Davenport Assumption’s ‘mix’ too much for Mid-Prairie at state volleyball

CORALVILLE - The old and the new have blended in quite nicely for Davenport Assumption.

The Knights have been state tournament regulars, qualifying 12 times since 2012. This year's team has a mix of returners, headed up by senior Ellah Derrer, a transfer in setter Carsyn Kelley and sophomores Belle Cotton and Piper Hodge.

"It's a good mix," said Assumption Coach Greg Cotton about his team after the Knights swept Mid-Prairie, 25-19, 25-10, 25-15 in a Class 3A quarterfinal on Tuesday morning at Xtream Arena. "They all play pretty much in the same club so it is a pretty easy dynamic."

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The second-ranked Knights (27-7), advancing to a 2:25 p.m. semifinal match on Wednesday, have a strong attack out of the middle and it showed against the Hawks. Derrer is 6-foot-3 and fellow senior Erin Robbins is 6-1. With Kelley, an Evansville commit, providing near-perfect sets, the Knights offense sizzled.

"It was a tough match for us. We knew they were really good in the middle," said Mid-Prairie co-coach Zeb Evans. "I'm not sure what percentage they hit through the middles, but I'm sure it was high.

"Controlling their middles was what we knew we had to do, but we just didn't get them shut down."

Derrer, who will play collegiately at Kansas State, finished with 16 kills. Robbins added 11.

"Getting perfect passes makes it easier to hit," Derrer said. "Hitting can be hard to do when you are nervous but Carsyn is always so calm on the court. She always distributes perfect passes."

Kelley, who transferred to Assumption from Pleasant Valley, finished with 33 assists.

Mid-Prairie, which finishes at 30-10, hung with the Knights through much of the first set. It was tied at 16 before the Knights went on a 9-3 run to close it out.

"It took a little bit for us to get settled," Cotton said. "We weren't spot on to start, but once we got settled in we played like we could."

As a four-year regular for the Knights, Derrer is relishing her final days with the program.

"Our seniors are playing like we know every day on the court could be our last," she said. "I really felt like we did that today."