NIACC falls to No. 9 Hawkeye in regional tourney
WATERLOO - The NIACC volleyball team bowed out of the NJCAA Region XI-A tournament with a 3-1 loss to No. 9 Hawkeye CC on Sunday afternoon.
Hawkeye CC, which plays at Iowa Central Tuesday in the regional final, won 25-17, 16-25, 25-16, 25-20.
Amber Rickert led Hawkeye CC (16-5) with 20 kills and Jessica Jacobs added 10 kills. Madison Fillinger led the RedTails with 21 assists.
"The end to a season full of unpredictability with a team full of fierce competitors," NIACC coach Chris Brandt said. "When we began back in September, we would challenge the team daily and they responded - through all of this, learning what they needed to do to be a successful team."
NIACC (9-10) was led by freshman Grace Tobin with 20 kills, 19 digs and two blocks. Sophomore Becca Steffen collected 28 assists with 10 digs and two kills.
NIACC's Bri Powers had 17 digs, Samantha Coron had three kills, five digs and two blocks and Megan Hollander had three blocks and two kills.
Also for the Lady Trojans, Halsie Keltner had five kills and six digs and Hannah Hanson had three kills and two blocks.
Sunday's tournament match was the final match for NIACC sophomores Powers, Steffen, Hollander, Hanson and Katelin Adams.
"The hardest part of the journey is saying goodbye to amazing young women," Brandt said, "but we will forever be thankful for the opportunity to be part of their journey."
2021 (SPRING) NIACC TEAM SEASON HIGHS
Kills - 61, twice,
Assists - 60 vs. Southeastern (2-14-21)
Digs - 88 vs. Northeast CC (1-28-21)
Ace serves - 12, twice.
Blocks - 15 vs. Ellsworth (2-24-21)
2021 (SPRING) NIACC INDIVIDUAL SEASON HIGHS
Kills - 27, Grace Tobin vs. Hawkeye CC (1-26-21)
Assists - 47, Becca Steffen vs. Hawkeye CC (1-26-21)
Digs - 23, Bri Powers vs. Northeast CC (1-28-21)
Ace serves - 7, Steffen vs. Southwestern (1-24-21)
Blocks - 9, Megan Hollander vs. Ellsworth (2-24-21)
THE LAST TIME A NIACC PLAYER ...