Western Christian holds off Sioux Center, extends state volleyball semifinal streak to 24

CORALVILLE — Nearly half of the Western Christian volleyball roster resides in Sioux Center.

“Seven of the 16,” Coach Tammi Veerbeek said. “I live there, down the street from (Sioux Center Coach Julie Oldenkamp). A lot of the kids go to church together.

“So we knew it was going to be a very emotional match.”

It turned out to be a classic, one that the Wolfpack survived.

Tied at two sets, and at 13-apiece in Game 5, second-ranked Western made the two deciding plays and outlasted No. 7 Sioux Center in a Class 3A quarterfinal at the state volleyball tournament Tuesday morning at Xtream Arena.

Set scores were 25-13, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25 and 15-13.

Western’s reward is an unheard-of 24th consecutive semifinal berth; the Wolfpack (32-13) will face No. 3 West Delaware (39-6) at 2:25 Wednesday afternoon.

“The tradition of Western Christian ... I grew up watching them win state championships,” freshman Morgan Kooiman said. “It’s so much fun to finally be a part of it.”

Kooiman is part of the Wolfpack’s Sioux Center connection.

“It’s hard to have to play each other,” she said.

Sioux Center (29-6) lost the first two sets (letting an early six-point lead slip away) and fell behind 11-4 in Game 5. But the Warriors kept rallying, and took the dynastic Wolfpack to the wire.

“We stole Game 2,” Veerbeek said. “I thought we were going to sweep them. But they didn’t roll over.”

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Photos: Western Christian vs. Sioux Center in Class 3A state volleyball quarterfinals

Sioux Center scored seven in a row to pull even at 11-11 in the finale.

“(In the final timeout), it was just, ‘Guys, don’t give this up. We’ve worked too hard,” Western’s Scarlett Winterfeld said.

At 13-13, Winterfelt provided the go-ahead kill, on a tip. Then a block sent the Wolfpack back to another semifinal trip.

Winterfeld led Western with 21 kills. Bentley Bliek added 14, Kooiman 11.

Margo Schuiteman paced Sioux Center with 16 kills.

Western Christian 3, Sioux Center 2

(25-13, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25, 15-13)

Class 3A State Quarterfinal, at Coralville

Serving: Sioux Center 95-100 (.950), Western 89-100 (.890)

Aces: Sioux Center 6 (Kaylee Traver 2), Western 8 (Scarlett Winterfeld 4)

Kills: Sioux Center 50 (Margo Schuiteman 16), Westerm 55 (Winterfeld 21)

Assists: Sioux Center 47 (Romee Bleeker 24), Western 54 (Maggie Van Schepen 44)

Blocks: Sioux Center 5 (Maryn Franken 2), Western 7 (Addi Van’t Hul 3)

Digs: Sioux Center 74 (Maci Schmalbeck 16), Western 67 (Van Schepen 15)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com