Central volleyball team rolls to win over Simpson

PELLA – A balanced offensive approach guided the Central College volleyball team to a 25-23, 26-24, 25-17 win against Simpson College Wednesday night.

The Dutch (16-6, 3-1 American Rivers Conference) had 41 kills as a team and five different players with at least six.

Paige Sexton (sophomore, Sheridan, Ill., Serena HS) and Kaitlyn Mumm (sophomore, Waukee, Des Moines Christian HS) had led the team with eight kills apiece. Gracie Pierson (senior, Lake City, Minn.) and Landry Pacha (sophomore, Wellman, Mid-Prairie HS) each had seven while Kaitlyn Koel (freshman, Sioux Falls, S.D., Lincoln HS) had six.

“We said we needed to be balanced in order to win,” coach Jeanne Czipri said. “That was an exceptionally balanced offense.”

Setters Makayla Ribble (junior, Iowa City) and Avery Rexroat (junior, Macomb, Ill.) had 18 and 17 assists, respectively.

“I’m really happy with our setters putting our hitters in good situations,” Czipri said. ”

Libero Colleen Kenney (junior, Taylor Ridge, Ill., Rock Island, Alleman HS) had 16 digs. Mumm led the team with three blocks and two service aces.

Central had 75 total serve attempts with seven total aces and 12 service errors.

“We took them out of system with our strong serving,” Czpri said. “The statistics don’t necessarily show that but I’m really proud of the courage and aggressiveness our servers had today.”

The Dutch have the weekend off before making the trip to Lincoln, Nebraska to face Nebraska Wesleyan University next Wednesday at 6 p.m.