Defense is the difference: Western Christian outduels Mount Vernon for 19th state volleyball title

CORALVILLE — Haley Wielenga wasn’t going to dig up every laser that Chloe Meester sent in her direction.

But she got to enough of them.

“We knew that Meester liked to go cross-court, so we put (Wielenga) right in that alley,” Western Christian Coach Tammi Veerbeek said. “I asked her before the match, ‘Can you dig her enough to win the match?’”

She turned her attention to Wielenga across the media room, pointed and exclaimed:

“You rock!”

Last year’s 2A champion, third-ranked Western Christian ruled its new neighborhood, outdueling No. 1 Mount Vernon in a four-set Class 3A state volleyball final, 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18, Thursday afternoon at Xtream Arena.

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The championship was the 19th for the Wolfpack, who closed at 32-13.

“That’s a special one,” Veerbeek said. “We took a whole new team ... the smallest school in 3A ... and we won it again.”

The all-tournament captain and a University of Louisville commit, Meester collected 25 kills. But she had to work for it, taking 68 swings and posting a .235 kill efficiency.

“They’re really good defensively,” said Meester, who also led the Mustangs (35-5) with 24 digs. “Their libero was all over the floor. They hustled and scrambled for points.”

Said Wielenga, who racked up 37 digs: “I just tried to keep moving and keep the ball off the floor.”

Mount Vernon had opportunities in the first set (tied at 18) and the third set (up 19-17), but Western prevailed in both. Then, a five-point run put the Wolfpack in control of Game 4, 11-7, and the Mustangs couldn’t recover.

“I think the difference was that their defense was just a little better than ours,” Mustangs Coach Maggie Willems said. “They did a better job of getting out-of-system swings.

“Maybe our energy wasn’t as high as it was (Wednesday, in a semifinal win over Davenport Assumption).”

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Photos: Western Christian vs. Mount Vernon in Class 3A state volleyball championship

Three Western players — Wielenga (37 digs), Shayna Van Dyken (20 kills) and Keana Wynja (13 kills) — were on the all-tournament team. All three are seniors.

Sydney Huber (43 assists) joined Meester as Mount Vernon representatives. Union Community’s Sydney Schmueker and Assumption’s Ellah Derrer completed the unit.

Meester went on a kill barrage early in the second set to help Mount Vernon to a steady lead. Western got within 23-22 before the Mustangs held on.

Paige Schurbon added 10 kills, Brooke Ellyson nine for the Mustangs.

Mount Vernon was making its 15th state appearance in the last 17 years, and with Ellyson as the lone starting senior, this shouldn’t be last link in the chain.

“It was a great year. At the beginning of the year, we were ranked sixth or seventh,” Huber said. “It didn’t end the way we wanted, but it will add more fuel for next year.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com