Win at Beckman gives Panthers control of division
The highlight of a hectic week of volleyball, and maybe of the Monticello Panthers’ season so far, happened Sept. 20 in Dyersville.
There, the Panthers defeated perennial powerhouse Dyersville Beckman 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19.
The win was significant for the Panthers, putting them in the driver’s seat as the only undefeated team left in the River Valley Conference North Division.
Express records show that it was the first time since 1988 that a Monticello volleyball team had defeated the Trailblazers.
“The girls believed they could beat them, and played hard to make it happen,” Monticello coach Stacie Breitbach said. “We served aggressively, and that kept them out of their system quite a bit. We also continued to put pressure on them by attacking, pushing and tipping the ball aggressively.”
It was a big night for sophomore Jayden Kuper, who recorded 25 kills, and setter Mia Jaeger, who had 45 assists.
“Mia has grown as a setter,” Breitbach said. “She worked extremely hard in the offseason and it shows in her play.
“Jayden works hard and is a really explosive player, which makes her hard for the other team to defend. She has poise and determination beyond her years of playing.”
Keziah McQuillen had 10 kills and 15 of the team’s 80 digs. Kuper had 14 digs, Jaeger had 12, Jordan Fangmann had 11 and Lanie Luensman had nine. The team also made 11 blocks; including five each from Lacie Koppes and Kuper.
Monticello led for most of the first set, with leads ranging from 7-5 to as much as six points at 18-12. Beckman pulled back to within two at 22-20, but the Panthers scored twice, gave up a point, and won on a Blazer service error.
The Panthers also held a six-point lead in the second set, 14-8, but Beckman outscored Monti 17-8 the rest of the way to win the set and tie the match 1-1.
As has happened often this season, the third set proved key for Monticello. The teams were tied 22-22, but the Panthers scored three of the final four points on a Beckman error, a kill by Kuper and a tip by Kuper that ended it.
“At the beginning of the season when setting goals, the girls said they wanted to win the (division), and to do that we had to beat Beckman,” the coach said. “The players deserve all the credit.”
Similarly, the Blazers gave Monticello a battle in the fourth set. The teams were tied 9-9 and 14-14 before the Panthers inched away to a 22-19 lead. Three consecutive kills by Kuper then clinched the match for Monticello.
Camanche match
The Panthers didn’t let that momentum fade in a home match against Camanche Sept. 22, winning 25-7, 25-13, 25-16.
Big early leads led to wins in the first two sets; the Panthers led 12-4 and 19-6 in the first set; 15-2 and 22-8 in the second.
The third set was closer; after trailing by 11 Camanche pulled to within five at 20-15, but Monticello scored five of the last six points to close out the match.
Fifteen Panthers saw action on the court in the match.
“This team is super close and everyone cheers for whoever is on the court,” Breitbach said. “We controlled the ball on our side of the court and ran a quicker offense.”
Home tourney
Things didn’t go as well for the Panthers in their annual home tournament Sept. 24, during which they finished third of four teams.
Monticello went 1-2 in pool play, lost a semifinal match to Union of LaPorte City, and defeated Maquoketa in the consolation match.
“We just didn’t play as a team,” Breitbach said. “We didn’t communicate or play well together.”
The Panthers opened pool play with a 13-21, 15-21 loss to Union. McQuillen had eight assists.
Monticello bounced back with a 21-12,21-13 win over Maquoketa, as Jayden Kuper had nine kills and Madison Butterworth had six.
MHS then lost to Center Point-Urbana 9-21, 18-21 despite 10 digs by Kuper, eight digs by Jordan Fangmann and 10 assists by Jaeger.
In the semifinals, the Panthers lost a close one in a rematch with Union, 26-28, 23-25. Kuper had 14 kills, Jaeger made 21 assists, and McQuillen had 14 digs. Luensman served 10-for-10.
“We were right there,” Breitbach said.
The Panthers then beat Maquoketa again, this time in the consolation match, 25-18, 25-17. Kuper had eight kills, McQuillen had eight digs. And Luensman had seven digs.
Sept. 20
(at Dyersville)
Monticello 3, Dy. Beckman 1
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 2 0 12 0
Jayden Kuper 25 5 14 1
Keziah McQuillen 10 0 15 1
Lanie Luensman 0 0 9 1
Abby Sharlow 4 1 4 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 0 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 11 1
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 5 0
Lacie Koppes 5 5 5 0
Totals 55 11 80 4
Assists – Jaeger 45, Kuper 3, Luensman 2,
McQuillen 1.
Serving leaders – Luensman 19-19,
Jaeger 10-10, Aitchison 23-24.
