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Cedar Rapids Xavier advances to state volleyball tournament for 9th straight year
Top-ranked Saints are ‘ready to get the job done’ after sweeping Charles City
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CEDAR RAPIDS – As a sophomore, Libby Fandel altered her serve in search of more power and speed.
Two years later, her stout swings are an indispensable weapon for No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier.
“It is just having confidence going back there, knowing my teammates will let me serve like that,” Fandel said after posting a whopping 11 service aces and 15 kills as the Saints swept Charles City, 25-22, 25-10, 25-12 in a Class 4A prep volleyball regional final Tuesday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.
“Because sometimes it’s not a good night. Sometimes I don’t serve it in. So just knowing that my teammates trust in me has really been helpful.“
The victory delivers Xavier (28-4) to the state tournament for the ninth year in a row.
Fandel’s serving technique involves tossing the ball approximately 12 feet in the air, then stepping three times before leaping to meet the ball to fire it into the opposing end, often with some movement to it.
“She just has the hand contact to be able to do it,” second-year Xavier Coach Amy Weiland. “When you are able to serve that fast and with that ability and place it on the back line, girls don’t really know what to do with it.“
With the score tied at 6-6 in the opening set, Fandel unleashed a flurry of five service aces in a row that gave her team both breathing room and a surge of energy.
“Just confidence and settling into the game,” said Fandel, a University of Kansas women’s basketball commit. “Knowing that we can take control and play our game really helps us a lot.”
Senior outside hitter Carley Jonker posted seven kills, while middle hitters Macie Lupkes and Taylor Rexroth each added six.
“It was pretty good overall,“ Jonker said. “It was a good team effort. Glad to get out of that with a 3-0 win.”
Charles City ends its season at 22-10.
Xavier enters the state tournament as the top seed and will play 12th-ranked Sergeant Bluff-Luton (21-13) in a quarterfinal match Monday at 4 p.m. at Xtream Arena in Coralville.
After winning the 4A title in 2022, the Saints were eliminated in their first match last season.
“I think they are ready to get the job done,” Weiland said. “I think the biggest thing is stop being scared of the moment and go take care of it. They are ready for it. They have been wanting this all season.”
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