Beavers Pick Up Two RVC Wins, Improve to 5-2 In RVC

Kali Milder, receives a serve during a recent match. The Beavers won two RVC matches last week to improve to 5-2. Milder collected career dig 1,000 recently. Photo by Norv Coblentz, West Liberty Index. 

By Ryan Stonebraker
Sports Editor

WILTON — The 12th ranked Wilton Beavers collected two River Valley Conference to improve to 5-2 with one conference match remaining.  The Beavers beat 14th ranked Bellevue in a top-15 matchup and then beat rival Durant last week.  The victories gave Wilton an overall  record of 21-4.

Wilton opened the week with a tough match against Durant, one that they won 3 sets to 1 and finished with a win over 14th ranked Bellevue.  The win over the ranked Comets was the third win over a ranked River Valley Conference foe.  Wilton holds wins over Camanche, West Liberty and now Bellevue.  The Beavers have lost to Tipton and Iowa City Regina when they were ranked.

Wilton won the first two sets against Durant by twin scores of 25-21 to take a 2-0 match lead.  Durant rallied to stave off the match ending by winning the third set 25-22 to cut the deficit to 2-1.  Wilton however, claimed the match with a fourth set, 25-19 win to claim the 3-1 win.

Wilton had 50 kills in 165 attacks in the match.  Aubrey Putman had a team high 20 in the match while Kortney Drake had 9 and Taylor Goldermann 8.  Kallie Poor had 55 assists 17 digs and served 16-for-18.  Lexi Maurer led in digs with 29 and had 5 kills along with a 15-for-16 nigh serving.  Drake led Wilton in serving in the match, going 21-for-23 with two aces.  Wilton served 77-for-83 with 4 aces in the match.  Wilton had nine blocks in the match with Drake leading the way with five.

Durant had 43 kills on 183 attacks.  Kamryn Meyer led with 19 and Aubrin Dittmer 10.  Ruby Kapeler led in assists with 35 and Hannah Happ led five players with double digit dig totals with 37.  Durant had 10 blocks in the match by four players with Annie Taylor having 4 to lead the way.  Durant served 77-for-87 with 6 aces.  Dittmer was 16-for-17 to lead the Wildcats in serving.

Also this past week, two players picked up two career milestones.  Senior back row player Kali Milder and junior all-around player Aubrey Putman each have reached career dig number 1,000.  That milestone is added to coach Brenda Grunder’s 500th career win total in what is turning into a special season for the Beavers.

Against the Comets, Wilton traveled to Bellevue where the Comets were 3-0 against River Valley Conference teams.  There, the Beavers fell behind early, dropping the first set 25-23.  Wilton tied the match at 1-1 with a 25-14 second set win and took a 2-1 match lead with a 25-10 third set win.  Bellevue rallied, and beat the Beavers 25-15 in the fourth set to tie the match at 2-2 and force a fifth set.  In the fifth set, Wilton claimed a 15-12 win to win the match 3-2.

Aubrey Putman led Wilton with 21 kills while Kortney Drake had 16 kills and Taylor Goldermann had 9.  Kallie Poor had 64 assists.  Drake had 21 digs while Kali Milder and Putman each had 20 digs.  Wilton served 96-for-103 as a team with 7 aces.  Milder led Wilton, going 29-for-31 with four aces.

Bellevue had 45 kills led by Rebecca Schroeder and Emma Kelchen with 14 kills each.  Schroeder had 20 assists and Brin Daughterty had 16 assists.  Giana Michels had a team best 18 digs.  Schroeder led in serving, going 18-for-19 with an ace serve.

Wilton 3, Bellevue 2

Thursday, September 28

At Bellevue

Wilton Statistics:

Attacks (104-130 59 kills): Aubrey Putman 32-43 21 kills, Kortney Drake 34-36 16 kills, Taylor Goldermann 16-21 9 kills, Lexi Maurer 10-12 5 kills, Kallie Poor 9-9 7 kills, Emily Lange 3-7 1 kills, Kali Milder 0-2.

Assists (67): Kallie Poor 64, Kali Milder 2, Kortney Drake 1.

Blocks (10): Taylor Goldermann 4, Emily Lange 3, Kortney Drake 3.

Serving (96-for-103 7 aces): Kali Milder 29-for-31 4 aces, Kortney Drake 19-for-19 2 aces, Aubrey Putman 14-for-17, Kallie Poor 14-for-14 1 ace, Taylor Goldermann 13-for-13, Lexi Maurer 7-for-9.

Digs (92): Kortney Drake 21, Kali Milder 20, Aubrey Putman 20, Kallie Poor 14, Lexi Maurer 13, Taylor Goldermann 3, Emily Lange 1.

Wilton 3, Durant 1

Tuesday, September 26

At Wilton

Wilton Statistics:

Attacks (138-165 50 kills): Aubrey Putman 44-55 20 kills, Kortney Drake 36-41 9 kills, Lexi Maurer 21-26 5 kills, Taylor Goldermann 20-24 8 kills, Emily Lange 13-15 5 kills, Kallie Poor 4-4 3 kills.

Assists (59): Kallie Poor 59, Emily Lange 2, Kortney Drake 1, Lexi Maurer 1.

Blocks (9): Kortney Drake 5, Emily Lange 3, Taylor Goldermann 1.

Serving (77-for-83 4 aces): Kortney Drake 21-for-23 2 aces, Kallie Poor 16-for-18, Taylor Goldermann 16-for-16 2 aces, Lexi Maurer 15-for-16, Aubrey Putman 9-for-10.

Digs (99): Lexi Maurer 29, Kortney Drake 26, Aubrey Putan 23, Kallie Poor 17, Taylor Goldermann 3, Emily Lange 1.

Durant Statistics:

Attacks (155-183 43 kills): Aubrin Dittmer 48-55 10 kills, Kamryn Meyer 45-53 19 kills, Annie Taylor 15-19 6 kills, Paige Werthmann 10-16 5 kills, Ruby Kappeler 14-15 1 kill, Mallory Warner 5-6 1 kill, Hannah Happ 5-5, Sierra Gregoire 2-2.

Assists (40): Ruby Kappeler 35, Hannah Happ 2, Kamryn Meyer 2, Paige Werthmann 1.

Blocks (10): Annie Taylor 4, Aubrin Dittmer 3, Kira Schult 2, Kamryn Meyer 1.

Serving (77-for-87 6 aces): Aubrin Dittmer 16-for-17, Kamryn Meyer 14-for-16, Sierra Gregoire 14-for-14 2 aces, Hannah Happ 13-for-14 1 ace, Ruby Kappeler 11-for-13 3 aces, Kira Schult 6-for-7, Mallory Warner 3-for-5, Paige Werthmann 0-for-1.

Digs (115): Hannah Happ 37, Sierra Gregoire 27, Ruby Kappeler 22, Kamryn Meyer 17, Aubrin Dittmer 10, Kira Schult 1, Annie Taylor 1.