Chloe Meester on trajectory to becoming Mount Vernon volleyball’s next legend

MOUNT VERNON — In addition to being an event full of quality teams, the Shirley Ryan Invitational tournament is a nod to Mount Vernon’s volleyball legends.

The four pools are named after the school’s four Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union hall-of-famers: former coach Shirley Ryan and players Ali Stark, Joy Jordan and Shelby Kintzel.

Someday, if she stays on her current trajectory, Chloe Meester might join them.

“She’s already one of the best players in our class,” Mustangs Coach Maggie Willems said. “I expect her to keep getting better and better as she moves through our program.”

A 6-foot-1 sophomore outside hitter and a club-ball national champion (for the Adrenaline 15-and-under squad), Meester is one of the state’s most lethal attackers. She’s working on adding more tools and completing her game.

“I need to work on the cross(-court) shot more. I struggle with that a little,” she said. “And this is my first year as a passer. I’m not the best at it.”

Her eyes lit up a bit.

“I do like hitting from the back row.”

Meester and the Class 3A top-ranked Mustangs assembled four good matches Saturday. The fifth was a struggle, a 25-8, 25-22 loss to 3A No. 5 Davenport Assumption in the semifinals.

“We were really energized at the beginning of the day,” said Meester, who said that Creighton and Virginia are at the top of her college list at this point. “During that last match, we lost it all. We kind of gained it back, but it wasn’t enough.”

The 16-team field contained nine ranked teams. Class 2A No. 1 Dike-New Hartford (14-1) handled Assumption in the title match, 25-13, 25-13.

Mount Vernon (7-1) swept its first two pool matches, then outlasted North Scott in three sets. The Mustangs topped Dyersville Beckman in the quarterfinals, 25-12, 25-15, but weren’t at their best against Assumption.

“We learned some things that we definitely need to work on,” Willems said. “When a team has predictabilty in its rotations, we need to respond to that. We didn’t do that in the last match.”

Three other area teams — Western Dubuque, Dyersville Beckman and Iowa City West — reached the championship bracket.

Last year’s 4A state champion, Western Dubuque (7-2) lost a toughie in the quarterfinals to Assumption, 26-28, 25-14, 15-13.

Beckman (8-3) was beaten in straight sets by Mount Vernon; West (3-6) lost two straight to Dike-New Hartford.

Shirley Ryan Invitational

At Mount Vernon

ALI STARK POOL

Teams — 1. Dike-New Hartford 3-0, 2. Western Dubuque 2-1, 3. Davis County 1-2, 4. Waverly-Shell Rock 0-3.

Dike-New Hartford def. Davis County, 21-8, 21-11

Western Dubuque def. Waverly-Shell Rock, 14-21, 23-21, 15-8

Dike-New Hartford def. Waverly-Shell Rock, 21-15, 21-15

Western Dubuque def. Davis County, 21-16, 21-16

Davis County def. Waverly-Shell Rock, 12-21, 21-12, 15-13

Dike-New Hartford def. Western Dubuque, 21-10, 22-20

JOY JORDAN POOL

Teams — 1. Mount Vernon 3-0, 2. North Scott 2-1, 3. Dubuque Wahlert 1-2, 4. Ottumwa 0-3.

Mount Vernon def. Dubuque Wahlert, 21-9, 21-8

North Scott def. Ottumwa, 21-10, 21-8

Mount Vernon def. Ottumwa, 21-8, 21-5

North Scott def. Dubuque Wahlert, 21-5, 21-15

Dubuque Wahlert def. Ottumwa, 21-18, 21-14

Mount Vernon def. North Scott, 19-21, 21-17, 15-10

SHELBY KINTZEL POOL

Teams — 1. Davenport Assumption 3-0, 2. Iowa City West 2-1, 3. Tipton 1-2, 4. Waterloo Columbus 0-3.

Davenport Assumption def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-13, 21-13

Iowa City West def. Tipton, 21-14, 23-21

Davenport Assumption def. Tipton, 21-13, 21-14

Iowa City West def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-12, 21-15

Tipton def. Waterloo Columbus, 13-21, 21-18, 15-4

Davenport Assumption def. Iowa City West, 21-18, 21-17

SHIRLEY RYAN POOL

Teams — 1. Des Moines Christian 3-0, 2. Dyersville Beckman 2-1, 3. Mid-Prairie 1-2, 4. Center Point-Urbana 0-3.

Des Moines Christian def. Mid-Prairie 21-11, 21-17

Beckman def. Center Point-Urbana, 21-11, 21-16

Des Moines Christian def. Center Point-Urbana, 25-23, 21-12

Beckman def. Mid-Prairie, 21-16, 16-21, 15-9

Center Point-Urbana def. Mid-Prairie, 15-21, 21-18, 15-7

Des Moines Christian def. Beckman, 21-15, 21-19

CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

Quarterfinals

Dike-New Hartford def. Iowa City West, 25-15, 25-9

Des Moines Christian def. North Scott, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12

Mount Vernon def. Dyersville Beckman, 25-12, 25-15

Davenport Assumption def. Western Dubuque, 26-28, 25-14, 15-13

Semifinals

Dike-New Hartford def. Des Moines Christian, 25-16, 25-16

Davenport Assumption def. Mount Vernon, 25-8, 25-22

Championship

Dike-New Hartford def. Davenport Assumption, 25-13, 25-13

SILVER BRACKET

Semifinals

Center Point-Urbana def. Davis County, 25-14, 25-16

Dubuque Wahlert def. Tipton, 25-21, 25-19

Final

Dubuque Wahlert def. Center Point-Urbana, 27-25, 25-19

BRONZE BRACKET

Semifinals

Mid-Prairie def. Ottumwa, 21-16, 21-8

Waverly-Shell Rock def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-16, 21-14

Final

Mid-Prairie def. Waverly-Shell Rock, 21-18, 21-17

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com