3A Recap, Reaction: Assumption Attack Shines

<!-- 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>Assumption feels a closeness when it takes the court. Many of the Knight players have known each other for years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The connection showed on Tuesday morning when they rolled to a sweep (25-19, 25-10, 25-15) of Mid-Prairie in the Class 3A state tournament quarterfinals here at Xtream Arena. A talented senior class leads a group where everyone has ownership in the operation. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"It's good," Assumption coach Greg Cotton said of his team's mix of older and younger players. "They all pretty much play in the same club (Iowa Select). We all see each other twice a week during the club season, too. It's a pretty easy dynamic to put together." </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The dynamic is aided by the Knights having a strong senior class led by middle hitter [player_tooltip player_id='230661' first='Ellah' last='Derrer'] (Kansas State commitment) and setter [player_tooltip player_id='389006' first='Carsyn' last='Kelley'], an Evansville pledge. They helped the team get into a rhythm against a pesky Mid-Prairie bunch in a competitive first set. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I think our passers giving perfect passes so Carsyn could distribute," Derrer said of what got Assumption rolling. "Keeping the ball in system isn't always easy to do, especially when you're nervous. Carsyn is always calm on the court, and she always distributes, which isn't always easy to do. I think that all really showed in that second and third set."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Derrer was her dominant self when Kelley got her the ball. She pounded out 16 kills with an impressive .519 hitting percentage. She added three blocks. Kelley finished with 33 assists, eight digs and a pair of kills. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I think we proved we deserved to be here as much as anyone else," Kelley said of what the Knights' performance reflected. "We're a high seed, but we still have to prove that. Coming in and playing this well did that." </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='630696' first='Erin' last='Robbins'] added 10 kills and two blocks for the winners. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='694203' first='Belle' last='Cotton'] came up with 10 digs to go with five kills, and classmate [player_tooltip player_id='742600' first='Piper' last='Hodge'] produced 16 digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"The seniors were great. They help calm our nerves and get us focused on playing," Hodge said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior [player_tooltip player_id='215390' first='Jovi' last='Evans'] had seven kills, four digs and three assists for Mid-Prairie. Her younger sister, [player_tooltip player_id='808755' first='Jeorgia' last='Evans'], came up with 14 digs, and [player_tooltip player_id='847970' first='Elise' last='Foster'] had 11 against the powerful Assumption attack. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Assumption's percentage is high going through their middles, so controlling their middles was what we knew we needed to do to be successful, and we just didn't do the job," Mid-Prairie co-coach Zeb Evans said. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/_cptaen1Kq0","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://youtu.be/_cptaen1Kq0 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://youtu.be/rv5m-dHysXA","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://youtu.be/rv5m-dHysXA </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->