History made in Riceville sweep of West Fork
By Kristi Nixon
RICEVILLE — Peering at the banners in Riceville High School’s gymnasium, only one conference championship is boasted by its volleyball team.
The group from 1998, among them current head coach Missy McElroy, didn’t accomplish what this year’s Wildcats managed to accomplish on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
That is, advancing beyond the second round of the post-season and doing so with a 25-10, 25-13, 25-19 sweep of West Fork, something the coach said she believes had never happened before.
“We were just talking about that,” coach McElroy said of she and some former teammates. “We believe this is the first time Riceville has made it past the second round (in volleyball). “I’m pretty sure we didn’t. It was the first time we beat West Fork in Riceville history and unless someone is going to correct me, this is the first time past the second round.”
Senior outside hitter Madison Mauer, who started off the match with the first three kills for the Wildcats and led the team with 10, added that she wasn’t sure if she and her teammates had made history. She said she thought it was done with the group that won conference in 1998.
Mauer added a team-high 21 digs and was perfect on 16 service attempts with six aces, all of them coming in the third set.
“I was dialed in all day, ready to play,” Mauer said. “It’s amazing, I love it, a complete change from last year. I don’t think I’ve ever made it past the first round, even.”
The Wildcats (26-16) advance to play Class 1A No. 4 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (30-9) at Gladbrook on Monday, Oct. 24.
An updated story will appear in the Oct. 26 print edition of the Enterprise Journal.
