116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Indianola wins another 5-set state volleyball match in 4A semifinals against Lewis Central
No. 2 Indianola will take on No. 6 North Scott for the 4A state title
CORALVILLE — Coach Kent Halstead said the main goal for an Indianola volleyball team member is to enjoy the sport, win or lose.
“We're No. 2 in the rankings, but we are No. 1 in having fun,” he said.
Come Thursday afternoon, Halstead's Indians might be No. 1 in both.
In a match filled with runs from both teams, Indianola had a key 4-0 surge in the decisive fifth set which proved to be the difference in a 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 15-10 triumph over Lewis Central in a Class 4A state semifinal match on Wednesday at Xtream Arena.
The Indians (38-4) will play for the school's first state volleyball title against No. 4 North Scott at 12:15 p.m. Thursday. The Lancers advanced with a straight-set upset over top-ranked and previously unbeaten Clear Creek-Amana.
Lewis Central, which finishes 32-3, showed its grit in rallying for a five-set win over Cedar Rapids Xavier. Indianola also survived a five-setter in beating Marion.
“We had that long five-set match on Monday, so I knew it would be a battle,” said Indianola junior Camryn Overton. “I knew we were mentally tired, but if we came together like we did before we could get it done.”
Overton said the message from Halstead is always to keep things simple.
“You have to execute and you have to go out there and take it,” Halstead said. “I thought we did that. We saw what they did in coming back on Monday and that's credit to Lewis Central. We had to earn this today. We couldn't take any plays off.”
Halstead holds himself to the same standards he expects from his players, saying he did a poor coaching job in the first-set loss to Lewis Central.
“I had a tough first set. I had to forgive myself,” he said. “I didn't coach well in that set and that is what we tell our kids that they have to forgive themselves.
“All year I've promised we will compete, we will hustle and we will have fun. We didn't say anything about winning.”
The winning has taken care of itself and now the Indians have a shot at the program’s first title in its 50-year history.
“We thought coming in we would be playing CCA, 1 vs. 2 in the end,” Overton said. “Seeing (the upset) happen, now we know North Scott can put up a serious battle and we will be ready.”
Overton led the winners with 18 kills. Brooke Larsen's 23 kills led Coach Mike Bond's Lewis Central team.
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