Returning the majority of last year’s potent attack, the West Liberty High School volleyball team looked to build upon last year's success and took their first steps toward a possible return to state with a Saturday tournament title at Tiffin.
Coach Ruben Galvan’s Comets, ranked eighth in the state in class 3A, swept Mount Pleasant, South Tama, Iowa Valley and Clear Creek Amana to claim the title and run their record to 4-0.
First up on the Saturday slate was Mount Pleasant. The Comets wasted no time in the first set of the 2020 campaign. taking the opening set victory 21-11. The team carried that success into the second set and swept the two-game series, 21-16.
Sophomore setter Brooklyn Buysse had 24 assists in the first match and junior Macy Daufeldt would lead the team with 11 kills on 16 attempts. Sophomore Monica Morales lead the defensive charge for the Comets, notching 12 digs.
The second match was against South Tama. The Comets once again made quick work of their foes, winning on straight sets for the third time on the day, 21-9 and 21-6.
Buysse recorded 18 more assists in that outing while Daufeldt provided four kills for the winners. Senior Martha Pace mastered a block and Morales recorded 12 digs.
In the next match with Iowa Valley of Morengo, the Comets would dominate both sets, winning 21-8 and 21-4.
Buysse added 12 more assists to her season total while Daufeldt created four more kills and a block for her stat sheet. Pace lead the team defensively with 12 digs.
The final quest of the day would be against seventh ranked Clear Creek Amana, a class 4A team.
In the opening set, the Comets found themselves trailing 15-11 in the latter half of the set. Following a timeout, the Comets surged back to tie the game at 16, forcing a Clipper timeout. CCA rallied ahead to a score of 19-17 but the Comets fought back to win the opening set 21-19.
The battle continued in the second set, but the Clippers would emerge victorious 21-16 and force a crucial third set but the Comets instead dominated the third set, taking the win 15-2 to take the title.
Davis County and Ottumwa were also in the tourney
The Comets will take a road trip to Tipton Thursday to take on the Tigers in their opening match of Three Rivers Conference play at 5 p.m. before playing in a Muscatine Invitational on Saturday, beginning play at 9 a.m.
The West Liberty team hosts their first game of the season on Sept. 10 against Mid-Prairie.