‘Buddy, you’re up:’ CPU freshman Adelyn Stien is capitalizing on her opportunity

MARION — They had resolved to absorb one major loss.

But when Logan Keller went down with a knee injury, that was a lot to overcome.

“I called (Adelyn Stien) in that next Monday and said, ‘Buddy, you’re up,” Center Point-Urbana volleyball coach Michelle Halac said Tuesday after the Stormin’ Pointers topped Class 4A seventh-ranked Marion in a four-set Wamac Conference East Division volleyball match Tuesday night at Marion High School.

Set scores were 23-25, 25-23, 25-10 and 25-17.

Not up, as in up off the bench.

Up, as in up from junior varsity.

Stien, a freshman, posted seven kills, 24 assists and four blocks as CPU improved to 12-9 overall, 3-1 in that snake pit known as the Wamac East.

“The team has embraced me and helped me keep my head up,” Stien said. “I came in ready to play at this level.”

Class 3A state quarterfinalists last year, the Stormin’ Pointers knew they would be without University of Arkansas recruit Sydney Maue, who transferred in the offseason to Mount Vernon.

Then Keller went down at the Shirley Ryan Invitational tournament Sept. 7 at Mount Vernon.

Two days later: “Buddy, you’re up.“

“Adelyn had played JV for us,” Halac said. “Our JV and varsity practice together a lot, so she had gotten a lot of reps. Before that, she was a six-rotation JV player.”

Now, she’s a six-rotation varsity player.

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“She’s been great,” CPU libero Gracie Hoskins said. “To play all the way around, that’s huge for us. Her hands are so (good), and she puts up a huge block.”

As for Keller?

“She has helped a lot in coaching (Stien),” Halac said. “(Stien) stepped into the role; she had big shoes to fill, but she embraced what she had to do to become a six-position player at this level.”

CPU was error-riddled early — the Stormin’ Pointers missed six of their first 15 serves, for instance — and trailed by margins of 15-9 and 19-14 in the opening set.

A late rush put CPU up 23-20, but Marion (15-9, 2-2) regrouped and scored the last five points of the set to salvage it.

The Wolves appeared to be on the verge of a two-sets-to-none noogie, leading Game 2 by a 17-9 count. But CPU stormed back with a 14-1 rush, evened the match at a set apiece, then controlled the final two sets.

“Most (matches), we start a little slow,” Hoskins said. “We did a very good job working our way back, fighting together when things got tough.”

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Photos: Center Point-Urbana at Marion volleyball

City High win muddles the Valley

The MVC Valley Division race will go to the wire as a three-team race, thanks to a minor road upset by Iowa City High.

The Little Hawks knocked off Cedar Falls in five sets Tuesday; it was 18-16 in the fifth.

As a result, City (14-8 overall), Cedar Falls (17-3) and Dubuque Wahlert (14-8) all are 5-1 in divisional play.

City has the most challenging divisional finale next Tuesday, traveling to Cedar Rapids Prairie (17-9, 4-2). Cedar Falls hosts Dubuque Hempstead (10-12, 3-3); Wahlert welcomes Cedar Rapids Washington (1-18, 0-6).

The Little Hawks play at Iowa City West (9-10) in a non-divisional intracity showdown Thursday.

Meanwhile, in the Mississippi Division, Cedar Rapids Xavier (20-1, 5-0) has wrapped up a title share and looks to clinch it outright Tuesday at Linn-Mar (13-11, 2-3).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com