Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: The Iowa Central volleyball team hoists its Region XI-A championship trophy after a win over Hawkeye Community College on Wednesday inside Hodges Fieldhouse. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Time and time again here Wednesday night, head coach Sara Horn motioned to an Iowa Central player or two.

Not in frustration or anger — just to remind them of what they had prepared for.

And time after time, it worked.

The fifth-ranked Tritons punched their third consecutive trip to the NJCAA Div. II National Tournament inside a loud and boisterous Hodges Fieldhouse, sweeping No. 12 Hawkeye in the Region XI-A championship.

Scores were 25-23, 26-24 and 26-24.

“I’m just so happy for the girls,” Horn said. “Nationals week is so unique and exciting, and you just want everybody to experience it. We are one of the best teams in the country and we earned this right.”

Katilyn Steffes, one of four Iowa Central (34-5 overall) players named to the all-tournament team, had 10 kills in the first set and 10 more in the second, finishing with a match-high 24. The returning All-American was also named the most valuable player of the regional.

Steffes is one of a handful of players back from the fourth-place team a year ago, and was also on the 2020 squad that finished a program-best third at nationals.

Sophomores Jori Hajek, Brooke Dobson and Kira Matthias joined Steffes on the honor team. All four have now been key players in the best two-year stretch in terms of win percentage, topping the run from 2020-21.

Hajek, a Humboldt grad, had 11 kills and 15 digs, Dobson added nine, while Mercedes Madlock recorded 41 assists and 11 digs.

Matthias and Steffes each recorded 14 digs, with St. Edmond graduate Mya McClain added two serving aces — including match point — and three digs.

The Tritons have now won 76 matches during over the past two seasons, just five behind the mark set in 2011-12.

Hawkeye, which pushed Iowa Central to five sets during the regular season on its home floor, jumped on the board quickly, scoring six of the first seven points. They led 10-7 before Steffes went on a run, and took back the lead at 16-14.

From that point on in the first set, though, the Tritons held serve. Steffes rattled off her eighth and ninth kills of the set, a service error by the RedTails made it 23-21 and another Steffes killed finished it off.

“We knew they would really be a tough opponent,” Horn said. “We scouted them and put in the work to find where we could take advantage.

“Still, we had to overcome some mistakes and battle through things, especially early.”

The second set featured two big runs. Iowa Central going up 18-13 after scoring seven consecutive points, but Hawkeye answered with a 5-0 run. The Tritons tallied the sets final four points, including three consecutive Steffes kills.

In the third game, the RedTails again started hot, scoring seven of the first eight before Iowa Central rallied to tie it. The opponents exchanged runs from there, with the Tritons scoring five of the final eight to seal the deal.

Horn admitted her directions to players was a direct result of the environment created by the fans.

“It was just so loud, I wanted to make sure they could understand what I was saying,” she said. “It was a great atmosphere, and I’m just so happy we were able to pull it out.

“It really doesn’t get any closer than that.”

The Tritons will carry a 16-match win streak into nationals, which take place Nov. 17-19 in Cedar Rapids. That run includes a win over then-No. 1 Cowley County and a victory at seventh-rated Kirkwood to secure the ICCAC regular season championship.

Iowa Central has now reached the national tournament eight times and are 98-12 overall since a loss in 2019 in the regional finals. The Tritons have gone 41-4 at home during that time.