Sports Editor
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| Tipton senior Amanda Smith is closing in on 2,000-career assists. Photo by Darren Miller. |
It’s been a special few years for the Tipton volleyball team. The team has sent the program to new heights with high state rankings in the IGHSAU polls, and the schools first ever state tournament bid in 2017. Along the way, individuals have shined brightly, yet fit in the puzzle that has made up the Tigers team the past seasons. Recently, an individual reached a milestone. Junior Sommer Daniel recorded career assist 1,000. She joins teammate, senior Amanda Smith in accomplishing the feat. Smith reached career assist he sophomore season. The two Tiger players are the first teammates to each reached career assist No. 1,000 and be on the same team, in River Valley Conference history.
“I say we have two of the best setters in the state,” said Tipton head volleyball coach Amy Calonder.
“I feel they are All-State caliber players. I see them though as Sommer and Amanda though. They just do their job. They put the ball where it needs to go, and they do it very well,” said Calonder.
Both were Elite All-River Valley Conference picks last year. Both are three-time All-RVC picks in their careers going into this season.
“Amanda is quick, has good hands and is tall. She ran a 5-1 her freshman year and then Sommer came in and we changed to a 6-2 because Amanda can hit,” said Calonder.
“When you watch Sommer play, she is really looking at what is happening on the other side to determine what will happen on our side on the serve receive so she can get into position. She has very good court awareness,” said Calonder.
The two Tiger setters have helped the Tigers get off to a 22-2 start this season. Tipton has been ranked No. 2 in every Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Class 3A poll this season. The Tigers enter the final weeks of the regular season, chasing a perfect RVC regular season and are 6-0 with two matches left.
Smith Closing In On 2,000-assists
Tipton senior Amanda Smith is closing in on the career assist No. 2,000. Coming into this week’s matches, Smith needs 129 more assists to become the third setter in River Valley Conference history to attain the milestone. For all of the matches played, she still remembers her first match as a freshman.
“I remember my first game. I was overwhelmed with nerves. It was a lot to come in as a new player and on top of that to set. Then, we were playing right away as a freshman, it was a lot,” said Smith.
Getting used to the bigger crowd was different, as well as a new atmosphere, but Smith excelled that first year, getting 616 assists and finishing fourth in that total in the RVC as a freshman.
Like many on the THS roster, volleyball came early to Smith, who started playing in third grade.
“I liked it (volleyball). I liked being on the team and being with my teammates,” she said.
Smith started setting in fifth grade, loved it and it has stuck since.
Smith noted that setting is a great position to play.
“You get to touch the ball every play and that is a plus. You help control the pace and tempo and you have a say in what happens with plays. You also have to know what is happening on both sides of the net. I really like that too, I feel really involved when I am setting,” said Smith.
Smith topped the 1,000-assist mark in her sophomore season and is the THS record holder for most assists in a season and most sets for an individual match at 48, set in 2015.
“I say we have two of the best setters in the state,” said Tipton head volleyball coach Amy Calonder.
“I feel they are All-State caliber players. I see them though as Sommer and Amanda though. They just do their job. They put the ball where it needs to go, and they do it very well,” said Calonder.
Both were Elite All-River Valley Conference picks last year. Both are three-time All-RVC picks in their careers going into this season.
“Amanda is quick, has good hands and is tall. She ran a 5-1 her freshman year and then Sommer came in and we changed to a 6-2 because Amanda can hit,” said Calonder.
“When you watch Sommer play, she is really looking at what is happening on the other side to determine what will happen on our side on the serve receive so she can get into position. She has very good court awareness,” said Calonder.
The two Tiger setters have helped the Tigers get off to a 22-2 start this season. Tipton has been ranked No. 2 in every Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Class 3A poll this season. The Tigers enter the final weeks of the regular season, chasing a perfect RVC regular season and are 6-0 with two matches left.
Smith Closing In On 2,000-assists
Tipton senior Amanda Smith is closing in on the career assist No. 2,000. Coming into this week’s matches, Smith needs 129 more assists to become the third setter in River Valley Conference history to attain the milestone. For all of the matches played, she still remembers her first match as a freshman.
“I remember my first game. I was overwhelmed with nerves. It was a lot to come in as a new player and on top of that to set. Then, we were playing right away as a freshman, it was a lot,” said Smith.
Getting used to the bigger crowd was different, as well as a new atmosphere, but Smith excelled that first year, getting 616 assists and finishing fourth in that total in the RVC as a freshman.
Like many on the THS roster, volleyball came early to Smith, who started playing in third grade.
“I liked it (volleyball). I liked being on the team and being with my teammates,” she said.
Smith started setting in fifth grade, loved it and it has stuck since.
Smith noted that setting is a great position to play.
