Cedar Rapids Xavier’s new volleyball era begins with ‘relentless pursuit’

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Xavier Saints are coming off a state-championship season, but aren’t resting on last year’s accomplishment.

They’re still on the hunt. Relentlessly.

“We chose ‘Relentless Pursuit’ as our motto,” first-year Cedar Rapids Xavier volleyball coach Amy Weiland said. “We talk about being relentless in digging balls. Relentless in the pursuit of greatness. In the pursuit of less errors.

“It’s all-encompassing.”

Class 4A fourth-ranked Xavier stormed through pool play, then suffered its first loss of the season, to 5A No. 5 Johnston, in the championship match of the Warrior Invitational tournament Saturday at Washington High School.

The Saints let a 19-16 lead get away in Game 1, and Johnston prevailed, 22-20, 21-15.

“We didn’t get as much challenge in pool play as we needed, but it gave us opportunities to give the girls a rest and get some other girls in,” Weiland said.

Xavier graduated four starters from last year’s 4A title team, and Weiland succeeds Austin Filer — who took the Saints to state in each of his seven seasons — as head coach.

The Saints (6-1) will lean on junior Libby Fandel, a returning first-team all-stater.

“Right now, we’re one hitter short of being a really good team,” Weiland said. “We had too many errors in our last match. We don’t have a strong rotation yet when Libby’s in the back row.”

Fandel posted eight kills in the final. Ava Turner added five.

Johnston (10-1) rallied in the first set behind a strong block, particularly at the hands of senior Jazmine Bell. The Dragons scored seven straight points for a 13-6 lead in Game 2, then regrouped after the Saints got within 15-14.

Xavier swept its four matches in Pool A, outscoring its opponents by a margin of 168-101.

Johnston went 5-0 in Pool B. Linn-Mar and Kennedy both were 3-2, with the Lions (6-3) topping the Cougars (6-4) in their head-to-head match, 19-21, 21-12, 15-8.

Linn-Mar won its last three matches after dropping its first two.

“We saw a lot of good things,” Lions Coach Alyssa Thomas said. “We ran a 5-1 (attack) this morning. We needed more offense and changed to a 6-2.”

“We just had more energy and urgency (later in the day). Nobody is going to hand us anything. We have to go out and take it.”

Warrior Invitational

At C.R. Washington

Pool A

Teams — 1. C.R. Xavier 4-0, 2. Dubuque Senior 3-1, 3. C.R. Washington 2-2, 4. Davenport Central 1-3, 5. Clinton 0-4.

C.R. Washington def. Clinton, 21-18, 21-14

C.R. Xavier def. Dubuque Senior, 21-11, 21-17

C.R. Xavier def. C.R. Washington, 21-11, 21-15

Dubuque Senior def. Davenport Central, 18-21, 21-11, 15-8

C.R. Washington def. Davenport Central, 18-21, 21-19, 23-21

C.R. Xavier def. Clinton, 21-4, 21-15

Dubuque Senior def. C.R. Washington, 21-12, 21-10

Davenport Central def. Clinton, 21-17, 21-18

Dubuque Senior def. Clinton, 21-12, 21-12

C.R. Xavier def. Davenport Central, 21-19, 21-9

Pool B

Teams — 1. Johnston 5-0, 2. Linn-Mar 3-2, 3. C.R. Kennedy 3-2, 4. Oskaloosa 2-3, 5. Davenport North 1-4, 6. Solon 1-4.

C.R. Kennedy def. Davenport North, 21-9, 13-21, 15-12

Johnston def. Linn-Mar, 21-15, 21-14

Solon def. Oskaloosa, 21-11, 21-16

Johnston def. C.R. Kennedy, 21-9, 21-14

Oskaloosa def. Linn-Mar, 21-19, 23-21

Davenport North def. Solon, 17-21, 21-19, 16-14

C.R. Kennedy def. Solon, 21-14, 23-21

Linn-Mar def. Davenport North, 21-16, 21-14

Johnston def. Oskaloosa, 21-6, 21-12

C.R. Kennedy def. Oskaloosa, 21-18, 21-16

Johnston def. Davenport North, 21-13, 21-9

Linn-Mar def. Solon, 21-14, 21-19

Oskaloosa def. Davenport North, 21-18, 21-18

Johnston def. Solon, 21-18, 22-20

Linn-Mar def. C.R. Kennedy, 19-21, 21-12, 15-8

Championship

Johnston def. C.R. Xavier, 22-20, 21-15

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com