Crusaders win SEISC-South title

FORT MADISON – The Holy Trinity Catholic girls' volleyball team captured the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South title with a three-set sweep of Van Buren Thursday night on the road.
The 5^th-ranked Crusaders  (1A) downed the Warriors 25-17, 25-13, 25-8 led by Adalyn Kruse’s 10 kills on 17-22 hitting. She also went 9-10 serving with two aces and nine digs from the middle. Makayla Simpson had four kills and a couple blocks.  Elizabeth Griffin was 18-of-18 serving with six aces and 31 assists to lead HTC in that department. Olivia Bendlage had six kills and eight digs and Kate Pieper was 12-of-13 attacking with nine kills.
On Saturday, HTC traveled to Pella for a heavy tournament and went 2-3 with some of the top teams in the state. The match served as a good tune up for post-season action which starts Oct 21.

The girls fell to West Des Moines Valley currently ranked 12^th in Class 5A 21-17, 21-7, Class 3A No. 14 Knoxville 21-15, 12-21, 12-15 (tiebreaker), and then fell to Class 4A No. 12 Grinnell 19-21, 20-22. The Crusaders beat Washington 21-13, 21-9, and Pella 21-23, 21-11, 15-13.
Kruse  had 42 kills on 67-80 attacking with 29 digs on the day. Griffin was 42-of-44 serving with five aces and 27 digs. Bendlage had 39 kills and 45 digs. Pieper went 41-49 hitting with 17 kills and was a perfect 28-28 serving. Brynn Denning had 66 digs in the five matches.
The Crusaders are now 24-6 on the season and went 7-0 in SEISC South play. They travel to the annual Mediapolis tournament with Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Fort Madison, and Mediapolis Thursday before opening post-season play against either New London or Moravia on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at Shottenkirk Gym in Fort Madison.