Mental maturity is key to Springville volleyball’s postseason fate

They are veterans now. And for the Springville Orioles, the mental game is catching up with the physical promise.

“It has never been an issue of talent,” Coach Claude Howard said. “I think in the past, the girls have struggled with nervousness and pressure.

“We’ve worked a lot of mental toughness this year, how to get out of those lulls.”

We’re in the meat of the postseason now, and prolonged lulls just won’t do. Third-ranked Springville (31-4) hosts Edgewood-Colesburg (21-12) in a Class 1A regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Monday.

The Orioles won’t have to construct any false motivation for this one; Ed-Co upset them in pool play of the Tri-Rivers Conference tournament Oct. 14.

“We had a few too many receiving errors and hitting errors in that one,” Howard said. “After looking at film, that was the big difference. It was a little uncharacteristic of us. They served a little shorter, and we had to adjust to it.”

Ed-Co is coming off a thrilling five-set win over North Linn in the regional quarterfinals behind Kelsey Hansel’s 28 kills.

“I’m excited,” Hansel said. “We beat them the other day. I hope we can beat them again.”

Howard’s daughter, junior setter Nia Howard, was voted the player of the year in the Tri-Rivers West Division. She has a deep arsenal of hitters, four of whom have accumulated more than 100 kills this season.

Springville is one of three area ranked teams in 1A. No. 4 Lisbon (35-6) and No. 12 North Tama (28-10) are on a potential regional-final collision course. The Lions host Sigourney (17-13) on Monday; the Redhawks welcome Montezuma (22-9).

In Class 2A, No. 7 Dyersville Beckman (31-11) hosts West Branch (21-13).

Regional finals are Wednesday in 2A and 1A.

Monday’s Class 2A regional volleyball semifinals

(All matches, 7 p.m.)

Region 6

Starmont (19-9) at Sumner-Fredericksburg (33-6)

Lake Mills (30-4) at Osage (26-9)

Region 7

West Branch (21-13) at Dyersville Beckman (31-11)

Grundy Center (28-15) at Wapsie Valley (24-11)

Region 8

Iowa City Regina (20-11) at Wilton (34-2)

Danville (9-16) at Mediapolis (13-23)

Monday’s Class 1A regional volleyball semifinals

(All matches, 7 p.m.)

Region 5

Edgewood-Colesburg (21-12) at Springville (31-4)

Saint Ansgar (18-9) at Nashua-Plainfield (13-14)

Region 6

Sigourney (17-13) at Lisbon (35-6)

Montezuma (22-9) at North Tama (28-10)

Region 7

Winfield-Mount Union (22-10) at Burlington Notre Dame (33-8)

Central City (20-13) at Easton Valley (20-8)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com