GARNETT — Iola High’s volleyball team sandwiched victories around a pair of hard-fought losses Saturday as the 2013 regular season nears its end.
The Fillies went 2-2, taking home fifth place at Saturday’s Anderson County Invitational.
All that remains is a home match for Iola against Anderson County on Tuesday before the Class 4A, Division II substate tournament begins next Saturday, also in Garnett.
The opening match wound up being an accurate indicator of how the rest of the day would transpire for the Fillies against some of the toughest competition in the area.
Iola started against Independence, and had things in control early, leading 8-3 in the first game, before the Lady Bulldogs stormed back to win the first set, 25-17.
Undeterred, Iola rebounded in the second set, going point-for-point with Independence, until seizing control late with a 25-22 win.
The third was a carbon copy of the first two, with the teams staying neck-to-neck until the Fillies closed the match with a flourish, winning the set and match, 25-20.
Emery Driskel led the way with 14 kills, followed by Ashlie Shields, who racked up 12 kills, on just 21 attempts for a sterling .524 attack percentage. Emma Piazza and Kyra Moore had 17 and 14 assists, respectively.
Things didn’t go as well in their second match against Pioneer League power Wellsville. The Eagles emerged with a 25-20, 25-19 victory.
Driskel and Piazza both had five kills for the Fillies.
The third match came against host Anderson County.
The Bulldogs took the first set, 25-20, before Iola rebounded to claim the second, also 25-20.
But Anderson County took the tiebreaker — and the match — 25-20.
Driskel had 12 kills, while Addie Haar and Shields had six and five kills, respectively. Piazza and Moore both had 12 assists. Driskel also had four solo blocks.
IOLA ENDED its day on a high note, with its 25-19, 25-22 win over former Southeast Kansas League foe Labette County.
