No. 2 Mount Vernon enjoyed its first Saturday without a tournament since the second week of the season.
But maybe with a little bad taste left in their mouths after falling in the semifinal round of the WaMaC Tournament on Thursday, Oct. 12.
Mount Vernon (30-4) beat Grinnell 25-14, 25-16, in the quarterfinals, then lost to No. 7 (4A) Marion, 15-25, 25-22, 16-14, in the semifinals.
It was the team’s first loss this season to a team not named Dike-New Hartford.
“Marion played one of their better matches of the year in sets 2 and 3,” Mount Vernon Coach Maggie Willems said. “We didn’t play poorly, but we had some untimely errors.”
Some of those errors came at the end of the third set. In fact, the Wolves scored their final three points on Mustang errors.
“That’s not characteristic of us,” Willems said.
No. 1 (4A) and undefeated Clear Creek Amana beat the Wolves 25-14, 25-17, in the WaMaC championship.
“We’d have loved an opportunity to play CCA,” Willems said. “At the same time, it’s okay. It’s an opportunity for us to learn as we go into the postseason.”
Against Grinnell, Chloe Meester had 13 kills and Sydney Huber had 21 assists. Brooke Ellyson led with eight digs.
Against Marion, Meester had 18 kills and Paige Schurbon added 10 kills. Huber had 35 assists and Meester led with 14 digs.
The Mustangs began the 3A postseason with a match against Williamsburg (6-25) on Tuesday, Oct. 17. If they won, next up is either Benton Community (13-23) or South Tama (12-21) on Thursday, Oct. 19. The regional final is Tuesday, Oct. 24, back in Mount Vernon (assuming the Mustangs keep winning).
“It is good for our team to get some time away,” Willems said. “We have to find an extra postseason edge.”

Gallery • 3 Photos

--Courtesy photo Mike Cranston

Mount Vernon’s Jaden Rolland (No. 1) watches for the ball to keep it in play.