March 28, 2024

Spartans fall in home opener

Image 1 of 2

Ninth-ranked Des Moines Area Community College opened the 2014 conference season in dominating fashion Wednesday night, sweeping Southwestern 25-10, 25-11, 25-15 in the Spartans’ home opener.

DMACC improved to 4-1 overall while starting 1-0 in the ICCAC Division II race. SWCC falls to 1-5 and 0-1, with a welcome week off before traveling to Mason City next Wednesday and a tournament in Highland, Kan., the following weekend.

“It’s the beginning of the season, and we see things to work on,” said first-year SWCC coach Ting Liu, who has already taken her freshman-dominated team into battle with four nationally-ranked teams in the opening six matches.

“The girls are disappointed,” Liu said. “It’s good that they have self-estimates set high for themselves. Hopefully we can get a win next week. We have to have better practices. You have to fix things in practice.”

After leading 16-9 in the first set, the Bears went on a 7-0 run to take a 23-9 command on the way to a 25-10 victory.

The Spartans did not offer much of a challenge in set two, falling behind by margins of 16-3 and 21-6 in the 25-11 loss.

The third set was much different. Southwestern forced a DMACC timeout when freshman Madison Walston of Bedford had a quick slam kill on the jump service point by Carmen Subbert of Stanton, which closed the deficit to 10-6. Walston’s tip to an open spot moments later made it 11-7.

Freshman setter Bailey Preston served successive points to cut it to 13-10 midway through the set.

DMACC’s powerful net attack, including sophomore Nevada Meis of Council Bluffs St. Albert, started to take hold in building a 24-14 lead.

Erin Coker’s service point cut it to 24-15, but a net serve ended Southwestern’s night in the 25-15 loss.

“Our offense was not regular tonight,” Liu said. “Our passing was not consistent. Then the setter cannot save the ball. I thought (Indian Hills) last night was even taller and stronger, but they made more errors than this team. DMACC is pretty consistent. They just don’t give you points. “

Coker and Subbert led Southwestern with five kills each. They also each had six digs. Preston ended with eight setting assists. Mikayla Prott, 6-foot middle hitter from Racine, Wis., had one solo block and an assisted block. Coker and Walston each had one assisted block.

Walston had the team’s only ace serve against a strong DMACC defense led by libero Amber Huttmann of Lewis Central.