Marathon on 42nd: Kennedy in 5

 CEDAR RAPIDS -- Two hours. Five sets. And multiple opportunities to wilt.Cedar Rapids Kennedy refused.The Cougars won a winner-take-all set for the first time in four tries this season, outlasting Class 4A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Xavier, 21-25, 25-21, 16-25, 25-21, 15-10, in a Mississippi Valley Conference cross-divisional volleyball match Tuesday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.Recent history wasn't on Kennedy's side (the Cougars dropped their previous three matches that went to a rally-scored finale). Neither was the experience factor: Three sophomores and three freshmen played key roles."We just wanted to win so bad," said Brinley Milbrath, a 6-foot-2 sophomore who overcame a fourth-set leg cramp to make some big plays at big times. "We wanted to win 42nd Street."The three sophomores -- Anna (Fluent) and Macy (Anderson) and me -- we've played together a while (with the Iowa Rockets). And the seniors, they have great leadership."Down two sets to one, Kennedy (8-6) led Game 4 from start to finish. Then the Cougars did it again in the finale.Xavier (10-4) committed seven errors in the final set."You just can't make than many mistakes in a game to 15," said Saints Coach Krista Johnson. "You can't get behind on errors, then trade points."Three of the miscues came in a six-point surge that gave Kennedy all sorts of breathing room at 12-5."Good win," said Kennedy Coach Michelle Goodall. "Good win against a good team."We had a couple times we could have tanked it -- Kendal (Meier) sprained an ankle, then Brinley had that leg cramp. But we hung in there."Milbrath's kill put the Cougars up 17-8 in the fourth set, but she winced when she landed. It looked scary for a moment, but she mustered a smile as she was tended to by a trainer, and ultimately and stayed on the court."I guess I just need to eat more bananas," she said.Xavier pulled within 22-21, but the Cougars closed it out on a kill by Milbrath, an ace by Fluent and a block by Milbrath.The teams collected 54 kills apiece, but Kennedy's 11-5 advantage in blocks was key.Erin Coker led the Cougars with 13 kills, followed by Jadyn Gilson (12) and Milbrath (10). Fluent notched 42 assists.For the Saints, all-stater Kayla Torson posted 20 kills and six aces, and Madsy Richards added 14 kills. Britni Scholtes counted 50 assists. 

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY 3, CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER 2

Game

1

2

3

4

5

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (8-6)

21

25

16

25

15

Cedar Rapids Xavier (10-4)

25

21

25

21

10

Serving: Kennedy 93-99 (.939), Xavier 95-101 (.941)

Aces: Kennedy 9 (Brinley Milbrath, Paige Franck 3), Xavier 11 (Kayla Torson 6)

Kills: Kennedy 54 (Erin Coker 13), Xavier 54 (Torson 20)

Assists: Kennedy 49 (Anna Fluent 42), Xavier 51 (Britni Scholtes 50)

Blocks: Kennedy 11  (Nikki Dean 4), Xavier 5 (Kasey VandenBosch 3)