Milestone week: Four Panthers reach significant totals as team wins twice
Mya Hansen (holding sign) reached the 500-assist milestone in Monticello’s win over Northeast Sept. 26. Pictured are, first row from left: Abby Sharlow, Madilynn Kromminga, Keziah McQuillen, Mya Hansen, Lacie Koppes, Jayden Kuper and Kendra Jacobs. Second row: Addi Norton, Kennedy Hermsen, Koye Jaeger, Hailey Henderson, Kinzi Schlarmann, Raegan LaGrange, Hannah Butterworth, Jordan Fangmann, Gabi Barnhart and Ava Zimmerman. (Photo by Pete Temple)
Panther players reached three additional milestones in the Sept. 28 match at Maquoketa. From left are Keziah McQuillen, 1,000 digs; Jordan Fangmann, 500 digs; and Jayden Kuper, 1,000 kills. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Breitbach)

Almost as significant as the Monticello volleyball team’s sweep of two River Valley Conference opponents last week were the milestones achieved by four of its players.
In the space of three days, these Panthers reached these career totals:
• Jayden Kuper, 1,000 kills.
• Keziah McQuillen, 1,000 digs.
• Jordan Fangmann, 500 digs.
• Mya Hansen, 500 assists.
“It was so great to have so many of our starters achieve these special milestones,” Monticello coach Andrea Bone said. “Not only did we have two offensive milestones, but two defensive milestones as well. In volleyball, you can’t have one without the other, so it’s great for Jordan and Keziah to put up great passes for Mya, and then for Mya to get the ball to Jayden for attacks.
“It just shows how important all those girls are to the success of our team.”
Meanwhile, Monticello swept both Northeast of Goose Lake and Maquoketa, the first match at home on Senior Night and the last one away.
The Panthers defeated Northeast 25-21, 25-15, 25-10 Sept. 26.
“The team chemistry is in a really good place, and they are all working together for the success of the team,” coach Bone said.
Monticello didn’t get its first lead in the opening set until the score was 10-9, but from there the Panthers opened it up to lead by as many as nine, at 23-14 following an ace by Jordan Fangmann.
The Rebels trimmed the margin at the end, scoring seven of the last nine points and getting as close as 24-21, but served the ball out of bounds to give Monticello the clinching point.
The Panthers gradually pulled away in the second set, with leads of 7-3, 11-5 and 19-11 before closing out a 10-point win on a tip by Hansen and a kill by Keziah McQuillen.
In the final set, Monticello sprinted to leads of 15-7 and 21-9 before winning by 15. A kill by Hannah Butterworth provided the clinching point.
The Panthers amassed 36 kills in the match, led by Jayden Kuper, who had 17. McQuillen had 22 digs, and Kuper had 12. Fangmann served three aces.
On Sept. 28, the Panthers traveled to Maquoketa and won in three sets, 25-10, 25-14, 25-13.
“The girls played really strong all the way through, which was great to see and will be important for post-season matches,” the coach said. “Our defense was sharp and our offense was quick.”
Statistics for the Maquoketa match were unavailable at press time.
The Panthers came out of the week tied with Anamosa for second place in the River Valley’s North Division, one match behind Dyersville Beckman.
Anamosa and Beckman meet Oct. 5; if Anamosa were to win, the Panthers would finish in a three-way tie for the division title.
Sept. 26
(at Monticello)
Monticello 3, Northeast 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mya Hansen 2 0 4 2
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 8 3
Jayden Kuper 17 1 12 0
Keziah McQuillen 6 1 22 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 6 2
Lacie Koppes 3 2 2 0
Abby Sharlow 5 2 1 0
Hannah Butterworth 3 1 1 0
Raegan LaGrange 0 0 0 0
Gabi Barnhart 0 0 0 0
Kinzi Schlarmann 0 0 3 0
Kendra Jacobs 0 0 0 0
Totals 36 7 59 7
Assists – Hansen 30, Fangmann 2,
Butterworth 1.
Serving leaders – McQuillen 12-12,
Fangmann 11-11, Kuper 8-8.
Set scores
Northeast 21 15 10
Monticello 25 25 25
Sept. 28
(at Maquoketa)
Monticello 3, Maquoketa 0
Set scores
Monticello 25 25 25
Maquoketa 10 14 13