5A Recap, Reaction: Ankeny Rallies to Down Dowling

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code:&nbsp;howe30&nbsp;in the coupon code area</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CORALVILLE -</strong> Ankeny found itself in a precarious position during Monday afternoon's 5A state tournament quarterfinal against Dowling Catholic. It trailed two sets to one versus an opponent it had lost to 3-1 during the regular season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Instead of wilting, the Hawks took off from there and flew into the second round with a 3-2 victory. For a team with a lot of new faces in the lineup, it was an uplifting experience. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We just were saying we need to bring energy. We've wanted this for so long. We're not giving up now. So just keep pushing every single point," senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='827425' first='Miya' last='Steinkamp'] said. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And that's what they did. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A [player_tooltip player_id='845755' first='Kennedy' last='Klein'] kill put the Maroons ahead, 4-2, to start the fifth set. Ankeny responded with a [player_tooltip player_id='730419' first='Hailey' last='Wiederin'] kills that set off a 6-0 run with [player_tooltip player_id='389074' first='Hailey' last='Flanders'] serving. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I've noticed over the last few weeks that we've developed that layer of toughness," Hawk coach Elizabeth Baethke said. "It's a mindset. It's an approach. And I was really pleased with us not getting rattled right now."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Her team would need that toughness again after a [player_tooltip player_id='500340' first='Kaylie' last='Klein'] kill drew Dowling to within a point of the lead at 11-10. The Hawks kept the pressure on, however, helping lead to a couple of Maroon errors. A Wiederin kill made it 14-10 Ankeny, and then [player_tooltip player_id='890718' first='Quinn' last='Roush'] slammed the ball to the court from the middle of the net for the winning point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We really wanted to win for it for our seniors," said Wiederin, a sophomore. "We didn't want this to be our last game, especially because the last couple of years we've lost the first round. We just wanted it this year, and we just worked so hard to get it."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a tough setback for Dowling, which featured some accomplished seniors like opposite hitter [player_tooltip player_id='215427' first='Ava' last='Groeteke']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"It's just that big energy battle. You have to make sure you start strong (in the fifth set), or you can get stuck in that hole really fast. It's a big atmosphere, and you have to block it out," she said. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wiederin finished with 18 kills, while [player_tooltip player_id='732859' first='Elle' last='Isaacson'], [player_tooltip player_id='555797' first='Marlee' last='Ellison'] and Teagan Meyer teamed up for 24. Flanders was credited with 24 digs. [player_tooltip player_id='845755' first='Kennedy' last='Klein']'s 11 kills led Dowling, while [player_tooltip player_id='389933' first='Ellie' last='Muller'] produced 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJGunzIvAJc","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJGunzIvAJc </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFs40y_Ca5M","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFs40y_Ca5M </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->