Thursday’s best: 5 area Iowa high school volleyball regional matches to watch

Class 5A and Class 4A regional semifinals include numerous Metro/Iowa City teams in action

Oct. 19, 2022 8:43 am, Updated: Oct. 20, 2022 1:49 pm

Linn-Mar's Sydney Carsello (4) and Kate Passmore (7) attempt to block against Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Mara Fluent (2) in a match Sept. 20. The Lions are at Urbandale in a Class 5A regional semifinal Thursday; the Cougars host Bettendorf. (Cliff Jette/Freelance for the Gazette)

The Iowa high school volleyball regional tournament hits full steam for the big schools Thursday, and it features a number of intriguing matchups involving area teams.

Here are five of the area’s best regional semifinals in Class 5A and Class 4A; all matches begin at 7 p.m.

Bettendorf (18-13) at Cedar Rapids Kennedy (21-11)

Class 5A Region 5

These teams met at the MVC-MAC Challenge way back on Aug. 25, with Bettendorf sweeping the two-set match. But that was before the ninth-ranked Cougars found their groove. Kennedy enters this match with all sorts of momentum, winning 14 of its last 17 decisions and earning runner-up honors in the Mississippi Valley Conference tournament. The Cougars have three highly capable hitters in seniors Emma Koeppen and Jacey Powell and sophomore Adalyn Hermanson. Bettendorf finished fourth in the Mississippi Athletic Conference.

Linn-Mar (18-16) at Urbandale (14-19)

Class 5A Region 7

Nine teams reside in the Central Iowa Metro League, and seven of them are ranked. That includes No. 11 Urbandale, which went 2-6 in CIML play. The J-Hawks’ attack runs through senior outside hitter Lily Dykstra, who leads Class 5A in kills at 5.21 per set. She hits at a .297 clip. Linn-Mar counters with a budding star in sophomore Kate Passmore, whose 4.43 kills per set rank third in 5A and hits .332. The Lions will try to regain momentum after going 0-3 in the Gold Bracket of the Mississippi Valley Conference tournament.

Iowa City High (17-15) at Dubuque Senior (20-16)

Class 5A Region 8

No. 15 Senior topped City High in a three-set Saturday match on Sept. 24, beating the Little Hawks for the first time in more than a decade. City junior Claire Ernst ranks third among 5A attackers with 3.81 kills per set and terminates at a .252 rate. Sophomore Emmy McComas adds 2.36 kills per set. After 12 straight losing seasons, Senior is on the plus side of .500 for the third year in a row. Senior Maya Watters leads the Rams at 2.85 kills per set.

Waverly-Shell Rock (30-18) at Cedar Rapids Xavier (28-4)

Class 4A Region 4

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Top-ranked Xavier begins its march toward what should be a seventh consecutive state tournament. Seniors Anika Ivester and Brooklyn Miller were starters on the Saints’ 2020 4A championship team. Ivester is second on the team in kills to sophomore Libby Fandel, and one of the state’s top blockers. Miller anchors the back row with 3.76 digs per set. Waverly-Shell Rock Coach EaVon Woodin is the state’s all-time leader in victories, with 1,227; the Go-Hawks bring back three starters from last year’s 4A runner-up team.

Carlisle (16-15) at Marion (33-6)

Class 4A Region 5

Like Xavier, No. 3 Marion is a significant favorite to advance to Coralville. Five starters are back from the Wolves’ state-semifinal team of 2021. That includes dual threat Avery Van Hook, a University of South Dakota commit who averages 8.80 assists per set and is third on the team in kills behind junior Michaela Goad and senior Peyton Johnson. Coach Roxanne Paulsen went over the 600-win plateau earlier this season. Carlisle swept Des Moines Hoover in the first round and has won four consecutive matches.