“You get to touch the ball every play and that is a plus. You help control the pace and tempo and you have a say in what happens with plays. You also have to know what is happening on both sides of the net. I really like that too, I feel really involved when I am setting,” said Smith.
Smith topped the 1,000-assist mark in her sophomore season and is the THS record holder for most assists in a season and most sets for an individual match at 48, set in 2015.
“I really am thankful for my teammates. I couldn’t have done it without them. I can’t get 1,000 assists without our hitters. I can’t get 1,000 assists without our passers to get me the ball to set. It’s really a team effort. I couldn’t, or can’t do it myself on the court,” she said.
Smith hopes to continue playing after her time at THS. She is currently looking at schools where she could play volleyball at, but nothing has been finalized.
Daniel could become 1,000-1,000-1,000 player for THS
Tipton junior Sommer Daniel when all is said and done, be a 1,000-1,000-1,000 player for THS. Daniel reached the 1,000-assist mark recently and is quickly closing in on 1,000 career kills, having over 950 to date. She also has a chance to leave Tipton with 1,000 digs.
Daniel’s family is rich with volleyball tradition.
“My aunt played in college and my mom played. My parents put me in every sport as a kid. I have known since age 10 I wanted to play volleyball in college,” she said. Daniel has verbally committed to play volleyball at the University of Utah out of the Pac-12 conference, a Division 1 program.
“I started setting early, and then I started hitting and now I play all-around. I like that setters are quarterbacks. I love that roll when I am on the floor,” said Daniel.
She credits her volleyball IQ to being a student of the game and having good coaches throughout her career so far.
“I really have had good coaches and it has really helped me understand what is going on when I am out there,” she said.
Daniel was a freshman in 2016 and came to a Tipton team coming off of a 21-13 season and high hopes. That season, both her and Smith helped the Tigers to the first of two 30-match win seasons and this year’s team is well on their way to a third straight 30-plus match win mark.
“Coming in as a freshman and being able to help out on the court was special. Not many freshmen get that chance. I came in having played a lot of club volleyball and on the court I felt comfortable, I just had to learn where the setters wanted the ball at,” said Daniel. Daniel had 431 assists her first year.
Daniel is also an accomplished hitter. She holds the school record for most kills in a single season with 424, set in 2015.
Don’t Forget About Durant’s Ruby Kappeler
TIPTON — Of the River Valley Conference teams that have a returning setter, or a new setter that is a senior, Daniel and Smith are in the mix as the best ones in the RVC. Down the road, in Cedar County, one can not forget Durant senior Ruby Kappeler. Kappeler is having quite a career in her own right. Kappeler has 1,835 career assists going into RVC play this week. Her best season was last year, her junior season, with 683 assists. She has 320 this year to date. Kappeler has earned All-RVC honors each of the last two seasons.
There are only two other current RVC setters with over 1,000 assists going into action this week. They are seniors Hanna Nissen of Camanche and senior Riley Vaughan of West Branch. Both have been setting for only three years. Nissen has 1,417 assists and Vaughan 1,029 assists going into this week.
Tipton senior Amanda Smith sits at 1,871 career assists going into RVC play this week and has a shot at reaching 2,000 assists with a deep playoff run by the Tigers. Smith is 129 assists away with two weeks of the regular season left and possibly three postseason matches to reach that mark. She would have to average 10 assists over those matches to reach that mark.
Only two others in the history of the RVC have reached 2,000 career assists. 2017 Wilton graduate Kallie Poor is the career leader with 2,189 and Grace Swenning, a 2017 Iowa City Regina graduate is second with 2,140 assists.
Others over 1,000 career assists in past RVC seasons are Cascade’s Anna Hunt (‘16) - 1,901; North Cedar’s Emily Hay (‘16) - 1,716; West Branch Trystin Luneckas (‘15) - 1,500; and Monticello’s Madison Lamberg (‘17) - 1,467.
Smith and Daniel Setting Teammates Up
The Tiger setting dual of Smith and Daniel are setting up their teammates very well this season and through their careers. Current teammates, seniors Blake Ehler, Emily Hermsen, and Jamie Kofron and junior Kamryn Chapman all have over 200 career kills.
To date, Ehler sits at 810 kills with 141 this season. She has two seasons over 200 kills. Senior teammate Jamie Kofron is closing in on 500 career kills. She has 58 this season after having almost 120 each season before this year. Her high of 152 kills in a season came last year. Senior Emily Hermsen recently collected career kill No. 200. Hermsen has 43 this season and has had 48 or more kills each of the past two seasons. Also, junior Kamryn Chapman is near career kill No. 300. She has 112 this season after collecting 172 in her first varsity season last year as a sophomore.
Smith hopes to continue playing after her time at THS. She is currently looking at schools where she could play volleyball at, but nothing has been finalized.
