Tigers Win Battle Between Ranked 3A Teams

Tipton’s bench celebrates after a THS point during the Tigers 3-0 match win over West Liberty last week. The Tigers bench has been a vital part of the Tigers team this year. Pictured here are, l-r: Allie Ryan, Madison O’Leary (8), Grace Nichols (11) and Karlee Kamberling (1). The Tigers will find out this week their postseason destination and if and how may home postseason matches they could have. Photo by Darren Miller. 

By Ryan Stonebraker
Sports Editor

TIPTON — The Tipton volleyball team has navigated the River Valley Conference season unscathed to this point.  Last Tuesday, the Tigers picked up their biggest win yet.  That is where the Tigers swept fellow 3A ranked RVC school West Liberty.  The Comets were ranked 10th while the Tigers were 5th at the time of the match.  The Tigers 3-0 win was their 5th RVC match win as they saw their record improve to 5-0 in the conference.

Tipton dominated the first set, 25-11 to take a 1-0 match lead.  The Tigers were ten points better than the Comets in their second set win, 25-15 to take a 2-0 match lead.  The Comets played their best in the third set, but Tipton claimed the set, 25-19 and the match 3-0.

It’s been a strange season for West Liberty.  The Comets lost 3-1 at Wilton on September 12 and two nights after losing to the Tigers, West Liberty was swept at Iowa City Regina.  West Liberty fell to 3-3 with the Tipton loss.  The Comets are 2-0 in RVC matches at home with wins over West Branch and Cascade.  The other West Liberty RVC match win was at Mid-Prairie.

Tipton had 92 attacks in the match and 42 kills.  Sommer Daniel had 17 kills followed by Kamryn Chapman with 9 and Blake Ehler with 7.  Amanda Smith had 19 assists and Sommer Daniel 15.  The Tigers had a season high 20 blocks in the match.  Smith, Jamie Kofron and Chapman each had 4.

The Tigers served 61-for-73 in the match with nine aces.  Daniel served 12-for-15 with two aces and Smith served 12-for-14 with two aces.  The Tigers had 37 digs.  Amanda Smith and Emily Hermsen each had 9 digs while Kofron had 6 and Daniel 5.

West Liberty only had 52 attacks and 16 kills in the match.  Brianna Morales had 8 kills to lead the Comets.  The next closest was three.  Morgan Peterson had 12 assists and Macy Akers had 10 digs for team highs.  West Liberty served 42-for-46 with 2 aces in the match.  Akers led the Comets in serving going 11-for-12 with an ace serve.

Tipton 3, West Liberty 0

Tuesday, September 26

At Tipton

Tipton Statistics:

Attacks (82-for-92 42 kills): Sommer Daniel 24-26 17 kills, Blake Ehler 19-24 7 kills, Kamryn Chapman 17-17 9 kills, Jamie Kofron 10-13 5 kills, Emily Hermsen 7-7 3 kills, Amanda Smith 5-5 1 kill.

Assists (37): Amanda Smith 19, Sommer Daniel 15, Blake Ehler 2, Emily Hermsen 1.

Blocks (20): Amanda Smith 4, Jamie Kofron 4, Kamryn Chapman 4, Sommer Daniel 3, Blake Ehler 3, Emily Hermsen.

Serving (61-for-73 9 aces): Sommer Daniel 12-for-15 2 aces, Amanda Smith 12-for-14 2 aces, Kamryn Chapman 11-for-12 4 aces, Emily Hermsen 11-for-12 1 ace, Jamie Kofron 10-for-12, Blake Ehler 5-for-8.

Digs (37): Amanda Smith 9, Emily Hermsen 9, Jamie Kofron 6, Sommer Daniel 5, Blake Ehler 5, Kamryn Chapman 2, Laken Hermiston1.

West Liberty Statistics:

Attacks (38-52 16 kills): Brianna Morales 20-22 8 kills, Martha Pace 6-9 3 kills, Madison McIntosh 3-8 1 kill, Averi Goodale 3-4, Hallie Mueller 2-4 1 kill, Breana Thurness 2-3 2 kills, Macy Akers 1-1 1 kill, Isabel Morrison 1-1.

Assists (17): Morgan Petersen 12, Maya Morales 5.

Blocks (1): Brianna Morales 1.

