To try and win state, you’ve got to get to state.
And No. 1 Mount Vernon did that Tuesday, Oct. 24, with a Class 3A regional final victory over Anamosa, 25-20, 25-12, 25-19.
Mount Vernon (33-4) was scheduled to open Class 3A state tournament against Dubuque Wahlert (18-12) at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Xtream Arena in Coralville. (All state matches will be in next week’s Sun.)
The Mustangs are the top seed. Cherokee (29-6) is No. 2, Western Christian (29-13) is No. 3.
“Making state is just part of our goal,” junior setter Sydney Huber said. “We hope we can keep going.”
This is Mount Vernon’s sixth straight trip to state, and the Mustangs have been there 11 of the last 12 years. And 18 times overall.
“Making state never gets old,” Mount Vernon Coach Maggie Willems said. “The tradition of going down to state, it is such an honor. I can’t wait. It is one of my favorite weeks of the year.”
The Mustangs were big favorites against the unranked Blue Raiders. And while it was a sweep, there were a few hiccups.
“It was tough,” senior Brooke Ellyson said. “We didn’t expect it to be that tough. But the fight was good. They are a good team.”
It was 14-14 in the first set when the Mustangs got a little run off three Blue Raider errors and four kills from Paige Schurbon to make it 20-15.
Anamosa closed it to within one point, 20-19, but a kill by Schurbon and two by junior Chloe Meester put Mount Vernon back in control.
“I was comfortable with the idea we might not win the first set,” Willems said. “Your opponent has nothing to lose and there’s going to be things that don’t go our way, sometimes. And that’s okay. It’s all about how we respond.”
Mount Vernon used a pair of Blue Raider errors to close it out, 25-20. In the second set, the Mustangs just slowly ran away with it. Getting up 19-8 and winning 25-12.
“We were a little timid in the first set,” Huber said. “Once we got going, we knew we should be the one ahead.
“Anamosa was the underdog, but they wanted it.”
Anamosa (28-10) had the third set tied at 14-14, but again Mount Vernon reasserted itself. Meester had three big kills down the stretch to close it out.
Chloe Meester finished with a match-high 19 kills.
“I would hate playing against her,” Huber said. “So I’m glad she’s on our side.”
Schurbon added eight kills, Ellyson had seven and Caliana Whitaker added six. Huber led with 36 assists and Ellyson had 13 digs. Jaden Rolland had 12 digs.
“We have wonderful pieces … and we have Chloe,” Willems said. “There’s not going to be a lot of teams that we play that will be able to match that caliber off a player in long rallies or tight situations.”
Mustangs return to state
November 2, 2023
About the Contributor
Ryan Suchomel, Sports Reporter
Ryan Suchomel is a sports reporter for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.