A new face, a more-than-willing position move and Tipton is 11-2

Tipton High School volleyball coach Annie Schmidt felt a preseason meeting with her senior captain was in order.

“Paycee (Sorgenfrey) essentially was our setter last year. She has great hands,” Schmidt said. “I knew (freshman) Zane (Ehler) was coming in.

“So I asked Paycee, ‘What do you want to do?’”

The response was immediate.

“Paycee said, ‘I want to swing.’”

Ehler is setting, Sorgenfrey is swinging and the Tigers are winning.

A five-set victory last week over previously unbeaten Wilton has highlighted an eight-match win streak, and you can add Tipton (11-2) to a lengthy list of potential River Valley Conference South Division contenders.

It’s a far cry from 2024, when the Tigers were 9-21.

“I was surprised at first, but I’m not anymore,” said Schmidt, in her second year as the Tigers’ head coach after five years as an assistant at Dubuque Hempstead.

Tipton won the Wilton match despite the loss of libero Paityn Daedlow, who went out with a leg cramp and didn’t return. Instead of folding, the Tigers were inspired.

“They wanted to win that one for Paityn,” Schmidt said.

Ehler’s arrival at setter, and Sorgenfrey’s more-than-willingness to move to a new role, have been instrumental to the Tigers’ swift climb.

A 6-foot-1 lefty, Ehler averages 7.00 assists per set, and her .435 kill efficiency reflects that she’s an additional offensive threat.

“She has quite the energy, the fire,” Schmidt said. “She has a crazy topspin serve, and her hands are absolutely beautiful.”

Sorgenfrey is good for 3.75 kills per set.

Both of Tipton’s first two divisional matches have gone five sets; the Tigers dropped a marathon Sept. 4 at West Liberty.

They’re at Durant on Thursday, then their two biggies are at home — Sept. 23 (against Iowa City Regina) and Oct. 2 (against Mid-Prairie).

Wamac East drama

Center Point-Urbana moved into sole possession of first place in the always-rugged Wamac Conference East Division race Tuesday, rallying from a two-set deficit to win at Solon, 15-13 in the fifth.

“The second set, we were up 21-15 and it got away from us,” CPU Coach Michelle Halac said. “That was a heartbreaker, but we battled through it.”

The outcome sent the Stormin’ Pointers to 12-6 overall, 2-0 in the division. Solon (12-4), West Delaware (14-4), Marion (9-6) and Mount Vernon (7-6) are 1-1 in divisional play.

All five are ranked.

“We said before conference play, every night is going to be a battle. Nothing is going to come easy,” Halac said. “This team is relentless. They’re leaning on each other, trying to build each other up in pressure moments.”

Prior to Tuesday’s win, sophomore Adelyn Stien was averaging 2.44 kills and 3.78 assists per set.

CPU hosts Mount Vernon next Tuesday. The Mustangs outlasted West Delaware in five sets Tuesday at home behind 14 kills from Sophia Meester and 10 from Cali Whitaker.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com