Matt Coss

Your Prep Sports

DAVENPORT – When Brynn Deike stepped into the starting lineup for Solon High School three seasons ago, the Spartans were in rebuilding mode with consecutive sub-.500 seasons.

And while Solon ultimately fell short of its goal Tuesday night, Deike knows the volleyball program is trending up as she graduates next spring.

“I’m so beyond happy that I can leave knowing that I’m leaving this program in good hands,” the setter said after 13th-ranked Solon suffered a 25-19, 25-18, 25-23 setback to Class 3A defending state champion and fourth-ranked Davenport Assumption in a regional championship at Assumption High School.

“We’ve got seniors next year that are going to step into that leadership role and definitely fulfill it. It feels really good knowing they have it.”

Solon (22-15) lost in the regional final for the second consecutive year, but Deike is the lone senior on the roster.

The Spartans return everyone else from a team which accumulated five wins against state-ranked foes, including victories over 3A state qualifier Center Point-Urbana and 4A state qualifier Cedar Rapids Xavier.

“Third time’s a charm,” Solon coach Mikayla Siddell said. “Next year, we want to see the state tournament. This program has been rebuilding, a new staff, my second year and things are different.”

“We’re all trying to figure out what our groove is and I really feel this year was a turning point for us. We found that groove. Now, we have to perfect it the best way we can this offseason so we can have a great year next year. We have a lot of starters and a great group of girls back.”

Assumption (27-7) was a little too much for Solon for the third time this season.

After the Knights beat the Spartans in best-of-three matches at weekend tournaments at Clinton and Center Point-Urbana, they rode their hitting trio of Maggie Johnson, Ellah Derrer and Dru Dorsey to their sixth consecutive state tournament appearance.

Assumption plays Des Moines Christian at noon next Tuesday in a state quarterfinal at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Johnson, on her 18th birthday, collected a match-high 13 kills.

The 6-foot-4 Derrer and Dorsey had a dozen and 10 kills, respectively. Junior setter Ellie Schubert distributed 37 assists.

“It has been an adjustment this year and we saw that early in the season,” Johnson said. “We faced adversity early in the season, but that helped us grow and learn from mistakes in the past.

“We play in such a competitive (Mississippi Athletic Conference) and we’re always seeing a lot of competition early in the season, so we’re not afraid of anything when it comes to regional and state time.”

Solon had flashes of brilliance but never could establish the consistency needed for an upset victory.

When the passing was on, the hitting was off. When the hitting was on, its serve receive struggled.

“We weren’t clicking on all cylinders tonight, and that’s OK,” Siddell said. “(Assumption) is a great team, has good chemistry and knows how to take care of the ball. Sometimes when we play a team of that caliber, it can be intimidating a little bit.”

A 9-2 flurry aided Assumption in the opening set. Solon whittled a 18-9 deficit to three but could draw no closer.

Behind a team-high 10 kills from Yasmine Sell, the Spartans built a 13-10 lead in the second set. They couldn’t maintain it as Assumption scored the next seven points and 15 of the ensuing 20 to take a two-set advantage.

“We were playing our hearts out, but we were still kind of playing it safe,” Sell said. “We should have just kept going for it.

“We told each other in the beginning of the match, whether this is our last (match) or not, we’re going to play for each other and leave it all out here.”

Solon could have wilted after digging an 11-3 hole in the third set, but Siddell’s club responded and was nearly on the doorstep of forcing a fourth set.

The Spartans ran off five consecutive points at one point to get within 17-16. Aly Stahle and Jozie Lahr kills gave Solon a 23-21 lead.

“Playing Solon before, we knew they were going to get its runs,” Johnson said. “They’re a great serving team, great passing team. We knew tonight was going to be a lot of back and forth, but we were ready for it.

“We weren’t afraid when we got down.”

Assumption answered with the final four points.

Derrer’s final attack landed just inside the back line to close the match.

“At the end of the match, there are so many points you can look back on, we could have done this better or what if this happened,” said Deike, who had 28 assists. “At the end of the day, you can’t look at the negative. You have to look at the positive, and where this team started and where we ended this season.

“We started the season not really knowing how to communicate or talk, but you saw on the court tonight that communication and how much the team relies on each other and how we build on each other’s energy.”

Grace Erwin and Lahr each had a half-dozen kills for the Spartans.

Deike tried to hold back the tears afterward as she received hugs from teammates, family and friends.

“It has been an honor,” she said. “There is nothing better than putting on the Solon jersey and playing with your friends.”

Her teammates already were peeking ahead at the possibilities next season, 10 years removed from the school’s last state tournament trip.

“This definitely motivates us for next year,” Sell said. “We’re already saying next year we got it. We just need to believe in ourselves that we can get to state.”

Solon                          19   18   23 

Assumption               25   25   25

Solon (Kills-aces-blocks)

Grace Erwin 6-0-2, Jozie Lahr 6-0-2, Aly Stahle 4-1-0, Yasmine Sell 10-2-2, Addie Miller 4-0-1, Gable Knight 2-0-0. Totals 32-3-7.

Assists – Brynn Deike 28.

Assumption (Kills-aces-blocks)

Dru Dorsey 10-4-0, Ellie Schubert 0-1-0, Maggie Johnson 13-0-1, Elizabeth Snyder 0-1-0, Ellah Derrer 12-0-1, Kathryn Snyder 4-0-2, Erin Robbins 4-0-1. Totals 43-6-5.

Assists – Ellie Schubert 37.

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