Hempstead captures Linn-Mar title

MARION -- Linn-Mar's latest collection of baby steps included a big, big upset.The Lions stunned Class 4A top-ranked Solon in the quarterfinals of the Linn-Mar Invitational volleyball tournament Saturday afternoon at Linn-Mar High School."Huge," acknowledged first-year coach Teresa Kehe. "It's such an important energy and confidence booster for us."I really believe we can compete with anybody, and that was proof of that."Linn-Mar eventually exited in the next round against Class 5A No. 7 Dubuque Hempstead, the eventual champion.Hempstead (12-2) swept Muscatine, 21-19, 21-12, for the title."We're a (veteran team), and it takes a lot for us to get down on each other," said Hempstead setter Heather Splinter, one of many returners from last year's state-tournament team. "We have a lot of fun. We can get kind of goofy, and it makes our coach (Randy Dolson) tell us to focus."The Mustangs are reigning Mississippi Valley Conference tournament champions. They won the final match, but it was Linn-Mar that delivered the day's biggest surprise.Seeded sixth after pool play, the Lions (7-6) dumped Solon (12-1), 21-18, 21-18, in the first round of bracket play.Linn-Mar was 15-20 last year, then hired Kehe in the offseason."It's coming," she said. "We don't always know how to finish yet, and that hurts us sometimes. These girls have all the right tools. I'm just waiting for them to have belief in themselves ... when they do, they're going to be really good."The Lions trailed 16-15 in the second game against Solon, then scored five straight to claim control. Aryn Jones' offspeed hit from the right side clinched the upset."We have our ups and downs, but we were up the entire match (against Solon)," Jones said. "It's starting to click. We're coming together and getting stronger and stronger."Hempstead drilled Linn-Mar in pool play. It was more competitive the second time around: 22-20, 21-12.Class 5A No. 5 Pleasant Valley (9-2) was the top seed in bracket play after sweeping its three pool matches, but Mississippi Athletic Conference rival Muscatine (10-3) took the Spartans down in the semifinals.The first set of the championship match was tied at 16-all before the Mustangs surged with a three-point run. Haley Van Cleave's free-ball kill capped Game 1, then Hempstead breezed in the finale. 

LINN-MAR INVITATIONAL VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Pool A -- 1. Solon 3-0, 2. Muscatine 2-1, 3. Marion 1-2, 4. Waterloo East 0-3.Solon def. Marion, 21-13, 21-9Muscatine def. Waterloo East, 21-9, 21-11Solon def. Muscatine, 22-20, 21-17Marion def. Waterloo East, 21-12, 21-9Solon def. Waterloo East, 21-13, 21-8Muscatine def. Marion, 21-17, 21-16

Pool B -- 1. Dubuque Hempstead 3-0, 2. Linn-Mar 2-1, 3. Iowa City Regina 1-2, 4. Center Point-Urbana 0-3.Dubuque Hempstead def. Center Point-Urbana, 21-11, 21-10Linn-Mar def. Iowa City Regina, 21-16, 21-4Dubuque Hempstead def. Linn-Mar, 21-7, 21-16Iowa City Regina def. Center Point-Urbana, 21-17, 21-12Dubuque Hempstead def. Iowa City Regina, 21-12, 21-13Linn-Mar def. Center Point-Urbana, 21-16, 21-18

Pool C -- 1. Pleasant Valley 3-0, 2. C.R. Prairie 2-1, 3. Springville 1-2, 4. Vinton-Shellsburg 0-3.C.R. Prairie def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 21-18, 21-13Pleasant Valley def. Springville, 21-11, 21-6Pleasant Valley def. C.R. Prairie, 21-12, 21-19Springville def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 21-16, 21-17C.R. Prairie def. Springville, 21-11, 21-12Pleasant Valley def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 21-5, 21-12

Consolation SemifinalsSpringville def. Waterloo East, 21-7, 21-17Center Point-Urbana def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 21-17, 21-7

Consolation FinalCenter Point-Urbana def. Springville, 18-21, 21-16, 15-5

QuarterfinalsPleasant Valley def. Iowa City Regina, 21-13, 21-16Muscatine def. C.R. Prairie, 22-20, 24-22Dubuque Hempstead def. Marion, 18-21, 21-13, 15-9Linn-Mar def. Solon, 21-18, 21-18

SemifinalsMuscatine def. Pleasant Valley, 21-13, 21-19Dubuque Hempstead def. Linn-Mar, 22-20, 21-12

ChampionshipDubuque Hempstead def. Muscatine, 21-19, 21-12