-1) didn't trail through the first set, and the Lions were poised for a two-set lead with a 19-16 advantage. But Ollinger went to the back row, and Kennedy went to work.

Back-to-back kills by Franck highlighted a five-point run as Kennedy took a 21-19 lead. Then, after the Lions got even at 22-all, the Cougars scored the final three points. Milbrath's kill ended the set and evened the match.

Kennedy owned the final two sets.

'We got tentative,” said Linn-Mar Coach Teresa Kehe. Our youth and inexperience kind of came through. (Kennedy) is experienced. They've been through these situations.

'We need to experience these situations to allow us to grow.”

Ollinger is the only senior that played Tuesday for Linn-Mar.

'She's good,” Goodall said. 'She's really good. We made some adjustments. And we've got some weapons too. (Franck) was a difference-maker.”

Both teams are run by top-shelf setters. Fluent collected 42 assists; Ellie Anderson counted 25 for the Lions.

The atmosphere didn't resemble an early-September encounter. Kennedy generally doesn't pull out its west bleachers, but it was necessary Tuesday. The Kennedy students performed a pseudo-storm court afterward.

'It's a big match, beating the No. 3 team,” Fluent said. 'It shows we can get to our goals.”

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY 3, LINN-MAR 1 (17-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15)

At C.R. Kennedy

Serving - Linn-Mar 74-80 (.925), Kennedy 79-89 (.888); Aces - Linn-Mar 7 (Emilee McGowan 4), Kennedy 9 (Gabbie Meyer); Kills - Linn-Mar 41 (Amanda Ollinger 19), Kennedy 56 (Brinley Milbrath 16); Assists - Linn-Mar 34 (Ellie Anderson 25), Kennedy 53 (Anna Fluent 42); Blocks - Linn-Mar 5 (Megan Renner 3), Kennedy 2 (Milbrath 2)

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