Kennedy loses momentum, then regains it in a 4-set volleyball win over Linn-Mar

MARION — Volleyball, they say, is a game of momentum.

The question is, once that momentum is lost, how can it be reclaimed?

“It’s just energy,” Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Adalyn Hermanson said. “It’s attitude. It’s energy. Somebody just has to stay high so everybody can feed off of it.”

Hermanson and Emma Koeppen played taller than their actual heights, knocking down 19 kills apiece, and Kennedy handled Linn-Mar in four sets (25-21, 25-15, 19-25, 25-12) in an MVC Valley Division encounter Tuesday night at Linn-Mar High School.

A sophomore, Hermanson is listed at 5-foot-9 while Koeppen is a 5-8 senior. That’s not big against big-school competition, but both were effective.

“We talk about what shots are open,” Koeppen said. “We feel like communication is a big key for us. That third set, we stopped talking.”

» Photo gallery: Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Linn-Mar volleyball

Kennedy (8-8 overall, 4-1 division) appeared set for a sweep, leading 14-10 in Game 3 after winning the first two. But Kate Passmore and Emersyn Gries went on a spiking spree and turned it around with a 15-5 run to end the set.

At the time, it seemed like the match might swing in favor of the Lions (8-8, 3-2). But Hermanson had three kills in a 10-0 blitz in Game 4 that snapped a 7-7 tie.

From there, it was clear sailing for the visitors. The Cougars weathered 20 kills from Passmore.

“We watched film of their last match, and she had 27 in that one,” Kennedy setter Mara Fluent said. “(Passmore) doesn’t tip much. She always swings. So it was a matter of being confident in our block and our defense.”

Kennedy came back from an early 7-2 deficit in the first set. Koeppen posted a kill and a block in a five-point run that put the Cougars in front, 19-14. They controlled Game 2 throughout.

Fluent compiled 42 assists for the winners.

“Our outsides aren’t really big, but they’re good at finding shots,” Fluent said. “We work a lot on out-of-system plays, and that helps a lot.”

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 3, Linn-Mar 1

(25-21, 25-15, 19-25, 25-12)

AT LINN-MAR

Serving: Kennedy 87-92 (.945), Linn-Mar 71-74 (.959)

Aces: Kennedy 7 (Emma Koeppen, Sophia Barbieri 3), Linn-Mar 3 (Kelsey Klesner 2)

Kills: Kennedy 52 (Koeppen, Adalyn Hermanson 19), Linn-Mar 50 (Kate Passmore 20)

Assists: Kennedy 46 (Mara Fluent 42), Linn-Mar 39 (Sydney Kleist 19)

Blocks: Kennedy 7 (Kaliyah Sain 5), Linn-Mar 5 (Tessa Casebolt 3)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com