Set scores
Monticello 25 22 25 25
Dy. Beckman 21 25 23 19
Sept. 22
(at Monticello)
Monticello 3, Camanche 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 6 0 4 1
Jayden Kuper 14 2 4 2
Keziah McQuillen 2 0 5 3
Madison Butterworth 3 1 2 0
Lanie Luensman 0 0 5 2
Abby Sharlow 4 1 1 0
Bella Mullen 1 0 1 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 4 1
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 1 4
Lacie Koppes 3 0 2 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 4 0
Aleasha Schilling 0 0 2 0
Gabi Barnhart 1 0 1 0
Olivia Zimmerman 0 0 2 0
Reagan Schneiter 1 0 1 0
Totals 35 4 39 13
Assists – Jaeger 25, Kuper 2, Fangmann 2,
Luensman 1, McQuillen 1, Sharlow 1.
Serving leaders – Kuper 11-11,
Kromminga 5-5, Aitchison 14-15.
Set scores
Camanche 7 13 16
Monticello 25 25 25
Sept. 17
Monticello Inv.
Pool play, match 1
Union 2, Monticello 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 3 0 3 0
Jayden Kuper 5 0 3 0
Keziah McQuillen 0 0 8 1
Madison Butterworth 1 0 0 0
Lanie Luensman 0 0 1 0
Abby Sharlow 2 0 1 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 2 0
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 4 0
Lacie Koppes 2 0 2 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 1 0
Totals 13 0 25 1
Assists – Jaeger 8, Luensman 1,
Kromminga 1, McQuillen 1, Aitchison 1.
Serving leader – Luensman 9-9.
Set scores
Union 21 21
Monticello 13 15
Pool play, match 2
Monticello 2, Maquoketa 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 2 3 2 0
Jayden Kuper 9 5 5 0
Keziah McQuillen 2 0 7 0
Madison Butterworth 6 0 0 0
Lanie Luensman 0 0 7 0
Abby Sharlow 3 0 1 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 1 0
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 7 0
Lacie Koppes 2 0 1 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 0 0
Totals 24 8 31 0
Assists – Jaeger 19, Luensman 1, Kuper 1.
Serving leader – Aitchison 5-5.
Set scores
Maquoketa 12 13
Monticello 21 21
Pool play, match 3
Center Pt.-Urbana 2, Monti 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 0 0 6 0
Jayden Kuper 7 0 10 1
Keziah McQuillen 3 1 4 0
Madison Butterworth 0 0 3 0
Lanie Luensman 0 0 3 0
Abby Sharlow 1 1 1 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 8 0
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 3 1
Lacie Koppes 3 0 5 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 1 0
Totals 14 2 44 2
Assists – Jaeger 10, Butterworth 1,
McQuillen 1,
Serving leader – Kuper 7-7.
Set scores
Ctr. Pt.-Urbana 21 21
Monticello 9 18
Bracket play, semifinal
Union 2, Monticello 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 0 1 5 0
Jayden Kuper 14 3 7 0
Keziah McQuillen 3 0 14 0
Madison Butterworth 4 2 2 0
Lanie Luensman 0 0 5 1
Abby Sharlow 3 1 3 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 4 2
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 6 0
Lacie Koppes 0 0 2 0
Gabi Barnhart 0 0 0 0
Totals 24 7 48 3
Assists – Jaeger 21, Luensman 1.
Serving leaders – Luensman 10-10,
Aitchison 7-7, Fangmann 12-13.
Set scores
Union 28 25
Monticello 26 23
Bracket play, consolation
Monticello 2, Maquoketa 0
MONTICELLO Kl Bl Dg Ac
Mia Jaeger 2 1 2 0
Jayden Kuper 8 6 3 1
Keziah McQuillen 4 0 8 0
Madison Butterworth 2 0 1 0
Lanie Luensman 0 0 7 1
Abby Sharlow 2 1 1 0
Jordan Fangmann 0 0 4 0
Jaelyn Aitchison 0 0 3 0
Lacie Koppes 4 1 1 0
Madilynn Kromminga 0 0 0 1
Bella Mullen 0 0 0 0
Olivia Zimmerman 0 0 0 0
Aleasha Schilling 0 1 0 0
Reagan Schneiter 0 0 0 0
Totals 22 10 30 3
Assists – Jaeger 16, Kuper 1, Aitchison 1,
Fangmann 1.
Serving leaders – Aitchison 6-6,
Luensman 12-13, Kromminga 8-9.
Set scores
Maquoketa 18 17
Monticello 25 25