WPU Shut Out at Waldorf Tourney
William Penn University Athletics
Forest City–The Statesmen volleyball program was denied a pleasant Labor Day weekend on the court as it finished 0-4 at the Country Inn & Suites Invitational hosted by Waldorf Friday and Saturday.
William Penn (1-8) opened the weekend Friday with a 3-1 setback to Sterling (21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 17-25) and then was swept by host Waldorf later that night (14-25, 22-25, 13-25).
On Saturday, the navy and gold were again swept by Central Methodist (Mo.) (18-25, 14-25, 14-25) and Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) (22-25, 17-25, 21-25).
Sterling 3, WPU 1
William Penn hit .152 to win the second set, but could not do enough in the other rounds to pick up the victory.
Savanna Hartman (Sr., Morgan Hill, Calif., Psychology) paced her team with 10 kills, while Shawni Wills (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Biology) added nine. Claire Simmons (So., Williamsburg, Iowa, Psychology) had seven and Nesreen Iskandrani (Fr., Lawrence, Kan., History/Government) finished with six as well.
Kathleen Steffen (So., Vinton, Iowa, Biology) assisted on 20 points and Haley Smith (So., Adrian, Mich., Elementary Education) did so 14 times.
Brittany Weikel (Sr., Remsen, Iowa, Undecided), Ashley Miller (So., Kalona, Iowa, Exercise Science), and Simmons all served up three aces.
Defensively, Miller also tallied 28 digs, while three players had a part of two blocks each.
Waldorf 3, WPU 0
Simmons (14 kills) and Hartman (11) both made it to double figures, while Smith (14) edged Steffen (11) in assists in the two-setter lineup.
Steffen also posted two aces and Miller posted 15 digs. The Statesmen hit .167 overall, including a .314 mark in the opening set. Unfortunately, the Warriors hit .350 in the matchup.
Central Methodist 3, WPU 0
Wills recorded a squad-best 10 kills, while Steffen produced 10 assists and two aces. Haley Vampran (So., Fort Worth, Texas, Exercise Science) matched Steffen with two aces. Miller’s 21 digs were a WPU high.
Cardinal Stritch 3, WPU 0
Hartman’s six kills, Steffen’s 12 assists, and Miller’s 17 digs were all team highs in the setback. Smith also tallied 11 assists and Vampran came up with 14 digs.
The loss featured William Penn’s top defensive effort of the weekend with 12 block assists, highlighted by four from Simmons and Nicole Harrison (Sr., San Diego, Calif., Biology).
“We did some things right, but we obviously struggled with other items,” Head Coach Jennifer Carlson said. “When we get to the point of putting everything together on a consistent basis, we should be getting the results we have been working for.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Omaha, Neb. next weekend to compete in the Saint Mary Tournament. On Friday, the Statesmen play Mayville State (N.D.) at 2:30 p.m. and Grace (Neb.) at 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, WPU faces Dakota State (S.D.) at 12:30 p.m. and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at 8:30 p.m.
