EARLY DIVIDENDS
No. 3 Tritons continue to impress early
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Earlier this week, the Iowa Central volleyball team moved up seven positions in the latest rankings to No. 3 in NJCAA Div. II nationally.
On Wednesday night, the Tritons kicked off an extended run of home matches inside Hodges Fieldhouse with a one-sided victory over Northwest Iowa.
Scores were 25-8, 25-13 and 25-11.
Iowa Central (8-0 overall, 2-0 in the ICCAC) will play its next four matches at home and six of the next seven, including three this Friday and Saturday when they host the Triton Invitational against Allen County, second-rated Cowley County and No. 18 Madison.
All 18 players who suited up on Wednesday saw the court, and 11 recorded at least one kill. Rylyn McCarty led Iowa Central with seven, with Cooper Griffin adding six and Kampbell Bryte, five.
"It was great that we had the opportunity to play all 18 (athletes)," ICCC head coach Sara Horn said. "Sometimes, you go into matches wanting to do that and the score dictates doing something different. But we were able to give them all playing time, which I thought really showed our overall team depth."
Myea Wingert dished out 17 assists, and Annie Elbert contributed 15. Mykala Luzum had a team-high 15 digs, and Abby Jensen chipped in 12.
Luzum, Grace Farnsworth and Clara Newton each recorded four kills, with Elbert adding three kills and three block assists. McCarty had four block assists.
Fort Dodge Senior High grad Meah McCaleb chipped in five digs and two assists.
A sweep over defending national champion and then-No. 1 Heartland helped the Tritons climb early in the national rankings. They also hold a victory over No. 8 St. Johns River State.
"I feel like it all starts for us with our back row," Horn said. "We started a little slow last year because we were so young there, but we have a lot of experience now.
"It's great to be 8-0, but we have a really hard schedule coming up that is going to test us."
Iowa Central will welcome in No. 11 Mesa on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Tritons face Allen County on Friday at 12:45 p.m. and Cowley County at 6 p.m., before closing out the week vs. Madison on Saturday at 4 p.m.