Near-flawless attacking from Courteney Schmidt sends Sioux Center past Marion

CORALVILLE — “Have fun, play loose, let it rip.”

That was Sioux Center Coach Julie Oldenkamp’s message to her team, and to senior hitter Courteney Schmidt.

Sound advice.

Schmidt collected 21 kills — against only one error — and led second-ranked Sioux Center past No. 8 Marion in a four-set Class 4A quarterfinal at the state volleyball tournament Monday evening at Xtream Arena.

Set scores were 27-25, 19-25, 25-14 and 25-21.

“Our setters were putting it at great spots,” Schmidt said. “They were putting it at a place where I could slam it. I give them all the credit.”

The Warriors (29-4) advance to Wednesday’s 4A semifinal against No. 3 Pella (32-10). First serve is 12:25 p.m.

Marion (28-14) was every bit Sioux Center’s equal — or more — for the first two sets, and maybe a smidge more.

But Sioux Center closed the third set with a 22-8 blitz and played from ahead most of the rest of the way.

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“It’s so hard when you watch them on film; you could see they had a big blocking presence,” Marion Coach Roxanne Paulsen said. “And they tipped well against us. That’s usually something we can handle.

“But this was a great way to finish. We didn’t give up. Our schedule prepared us; we didn’t see anything that we hadn’t seen earlier.”

Marion owned a 25-24 advantage in the opening set, but kills by Schmidt and Maryn Franken gave Sioux Center the advantage, then a mis-time on a Marion attack gave the Warriors the set.

The Wolves led Game 2 by early margins of 9-3, 13-7 and 16-9 before Sioux Center closed within 19-18.

Hayden Dietz had a pair of kills and Abbey Kirk added a kill and an ace in a five-point run that allowed Marion to pull away.

Game 3 was a Sioux Center clinic after an early 6-3 deficit. The fourth set was tied, 19-19, before the Warriors’ attack kicked in again. Four different hitters had at least one kill in the closing 6-2 push.

Franken added 17 kills for the victors. Adison Brantsen posted 12.

Kirk, a freshman, led Marion with 14 kills. Grace Whalen amassed 36 assists.

“We kept saying, ‘Next point,’” Whalen said. “We were determined that we weren’t going to be afraid to swing hard.”

Kirk said, “I was so excited. I came here a few years ago to watch. To be here and play with my friends ... I’m so proud.

“I didn’t know if we would make it here, but here we are.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com