CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- Seeding held form in the semifinals of the 2013 Iowa Conference Volleyball Tournament on November 7, as top-seeded Wartburg survived fourth-seeded Luther, 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 15-25, 25-12, 15-12). In the other semifinal match, second-seeded Coe swept third-seeded Loras, 3-0 (25-13, 25-9, 25-18).
The tournament championship match is now set, as the Knights will host the Kohawks on Saturday, Novmeber 9 at 7 p.m. at Levick Arena in Waverly. The winner claims the Iowa Conference's automatic berth in the 2013 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship.
Wartburg will be looking for its second straight IIAC Tournament title and fifth tourney crown overall. Coe is making only its second tournament championship appearance (2007) and is shooting for its first tournament title.
No. 2 Coe def. No. 3 Loras, 3-0 (25-13, 25-9, 25-18) [ Box Score ]
No. 2-seeded Coe (33-4) cruised to a straight-sets win over No. 3-seeded Loras (15-17) at Eby Fieldhouse in Cedar Rapids in a rematch of a 2012 tournament semifinal won by Loras.
The Kohawks outhit the Duhawks, .327 to .031, in the match. Rachel Schaefer led all players with 10 kills while Katelin Langel added nine kills and nine digs. Brianna Smith also posted nine digs. Mackenzie Harbaugh recorded eight kills, 30 assists and nine digs, while Alissa Wittenburg had 23 digs and four service aces.
Loras was led by eight kills and five digs from Danielle Kennedy. Kara Grant added five kills and eight digs. Shawn Reilly had five of Loras' 10 assists. Michaela Mertens led the Duhawks defensively with 16 digs.
No. 1 Wartburg def. No. 4 Luther, 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 15-25, 25-12, 15-12) [ Box Score ]
Top-seeded Wartburg survived a challenge from rival Luther at Levick Arena in Waverly, falling behind two sets to one before rallying to take the final two sets.
The hosts took an early 6-1 lead and kept the Norse at arms-length en route to a 25-18 win in the first set. After trading points early in the second set, Luther jumped out to a 15-10 lead, only to see the Knights claw back and knot the set at 16-all. The Wartburg run was short-lived, though, as Luther rattled off nine of the next 12 points and took the second set, 25-19, to tie the match at a set apiece.
Luther put the energy gained in the second set to good use in the third, scoring seven points on Alexis Dorschner's serve early in the set to jump to a 9-3 lead. Wartburg forced the side out and drew to 9-5 on a kill by Kelly Niemann, but would get no closer than that. The Norse took eight of the next nine points on the way to a 25-15 win.
The Knights closed out the fourth set on a 10-1 run to win 25-12, but were unable to maintain the momentum early in the fifth set. Luther jumped out to a 4-0 lead and led 8-5 as the team switched sides of the court in the fifth but seemed to run out of steam. Wartburg battled back to tie the set at 11-all, then closed out the match by winning four of the last five points.
Kelsey Sorensen and Hannah Wilson had 19 kills apiece to lead Luther, while Leah Broderick added 11. Lindsey Ryan had 53 assists. Defensively, Brandi Knupp had a team-hig 24 digs. Jordyn Dudek added 11 and Alexis Dorschner 10.
Maddie Forsyth led three Wartburg players with double-digit kills with 13. Kelly Niemann and Bailey Wilson added 12 kills apiece with Niemann adding three solo blocks. Ramey Sieck recorded a 47-assist, 11-dig double-double, becoming Wartburg's all-time assists leader (4,234). Marissa Shinstine added 21 digs.
