Down 3 match points, Solon finds an escape route

MARION -- West Delaware couldn't finish, and Solon wouldn't quit.

Facing three match points and almost certain defeat, the Lady Spartans instead wrote another chapter in an extraordinary season Thursday night.

Class 3A second-ranked Solon outlasted No. 4 West Delaware, 18-25, 26-24, 15-11, to win the Wamac Conference tournament championship at Marion High School.

"We just kept fighting," said Solon's Kelsey Cave. "We didn't give up. We have that backbone to come back. We really don't like losing."

They don't do it often. The Lady Spartans established a school record for wins in a season, improving to 29-1.

"What this team does well, it doesn't panic," said Solon Coach Kurt Trout. "We were behind, but we had a good rotation and we continued to attack."

Solon's joy was West Delaware's misery. The Hawks (35-6) had the Lady Spartans on the floor with a foot on their chest with a 24-21 lead in Game 2.

But the Lady Spartans found an escape hatch, and eventually parachuted to safety.

"We had them," said Hawks Coach Brett Mather. "We gave them a Christmas present. You're up 24-21, and you should finish the deal."

Cave's kill started the Game 2 comeback, then an ace by Rylee Smith ultimately capped it.

Solon ruled the rubber set. A three-point run -- freshman Jordan Runge had a kill and the Hawks tossed in two errors -- gave the Lady Spartans a 7-4 lead, and West Delaware didn't get closer than two points again.

Regan Johnson's kill gave the Lady Spartans the championship.

West Delaware wasn't the only team to give a set away. Solon led the opener 13-6 before the Hawks stormed back with a 19-5 surge to win going away. They carried that momentum until the final frantic moments of Game 2.

"End the match at 24-21 (in the second set), and I'd say we played an unbelievable match," Mather said. "Unfortunately, we needed one more point, and we didn't get the point."

They didn't finish. And Solon wouldn't fold.

"We gained the momentum, and we just kept going," said Solon's Kelsey Hinrichs, who registered six kills and 15 assists.

Cave led the winners with 10 kills.

West Delaware collected 36 kills, compared to 25 for Solon. Rayne Cook led all attackers with 11 kills, Amanda Reetz added nine. Mackenzie Harbaugh delivered 27 assists.

Solon advanced to the championship match with sweeps over Western Dubuque and Marion; West Delaware got past Waterloo Columbus and No. 7 Maquoketa decisively.

WAMAC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

At Marion

Consolation Quarterfinals

DeWitt Central def. Anamosa, 25-7, 25-12

Vinton-Shellsburg def. Center Point-Urbana, 25-13, 25-23

Clear Creek Amana def. Independence, 25-14, 21-25, 15-9

Mount Vernon def. Benton Community, 25-19, 25-15

Consolation Semifinals

DeWitt Central def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 25-19, 25-22

Mount Vernon def. Clear Creek Amana, 25-20, 25-19

Consolation Final

DeWitt Central def. Mount Vernon, 25-17, 25-22

Quarterfinals

Solon def. Western Dubuque, 25-15, 25-16

Marion def. Dyersville Beckman, 20-25, 26-24, 15-11

Maquoketa def. Williamsburg, 25-17, 26-24

West Delaware def. Waterloo Columbus, 26-24, 25-13

Semifinals

Solon def. Marion, 25-20, 25-21

West Delaware def. Maquoketa, 25-19, 25-13

Championship

Solon def. West Delaware, 18-25, 26-24, 15-11

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