Class 3A: Strong run ends in state semifinals for Union seniors

CEDAR RAPIDS – At a certain point in state tournaments, the emotion tank can run empty.

Fighting and clawing for every point wears on players, and for Union the well ran a little dry in a loss to MOC-Floyd Valley on Thursday, 26-24, 25-23, 25-13.

After two the two first sets, in which the Knights held a lead at one point or another, the Dutch capitalized on the emotional toll they'd taken on Union, dating all the way back to their five-set match in the state title game last year, won by MOC-Floyd Valley.

'I think not getting either one (and) being so close on those first two (sets), you could see our level dropped a little bit,' said Union Coach Brian Jesse. 'You don't have much room for error, and we knew that coming in. A couple things go different here and there in the first two sets, and it could be a different outcome.'

The run to the semifinals – the Knights' fourth straight trip to the tournament - ends a stretch for the seniors on the squad in which they never missed a trip to Cedar Rapids.

And though none of the trips yielded a title, what the group was able to do in terms of establishing the Union program and passing along knowledge to underclassmen is something Jesse said will last a long time.

'I'm very proud of our girls, not only for the year they've had, but for our five seniors – they've had a heck of a run,' Jesse said. 'I think we've got a good basis. I think we're doing things the right way with our younger kids, and building a strong foundation.'

For players like libero Breann Bader and Lauren Barz, the realization they won't play again for the Knights was hard to swallow.

Bader said the seniors grew closer together over the course of their time playing together, and despite the sting of the loss to the Dutch, they won't soon forget what the run meant to them.

'It just hurts knowing I'm never going to put on a Union Knight jersey ever again and play with my five best friends,' Bader said. 'I just feel so blessed to be able to compete and get after it with (these girls) and do the thing that I love.'

DUTCH DOWN TO ONE

MOC-Floyd Valley is just one win away from a second straight state championship with the sweep of Union.

Coach Jon Mouw said the girls avoided the nervous energy that plagued them in the first set against Independence on Tuesday, and that it was good to see them come through in those tight opening frames.

That happiness – bordering on relief, as Mouw shook his head laughing – stems from what the Dutch know about what it took to get past Union for a second time.

'It was good, those first two games were close. I was really happy we got those,' Mouw said. 'I felt like we got the critical points.

'They're a really good team, and we had a heck of a five-set match last year in the championship game. They're just a tough team, there's no doubt about it. So we feel fortunate to be out of there in three.'

MOC-Floyd Valley will face Carroll Kuemper for the Class 3A state title on Friday at 2 p.m.