C.R. Kennedy volleyball strong in MVC-MAC Challenge

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Kennedy played host to the MVC-MAC Volleyball Challenge last night, pitting three Mississippi Valley Conference teams against three Mississippi Athletic Conference teams.Kennedy also almost played spoiler to two top-five teams behind some young, sizable talent.'These girls started out playing a little hesitant, a little slow,' said assistant coach Tim Johnson who filled in for head coach Michelle Goodall, who was out dealing with a family illness. 'I told them we had to pick up the tempo, pick up the speed, and this team was able to do that.'We found out today we have a lot of good gamers out there.'The Cougars went 2-1 in their three matches last night, blowing past North Scott (0-3), 2-0 (21-12, 21-14), then beating No. 5 Pleasant Valley (2-1), 2-0 (21-15, 21-19). Kennedy almost made the sweep of the top-five teams complete against No. 1 Bettendorf (3-0) — also ranked No. 12 nationally — falling, 2-0 (21-16, 21-14) after being tied at 12 and 10 respectively in both games.And though they may not have lit up the stat sheet, towering sophomore middle hitters Brinley Milbrath (6-foot-2) and Macy Anderson (6-foot) made opponents well aware of where they were on the floor.Their impact is invaluable on a roster with not a lot of experience.'Brinley — you saw what she can do, she can hit a lot of different balls that are out there,' Johnson said. 'And Macy, she just brought that right side that was able to free up the outside (hitters).'I think their biggest strength right now, being young, is no fear. They don't hesitate. They make mistakes. But when you go out there and you play hard and you play big, you elevate your game that much more. That's their biggest strength as young players, that willingness to not be afraid to lose.'The two young players showed on multiple occasions the chemistry they have with one another, jumping in unison to register blocks.Being the same age and playing with one another over the summer has developed the rapport the team hopes will help carry them this season.'We played club this year together, and we just really work well on different play sets and just making sure we both know what each other's running so we don't run into a problem,' Anderson said. 'We've been in a lot of pressure situations together. We just try to keep our cool and stick with it.'Combine their age and size, the ceiling for Milbrath, Anderson and the rest of the young Cougars is unlimited, Johnson said.And if last night was any indication, Kennedy may have something to say about the MVC title before the year is through.'We have a lot of young talent that's there,' Johnson said. 'We have great senior leadership to mold those young players to get where we want. I really, truly believe we're going to be up and down as we start the season, (but) I think we're going to get more consistent as the season goes on because our offense has room to grow.'Kennedy missed the state playoffs last season after making the year-end tournament four straight times from 2008 to 2011.Johnson — filling in for head coach Michelle Goodall, who was out tending to a family illness — said the message to this team has been getting back to the tournament by any means.'I think you saw four years of us down at the state tournament, and we took one year off,' Johnson said. 'We're coming back. That's what I told them. I did not like losing.'I told them, 'We're going back. And it starts today.'' 

MVC-MAC Volleyball Challenge results:

Overall match wins: MAC 5, MVC 4

Round 1C.R. Kennedy def. North Scott, 2-0, (21-12, 21-14)No. 5 Pleasant Valley def. C.R. Prairie, 2-0, (21-15, 21-14)No. 1 Bettendorf def. No. 10 Iowa City West, 2-0, (21-18, 21-11)

Round 2C.R. Kennedy def. Pleasant Valley, 2-0, (21-15, 21-19)Iowa City West def. North Scott, 2-0, (21-10, 21-6)Bettendorf def. C.R. Prairie, 2-0, (21-10, 21-14)

Round 3Bettendorf def. C.R. Kennedy, 2-0, (21-16, 21-14)Pleasant Valley def. Iowa City West, 2-0, (21-15, 21-17)C.R. Prairie def. North Scott, 2-0, (21-15, 21-7)