Proving their Class 3A sixth ranked status, the West Liberty High School volleyball team extended their regular season unbeaten streak to 17 games following wins over rivals West Branch and Iowa City Regina this past week.
The Comets also extended their match winning streak to 32 consecutive sets without a loss.
The week opened with a trip across Interstate 80 to take on neighboring rival West Branch. Then ranked 11th in the state, the host Bears were on a three-match winning streak and making waves through class 2A before matching up against West Liberty.
The Comets handled the first set with ease, collecting the win 25-19 in the opening frame. The trend continued in the second set, jumping out to a 9-1 advantage early. West Liberty coasted through the second set, capturing the victory 25-11. Tuesday night ended with an exciting third set, the Comets falling behind in the middle of the set to trail 19-14.
Following a Comet timeout, the team stormed back to trail by just one point before forcing a West Branch timeout trailing 19-18. The two teams battled back and forth to close out the set, but the Comets emerged victors, 25-21.
Senior Martha Pace led the Comet offensive charge, recording 19 kills, 15 digs, three serving aces and a block on the evening. Junior Macy Daufeldt notched 19 kills on the night for the Comets while adding a pair of aces from the serving line and two blocks at the net. Brooklyn Buysse, the sophomore setter for the Comets, added 33 assists, 13 digs, and an ace.
The week closed with a home outing against rival Iowa City Regina.
The Comets faced little resistance in the opening set, capturing the win 25-6. The following set led to much of the same for the Comets, running away with the lead in the second set to take the 2-0 advantage, 25-16. The Comets closed out the night in the third set 25-14 and ended their week with little resistance.
Daufeldt dominated from the service line, recording eight aces on the night to go along with 12 kills and 15 digs. Pace would go stride for stride with Daufeldt, recording 12 kills of her own, with 10 digs and a pair of blocks.
Sophomore Rylee Goodale led the Comets with 16 digs on the evening while Buysse added 31 assists, a pair of aces and a block. Isabel Morrison, a senior, recorded six kills and a pair of blocks while Averi Goodale had two kills and a block.
Big match Thursday
The Comets will take a trip to Wilton on Thursday in a battle of the unbeatens where they will match up against the second ranked Beavers in a rivalry tilt at 7 p.m. before heading to Western Dubuque Saturday for tournament action beginning at 8:30 a.m.