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Volleyball: IM holds off Norway with 3-1 win

Iron Mountain’s Jacqui Rollins digs the ball against Norway on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018, in Norway, Mich. (Adam Niemi/Iron Mountain Daily News)

NORWAY — Iron Mountain pulled out a 3-1 win over Norway in a non-conference volleyball matchup Tuesday.

The Mountaineers took the first, third and fourth sets by scores of 25-19, 25-14 and 25-22. Norway won the second set 25-20.

“For both teams, most of the mistakes came on serves. Other than that, I thought our girls did a good job,” Iron Mountain head coach Jeanne Newberry said. “Rotation switched quite a bit tonight. Our communication still isn’t 100 percent. The girls need to do more communicating a little bit quicker. Norway had a run of short serves on us.”

Norway experienced a lull in the third set as the Mountaineers jumped out to a 19-8 lead. Iron Mountain quickly wrapped up the third set.

Iron Mountain’s lull came in the fourth set after holding a four-point lead. Norway battled within a couple points before tying at 19-all. Norway took a 21-19 lead and Iron Mountain called a timeout.

“Actually I took a timeout tonight just to take a timeout, because I had several girls on the floor that didn’t come off — just to get them a break,” Newberry said.

The Mountaineers shook off their sluggishness to tie the game and took the remaining points for the win.

Norway battled off and on throughout the night with missed blocks and hitting out of bounds.

“Mentally we’re a roller coaster ride. We go high and we go low,” Norway head coach Steve Andrews said. “We just need reps especially from the mental side to endure errors. That just happens with time — there’s no magic wand.”

Despite the heat lingering in the gym, Andrews said his team’s third-set lull stemmed from winning the second set.

“I think the lull in the third, that was mental, coming off of the big high of the second,” Andrews said. “There were some errors they couldn’t shake. If you’re dwelling on the last error you made, the next one’s coming. It’s just a domino effect. I give them credit. They could’ve tucked their tail and buried and they didn’t.”

Newberry said her team also struggled with errors during its lull in the fourth set.

“We started hitting wide, we started hitting in the net. We weren’t getting to it quick enough,” she said. “Even our blockers were getting to the net late, because they weren’t in position to block. We’re working on that. It’s still early in the season.”

Iron Mountain was led by Hanna Ellis’ team-high 20 assists. Jacqui Rollins led with 15 digs. Mackenzie Swanson had four blocks. Riley Poupore had 14 kills.

Iron Mountain JV won 2-1 (25-27, 25-6, 15-1). Alyssa Mendini served 28 for 28 with 12 aces in three sets. In the tiebreaking set, she served 13 straight points.

Iron Mountain hosts Calumet on Thursday. Norway plays in The Rock tournament this weekend in Gladstone.

Iron Mountain summary:

Jenna Santini — 2 digs

Jacqui Rollins — 2 aces, 15 digs, 5 kills

Mya Khor — 3 digs

Alex Lewis — 1 assist

Olyvea Galeazzi — 5 digs

MaKenna Dabb — 1 ace, 1 dig

Hanna Ellis — 1 ace, 1 block, 5 digs, 2 kills, 20 assists

Lauren Lesky — 3 digs

Mackenzie Swanson – 4 blocks, 3 digs, 9 kills, 1 assist

Reagan Lundholm — 2 digs

Riley Poupore — 1 ace, 14 digs, 14 kills, 1 assist

Emma Thomann — 1 ace, 3 blocks, 2 digs, 7 kills, 2 assists

Ella Fortner — 6 digs, 1 kills

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