WOODWARD — A torrid stretch for the Woodward-Granger volleyball team continued Saturday as the hosts swept their way to the title of the Norm McCune Invitational.
W-G (21-10) in 10-0 in October and has won 11 consecutive matches. The Hawks finished 8-2 in WCAC play after a 3-0 win over Panorama Oct. 15 and a 3-2 triumph against Van Meter Thursday. The team is 28-3 in sets played during their streak and is 56-27 this season in total sets.
The hosts defeated Colfax-Mingo 21-17 and 2-14 Saturday, while also topping South Hardin, 21-12 and 21-10, Grandview Christian, 21-11 and 21-17 and Panorama 21-8 and 21-9. Roland-Story won the first set against W-G, 21-15, but the Hawks responded to win 21-15 and 15-6 to claim the match.
The 21-10, 21-12 and 21-18 win over Panorama featured 15 kills from Natalie Weaver and seven from Elly Polich. Emma Drake had 24 assists and Polich 10, with Polich serving 14-of-16 with three aces. Katelyn Bandstra was 18-19-2 behind the line and Katelyn Scharlau had three blocks to aid the winning cause.
Thursday’s visit from Van Meter was a back-and-forth affair, with the Bulldogs winning the first set, 25-21 before the Hawks replied with wins of 25-23 and 25-18. A 25-17 Van Meter victory forced a fifth set, but W-G rallied to triumph, 15-10.
Weaver had 14 kills, Polich 13 and Drake 12, with Polich contributing 24 assists and 20 digs while Darby Nixon had a team-best 22 digs. Scharlau had four blocks and served 15-16-4, with Bandstra 19-20-1 and Polich 25-26-3.
Statistics were available from only three of Saturday’s matches, with the combined results from the Roland-Story, Grandview Christian and Panorama bouts following.
Weaver led the hosts with 22 kills, with Drake making 12 and Polich 11. Bandstra had seven kills, Scharlau six, and Grace Deputy and Brayten Ashman one each. Ashman had a team-high three blocks, with Drake and Scharlau tallying two blocks apiece while Polich and Weaver had one each.
Drake had 20 assists, Polich and Nixon six apiece and Scharlau, Weaver and Lindsay Mescher one each. Drake also had 20 digs, with Polich having 21 and Weaver 13 and Nixon nine to pace the hosts.
The Hawks served 127-of-133 with 22 aces in the three reported matches.
Polich was 26-30-6 behind the line, Drake 21-22-4 and Bandstra 27-29-4, with Weaver 19-20-3. Nixon was 7-12-3, Scharlau 6-9-1 and Emily Trewet 11-11-2.
W-G will visit Van Meter Monday when Class 2A Region 4 play begins. The winner will travel to face Grundy Center Oct. 31 at a site yet to be determined. Matches will begin at 7 p.m.