Serving (42-for-46 2 aces): Macy Akers 11-for-12 1 ace, Brianna Morales 8-for-8, Emma Martin 7-for-8, Maya Morales 7-for-7, Martha Pace 4-for-5, Morgan Peterson 3-for-4, Karsyn Ross 2-for-2.

Digs (25): Macy Akers 10, Emma Martin 5, Brianna Morales 3, Maya Morales 3, Martha Pace 2, Morgan Peterson 2.

Tigers survive Durant Upset Bid

DURANT — Carrying a top-5 ranking can be like carrying a target on your back, especially when you play a conference foe on the road.  The 5th ranked team in class 3A, Tipton, found that our last Thursday at Durant.  There, the Wildcats put a scare into the only unbeaten RVC school in conference play before falling 3-2 to the Tigers.  The win set the Tigers RVC record at 6-0 heading to the final week of the regular season.

Tipton's Jamie Kofron puts a kill over the net.

The Tigers won the first set, 25-23, but Durant won the second set, 25-15 to even the match at 1-1.  The Wildcats won the third set, 25-22 to take a 2-1 match lead.  Tipton responded, winning the fourth set 25-19 to force a deciding fifth set.  In the fifth set, the Tigers won 15-10 to claim the match.

Tipton had 165 attacks and 57 kills in the match led by Sommer Daniel with 23, Blake Ehler with 11 and Amanda Smith with 10.  Smith and Daniel each had 21 assists and Kamryn Chapman led four Tigers who combined for seven blocks with two.  Tipton didn’t have a great serving match, going 87-for-102 with four aces.  Jamie Kofron led Tipton in the match, serving 18-for-21 with an ace serve.  Smith led five Tigers with 10 or more digs with 18.

Durant had 130 attacks and 44 kills in the match led by Aubrin Dittmer and Kamryn Meyer who each had 12.  Ruby Kappeler had 33 assists and Hannah Happ had 25 digs to lead the Wildcats.  Durant served 87-for-101 with eight aces.  Meyer led Durant in serves, going 25-for-30 with three aces.

Tipton 3, Durant 2

Thursday, September 28

At Durant

Tipton Statistics:

Attacks (141-165 57 kills): Sommer Daniel 51-59 23 kills, Blake Ehler 37-43 11 kills, Amanda Smith 20-25 10 kills, Kamryn Chapman 16-17 8 kills, Jamie Kofron 9-12 3 kills, Emily Hermsen 8-8 2 kills, Bailey Schmidt 0-1.

Assists (52): Amanda Smith 21, Sommer Daniel 21, Blake Ehler 5, Emily Hermsen 2, Kamryn Chapman 1, Laken Germiston 1, Jamie Kofron 1.

Blocks (7): Kamryn Chapman 2, Sommer Daniel 2, Jamie Kofron 2, Amanda Smith 1.

Serving (87-for-102 4 aces): Jamie Kofron 18-for-21 1 ace, Emily Hermsen 18-for-20 1 ace, Amanda Smith 17-for-19 2 aces, Blake Ehler 13-for-16, Sommer Daniel 13-for-16, Kamryn Chapman 8-for-10.

Digs (79): Amanda Smith 18, Emily Hermsen 13, Sommer Daniel 13, Blake Ehler 11, Jamie Kofron 11, Laken Hermiston 9, Kamryn Chapman 4.

Durant Statistics:

Attacks (114-130 44 kills): Aubrin Dittmer 34-38 12 kills, Kamryn Meyer 33-38 12 kills, Ruby Kappeler 15-15 2 kills, Mallory Warner 13-15 6 kills, Annie Taylor 8-10 8 kills, Kira Schult 8-10 3 kills, Hannah Happ 3-3 1 kill, Paige Werthmann 1-1.

Assists (34): Ruby Kappeler 33, Kamryn Meyer 1.

Blocks (8): Annie Taylor 3, Kamryn Meyer 2, Kira Schult 1, Mallory Warner 1.

Serving (87-for-101 8 aces): Kamryn Meyer 25-for-30 3 aces, Hannah Happ 13-for-16 1 ace, Aubrin Dittmer 15-for-15 1 ace, Ruby Kappeler 11-for-15 2 aces, Sierra Gregoire 10-for-11 1 ace, Mallory Warner 9-for-10, 4-for-4.

Digs (74): Hannah Happ 25, Kamryn Meyer 15, Sierra Gregoire 12, Ruby Kappeler 11, Aubrin Dittmer 9, Annie Taylor 1, Mallory Warner 1.