Daniel could become 1,000-1,000-1,000 player for THS
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| Tipton junior Sommer Daniel sets up a teammate during the Tigers match at Monticello recently. Daniel has a chance to become a 1,000-dig, 1,000-kill and 1,000-assist player at Tipton. Photo By Pete Temple, Monticello Express. |
Tipton junior Sommer Daniel when all is said and done, be a 1,000-1,000-1,000 player for THS. Daniel reached the 1,000-assist mark recently and is quickly closing in on 1,000 career kills, having over 950 to date. She also has a chance to leave Tipton with 1,000 digs.
Daniel’s family is rich with volleyball tradition.
“My aunt played in college and my mom played. My parents put me in every sport as a kid. I have known since age 10 I wanted to play volleyball in college,” she said. Daniel has verbally committed to play volleyball at the University of Utah out of the Pac-12 conference, a Division 1 program.
“I started setting early, and then I started hitting and now I play all-around. I like that setters are quarterbacks. I love that roll when I am on the floor,” said Daniel.
She credits her volleyball IQ to being a student of the game and having good coaches throughout her career so far.
“I really have had good coaches and it has really helped me understand what is going on when I am out there,” she said.
Daniel was a freshman in 2016 and came to a Tipton team coming off of a 21-13 season and high hopes. That season, both her and Smith helped the Tigers to the first of two 30-match win seasons and this year’s team is well on their way to a third straight 30-plus match win mark.
“Coming in as a freshman and being able to help out on the court was special. Not many freshmen get that chance. I came in having played a lot of club volleyball and on the court I felt comfortable, I just had to learn where the setters wanted the ball at,” said Daniel. Daniel had 431 assists her first year.
Daniel is also an accomplished hitter. She holds the school record for most kills in a single season with 424, set in 2015.
Don’t Forget About Durant’s Ruby Kappeler
TIPTON — Of the River Valley Conference teams that have a returning setter, or a new setter that is a senior, Daniel and Smith are in the mix as the best ones in the RVC. Down the road, in Cedar County, one can not forget Durant senior Ruby Kappeler. Kappeler is having quite a career in her own right. Kappeler has 1,835 career assists going into RVC play this week. Her best season was last year, her junior season, with 683 assists. She has 320 this year to date. Kappeler has earned All-RVC honors each of the last two seasons.
There are only two other current RVC setters with over 1,000 assists going into action this week. They are seniors Hanna Nissen of Camanche and senior Riley Vaughan of West Branch. Both have been setting for only three years. Nissen has 1,417 assists and Vaughan 1,029 assists going into this week.
Tipton senior Amanda Smith sits at 1,871 career assists going into RVC play this week and has a shot at reaching 2,000 assists with a deep playoff run by the Tigers. Smith is 129 assists away with two weeks of the regular season left and possibly three postseason matches to reach that mark. She would have to average 10 assists over those matches to reach that mark.
Only two others in the history of the RVC have reached 2,000 career assists. 2017 Wilton graduate Kallie Poor is the career leader with 2,189 and Grace Swenning, a 2017 Iowa City Regina graduate is second with 2,140 assists.
Others over 1,000 career assists in past RVC seasons are Cascade’s Anna Hunt (‘16) - 1,901; North Cedar’s Emily Hay (‘16) - 1,716; West Branch Trystin Luneckas (‘15) - 1,500; and Monticello’s Madison Lamberg (‘17) - 1,467.
Smith and Daniel Setting Teammates Up
The Tiger setting dual of Smith and Daniel are setting up their teammates very well this season and through their careers. Current teammates, seniors Blake Ehler, Emily Hermsen, and Jamie Kofron and junior Kamryn Chapman all have over 200 career kills.
To date, Ehler sits at 810 kills with 141 this season. She has two seasons over 200 kills. Senior teammate Jamie Kofron is closing in on 500 career kills. She has 58 this season after having almost 120 each season before this year. Her high of 152 kills in a season came last year. Senior Emily Hermsen recently collected career kill No. 200. Hermsen has 43 this season and has had 48 or more kills each of the past two seasons. Also, junior Kamryn Chapman is near career kill No. 300. She has 112 this season after collecting 172 in her first varsity season last year as a sophomore.
Sports Editor’s Note: Pictured here, l-r: Tipton senior Blake Ehler, Tipton junior Kamryn Chapman, Tipton senior Emily Hermsen, and Tipton senior Jamie Kofron. Tipton senior setter Amanda Smith and junior setter Sommer Daniel have been setting up current teammates the past couple of seasons. Here are the totals of Tipton’s four top hitters, not named Smith or Daniel. Smith and/or Daniel, each accomplished hitters, have added to the already deep hitting depth on the Tigers roster that is rare for a River Valley Conference team. Ehler has over 800 kills, Kofron over 400, Chapman over 300, and Hermsen over 200. - RS.
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