Kirkwood confident, prepared heading into NJCAA volleyball tournament

CEDAR RAPIDS — Confident. Prepared.

Those two things have Coach Jill Williams and her Kirkwood volleyball team ready for its fourth consecutive NJCAA Division II tournament appearance.

The three-day tournament begins Thursday at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse.

“I told them it’s hard to keep practicing when you feel like you’re in a really good place,” Williams said. “We know our opponents and our standard. We just need to take some time to relax and then come in confident.”

That shouldn’t be a problem for the Eagles, who haven’t shied away from the other perennial contenders, matching up 10 times this season against schools from the field of 16 qualifiers, while accumulating a 26-12 overall record.

“I think, if nothing else, our preparedness to be in a national championship game is there,” Williams said when asked about her confidence relative to the previous three seasons. “We aren’t going into this blind.”

Another helpful strategy Williams is trying to create is a tight-knit, family-like environment for her student-athletes.

“We’ve played together since fourth or fifth grade,” said sophomore libero Takoa Kopriva of Traer, who is 25 days younger than her cousin Katie. “We’re constantly pushing each other.”

Katie is the jokester on the team, something that helps lighten the mood on the court.

“We can laugh about things and then refocus,” the elder Kopriva said. “Last year we realized that any team is beatable. It’s truly up to us to show our best play.”

Kirkwood’s best play is helped by third-year sophomore Rachael Nelson of Solon.

“I like to think that I’m the leader that pumps everyone up,” said Nelson, who is also the team’s setter. “I just feel like we have a lot of hungry returners and that’s most of our starters. I need to distribute the ball and let everyone else do their job.”

The round of 16 will feature No. 8 Kirkwood against No. 9 McHenry County (27-10) on court 2 at 1 p.m. Thursday.

The winner will move on to the quarterfinals on court 1 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night against the winner of the No. 1 Cowley (36-0) and No. 16 Montgomery (17-8).

Semifinals are Friday at 6:30 p.m., the championship Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Comments: justin.webster@thegazette.com