Central volleyball starts season at tourney
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
The Central Warriors volleyball team started the season on Aug. 29, losing all three games at a tournament at Cascade.
In the first game against the Springville Orioles, the Warriors lost in straight sets by the scores of 21-12 and 21-6. The team ended up with a kill efficiency of just 40.9 percent and totaled one block. The Warriors managed two ace serves and a 70 percent serve efficiency, while recording four assists and 12 digs.
Ava Pensel led the way with three assists and Chelsia Larson was responsible for the team’s only block. Maddy Wille totaled four of the team’s 12 digs.
In the second game, Central took on the Dubuque Senior Rams, again losing in straight sets, with scores of 21-7 and 21-10.
The team had six kills on 22 attempts, for a kill efficiency of 4.5 percent. They added two ace serves along with a 92.9 percent serve efficiency, over 20 percent higher than in the Springville game.
Pensel led the team in assists with two, Kaitlyn Wiley came through with three digs and Brandy Beatty had 1.5 kills.
In the final game, the Warriors faced the Anamosa Blue Raiders. This game was closer, but the team ultimately lost 21-10 and 21-18.
One encouraging area was serving, where the team totaled six ace serves with an 85.7 percent serve efficiency. The team tacked on 21 digs, but still struggled with kill efficiency—they had only four kills on 41 attempts.
Pensel again led the team in assists with four, while Wille added eight more digs and Larson scored the only block, as well as two aces.
The Warriors will next play on Saturday, Sept. 5, in a tournament at Monticello High School.