The West Liberty High School volleyball team continued their dominant run through the regular season this week, going 5-0, featuring wins over Mid-Prairie on Senior night, Grandview Christian, Montezuma, Centerville and Williamsburg.
The victories add up to a 14-0 record to date for the Comets, who are ranked seventh in Class 3A according to the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.
In their home opener Thursday night against Mid-Prairie, the Comets honored their seniors prior to varsity volleyball action. Following festivities, the Comets wasted no time getting down to business, winning the first and second sets by identical 25-13 scores.
West Liberty put senior night to bed in the third set, taking the match with a 25-11 victory to stay perfect on the night. The difference in the game for the Comets came at the service line, led by sophomore setter Brooklyn Buysse, who went a perfect 16 of 16, while the team served up 69 of 73 including seven aces. Senior Martha Pace led the team in kills with 15. Junior Macy Daufeldt recorded the teams' sole block.
On Saturday, the Comets got back on the road again, this time to Williamsburg for a five-team tournament. Grandview Christian, which posed the biggest threat to the Comets perfect record on the weekend, was the opening opponent and they proved they could play with West Liberty.
Following a 25-10 Comet victory in the opening set, the Thunder would push the Comets to the limit before the Comets would emerge victorious, 25-20.
Buysse once again dominated from the service line for the Comets, serving 14 without fault while she would also add 29 assists.
Daufeldt led in kills for the team in the match, recording 12, while Monica Morales led the offensive charge for the Comets, collecting 11 digs.
Next in line was Montezuma, who also failed to handle the talented Comets, West Liberty winning the opening set 25-9 and then closing the match with a 25-11 win.
Buysse remained perfect on the day with a 19 of 19 serving show that included five aces while scoring 17 assists. Pace led the Comets with 10 kills while Isabel Morrison and Daufeldt each recorded a block. Daufeldt also collected 12 digs.
In the next battle against Centerville, the Comets wasted no time putting away the opponents with victories of 25-14 and 25-13.
Pace led the Comets from the service line, going 13 of 15 with five aces, while she also notched 10 kills and 11 digs. Buysse added 24 assists to her season total and Daufeldt recorded a pair of blocks.
The final match of the day against Williamsburg, a team the Comets have battled this year, proved to be no contest again as West Liberty swept the tournament slate to take the crown .
The Comets would make quick work of the Raiders, winning in straight sets, 25-15 and 25-16, to take home the top hardware as tournament champions for the third time in the young season.
Pace shined from the service line once again, going a perfect 10 of 10. Daufeldt notched 13 kills in the match and Morales recorded 16 digs. Buysse also recorded 28 assists and a block in their comets curtain call.
The Comets improved to 14-0 on the season and will continue their season Thursday, Sept. 17, in Camanche in River Valley Conference play for their lone match of the week. The Comets visit West Branch on Tuesday, Sept. 22 before hosting Iowa City Regina in a rivalry tilt on Thursday, Sept. 24.
