Gladbrook-Reinbeck responds after rocky 2nd set to beat Holy Trinity in state volleyball tournament

CORALVILLE — No. 4 Gladbrook-Reinbeck was not about to let a rough second set get it down.

Ava Wyatt made sure of that.

The Rebels recovered from a rocky performance in the set with impressive play in the final two sets to down No. 9 Fort Madison Holy Trinity, 25-20, 14-25, 25-14, 25-22 in a Class 1A state volleyball quarterfinal match Tuesday night at Xtream Arena.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck (33-9) will meet No. 14 Ackley AGWSR, a winner in five sets over North Tama, in a 6 p.m. semifinal match on Wednesday.

No. 9 Holy Trinity finishes at 29-16.

⧉ Related article: Photos: Gladbrook-Reinbeck vs. Fort Madison Holy Trinity in Class 1A state volleyball quarterfinals

With the fourth set in doubt, Wyatt, a 5-foot-11 senior, accounted for five of the last seven points.

“I knew that I could really help the team out tonight,” she said. “Emma (McClintock) was giving me some wonderful sets so I thought if I could keep helping my team, I would keep doing it.”

After taking the first set with solid play, the Rebels fell apart in the second set, falling 25-14.

Wyatt, who finished with 24 kills and 10 digs, said it was a rare bad second set for her team.

“We're usually a lot better in the second set,” she said. “Our serve receive wasn't as good and that cost us.”

The Rebels were impressive in winning the third set but Holy Trinity wasn't about to go down easily.

With the score tied at 20-20 in the fourth set, Wyatt rotated back into the front row and that was all the Rebels needed to finish the job.

“I think we were pretty evenly matched with them,” she said. “We had everybody contribute and I think that made the difference.”

Presley Myers led Holy Trinity with 12 kills. Brooke Mueller had 18 digs. Megan Cooley had 22 digs for Gladbrook-Reinbeck.