Cedar Rapids Xavier stakes its claim to a return to No. 1 in Class 4A volleyball

VAN HORNE — Expect Cedar Rapids Xavier’s absence from Class 4A top billing to be a one-week deal.

The Saints settled a score with North Scott in pool play, then went on to win the Benton Invitational volleyball tournament title Saturday at Benton Community High School.

“We really wanted to win that match,” Taylor Rexroth said of the showdown with North Scott. “We wanted to prove that we’re the better team.”

Xavier (18-1) was at its best in bracket action, sweeping Grinnell 21-16, 21-16 in the semifinals, then taking care of Metro-rival Marion in the title match, 21-19, 21-16.

The reigning 4A state champion, North Scott had supplanted preseason No. 1 Xavier at the top of last week’s list after splitting two matches with the Saints at its home invitational last week at Eldridge.

Saturday was another day, and it turned out to be Xavier’s day.

Libby Fandel is one of the top female athletes in recent Metro history, but she can’t win matches by herself. The Saints’ middles (Rexroth and Macie Lupkes) were extremely effective.

“They were really good with their routes, and they were loud in calling for the ball,” Fandel said.

Marion (13-8) saved three set points in Game 1 before Lupkes’ kill out of the middle closed it out.

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Xavier jumped to a 9-3 lead in Game 2. Marion got within 13-12 and 15-14, but Fandel triggered a three-point run with a kill, and Eva Van Berkum knocked down two kills out of the right side in the Saints’ closing push.

The Saints were in a bind against Bondurant-Farrar in pool play, but came back from an 11-8 deficit in Game 3.

“We’ve had a lot of three-set matches, and I think that’s going to set us up to succeed later this season,” Rexroth said.

Xavier ruled Game 3 against North Scott, 15-5.

Marion won its three pool matches, including a three-setter against Dallas Center-Grimes. Then the Wolves put the clamps on a Xavier-North Scott championship-match rematch, tripping the Lancers, 21-19, 21-18.

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Iowa City High (12-4) won the consolation bracket.

Benton Invitational

At Van Horne

POOL A

Teams — 1. C.R. Xavier 3-0, 2. North Scott 2-1, 3. Bondurant-Farrar 1-2, 4. Benton Community 0-3.

C.R. Xavier def. Benton Community, 21-7, 21-11

North Scott def. Bondurant-Farrar, 21-8, 22-20

North Scott def. Benton Community, 21-10, 21-16

C.R. Xavier def. Bondurant-Farrar, 20-22, 21-13, 15-13

Bondurant-Farrar def. Benton Community, 21-18, 21-14

C.R. Xavier def. North Scott, 18-21, 21-10, 15-5

POOL B

Teams — 1. Marion 3-0, 2. Grinnell 2-1, 3. Iowa City High 1-2, 4. Dallas Center-Grimes 0-3.

Marion def. Grinnell, 21-17, 21-19

Iowa City High def. Dallas Center-Grimes, 21-10, 21-19

Grinnell def. Dallas Center-Grimes, 19-21, 21-15, 15-12

Marion def. Iowa City High, 21-17, 21-16

Grinnell def. Iowa City High, 16-21, 22-20, 15-13

Marion def. Dallas Center-Grimes, 21-18, 17-21, 15-13

CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS

Bondurant-Farrar def. Dallas Center-Grimes, 21-16, 13-21, 15-13

Iowa City High def. Benton Community, 21-10, 21-10

CONSOLATION FINAL

Iowa City High def. Bondurant-Farrar, 16-21, 22-20, 15-7

SEMIFINALS

C.R. Xavier def. Grinnell, 21-16, 21-16

Marion def. North Scott, 21-19, 21-18

CHAMPIONSHIP

C.R. Xavier def. Marion, 21-19, 21-16

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com