Solon gets even, makes it 3 straight

MARION -- A loss isn't always just a loss.

When Solon lost to West Delaware a week ago, the Spartans took something out of it more than run-of-the-mill bitterness.

"It was a character builder," said hitter Jordan Runge. "It was a learning experience."

And, yeah, it was a motivator.

Class 4A third-ranked Solon learned its lessons well and reversed the outcome Thursday night at Marion High School, handling No. 2 West Delaware, 25-23, 25-22, to win its third consecutive Wamac Conference volleyball tournament championship.

"Yeah, there was some revenge involved," said Solon libero Rylee Smith. "We have a lot of respect for them. When we played the first time, we learned what they were going to do. And we did a good job adjusting."

Hawks Coach Brett Mather was plain and simple about the outcome.

"They were better than us tonight. They served better than us. They pushed us out of system with their serves better than we did to them. It sounds like a little thing, but it's a big thing."

Solon (29-2) swept its way through Thursday's bracket, eliminating Dyersville Beckman 25-13, 25-19 in the quarterfinals, then ousting Marion 25-22, 25-22 in the semis.

The Spartans overcame deficits of 12-7 and 16-13 in the opener against West Delaware (35-5), getting back-to-back kills from Kendra Cave in a five-point run that put them in front, 18-16.

West Delaware got even at 21-21 and 22-22, but the Spartans had the final answer on a kill by Runge, then two by Cave.

Runge led all attackers with nine kills. Cave added seven, and Taylor Nearad collected 20 assists. Solon enjoyed a 7-1 advantage in blocks.

Bridget Hoffmann had seven kills for the Hawks.

Solon gained traction midway through the second game, posting seven straight points for a 15-10 lead, and the Hawks got no closer than two points again.

If last week's match was a character builder for Solon, this was the equalizer. A rubber match between these teams would come sometime, somewhere at the state tournament in mid-November, if both advance that far.

And they certainly could.

"This is minor compared to what's yet to come," said Spartans Coach Peter Gustin. "We're not happy yet. We're not sad, of course, but we're not happy."

West Delaware advanced with an easy win over Maquoketa, then was pushed to three sets by Western Dubuque before prevailing 15-10 in Game 3. 

WAMAC CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

At Marion High School

Consolation Bracket

Quarterfinals

Clear Creek Amana def. Vinton-Shellsburg, 25-17, 25-22Center Point-Urbana, byeBenton Community def. Anamosa, 25-7, 25-14Williamsburg def. DeWitt Central, 25-14, 25-21

Additional MatchesVinton-Shellsburg def. Center Point-Urbana, 25-22, 25-22DeWitt Central def. Anamosa, 25-12, 25-11

SemifinalsCenter Point-Urbana def. Clear Creek Amana, 25-16, 25-19Williamsburg def. Benton Community, 23-25, 26-24, 15-11

FinalCenter Point-Urbana def. Williamsburg, 25-16, 25-23

Championship Bracket

West Delaware def. Maquoketa, 25-15, 25-15Western Dubuque def. Mount Vernon, 25-22, 25-21Solon def. Dyersville Beckman, 25-13, 25-19Marion def. Independence, 25-19, 25-16

Additional Matches

Maquoketa def. Mount Vernon, 12-25, 25-22, 15-11Dyersville Beckman def. Independence, 28-26, 25-23

Semifinals

West Delaware def. Western Dubuque, 25-12, 14-25, 15-10Solon def. Marion, 25-22, 25-22

Final

Solon def. West Delaware, 25-23, 25-22