Cardinals take 6th in own tourney

Newton High’s Cardinals played the only three-set match of Thursday’s Newton Cardinal Invitational volleyball match. It came in their opening match in pool play, but they couldn’t get past Grand View Christian’s Thunder.

After losing the first set to the Thunder, the Cardinals staved off a late run by GVC to win the second set 21-17. In the deciding third set, the teams were tied 7-7 then GVC pulled away claiming a 21-14, 17-21, 15-10 victory.

The Thunder got past Ottumwa, 27-25, 21-9 in the second pool match, winning the pool. Ottumwa’s Bulldogs recorded a 21-19, 21-12 win over Newton, sending the Cardinals to the fifth-place match.

It was Class 4A sixth-ranked Pella’s tournament as the Lady Dutch did not drop a set in three matches to claim their third consecutive Cardinal Invitational championship. Pella defeated Grand View Christian 21-14, 21-16 in the title match.

Pella had won it’s pool with wins of 21-18-, 21-9 over Boone and 21-8, 21-12 over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. Boone beat EBF in pool play the lost in two games to Ottumwa in the third-place match.

Newton faced EBF for fifth place and in a tight first set, the Cardinals took an 8-6 lead. Sophomore Meg Callaghan served up an ace and one more point to give Newton the advantage.

The Cardinals and Rockets were locked into a back-and-forth set. The score was 16-all with EBF serving when junior Mackenzie Baker made a tip at the net to put Newton up by one then action halted.

Newton head coach Ashley Carter had to be attended to on the bench after passing out. Cardinal assistant coach Eric Vander Velden told the Newton Daily News, Carter had told him she hadn’t been feeling well earlier in the day. Carter left the gym and Vander Velden assumed the coaching duties.

The Rockets came away with a first-set win, 21-18. They had two serving runs of three points and five points to gain the advantage in the second set. Newton battled but couldn’t maintain a serving run to get back in the match.

EBF defeated Newton 21-18, 21-12 and the Cardinals finished sixth in the tournament.

Newton served 29 times in the match with 26 good serves and served only seven of its 30 points. Meg Callahan, who was 5-for-5 at the service line, had two points and one ace.

Senior Brittany McConnell was 6-of-8 with two points. Serving one point each were sophomore Kate Callaghan, junior Kamryn Arguello and sophomore Jerrica McGuire.

Kate Callaghan had five kills, five set assists, three digs and a solo block. Meg Callaghan downed four kills and had three digs. Amos, Arguello, Baker and sophomore Tess Brunsmann each had one kill. Brunsmann had two set assists.

Amos led the defense with eight digs with sophomore Nykole Hernandez coming up with four digs. Arguello, McConnell and McGuire each had two digs. Baker had a solo block.

Against Grand View Christian, Newton fell behind when the Thunder had a five-point serving run in the first set and lost 21-14. In the second set, the Cardinals pushed outa to a 6-3 lead and Kate Callaghan served four consecutive points.

GVC got within 14-10 when the Cardinals halted a run and junior Madi Amos served two points for Newton.Up 18-13, Newton had McConnell on the service line and she had a back-row kill for a point then served another.

The Thunder avoided a set point and rallied for three points. Meg Callaghan delivered the winning set point for Newton with a kill, 21-17.

McGuire worked the net early in the third set for Newton with back-to-back points with Arguello serving. Sophomore Jamie Rogers served an ace to make to 5-3, but the Thunder came back to forge a 6-6 tie.

GVC was able to serve up three straight points to push ahead 11-8 in a match that would be decided at 15 points. The Cardinals weren’t able to get back even a lost 15-10.

The Cardinals served at a 90-percent efficiency against the Thunder, 37-of-41, serving up 19 points. They had five service aces.

McConnell was 11-of-11 serving with six points and two ace serves. Kate Callaghan and Arguello each served up four points and Amos had three service points. Amos and Kate Callaghan each had one service ace.

Rogers, who was 7of-9 serving, had one point on an ace. Meg Callaghan served for one point.

At the net, McConnell and Kate Callaghan each delivered six kills while Amos and Meg Callaghan had four kills apiece. McGuire had three kill and a solo block. Arguello and Brunsmann had one kill each.

Kate Callaghan made 11 set assists and Brunsmann had six set assists. Amos came up with 13 digs followed by 12 by Kate Callaghan and 10 by McConnell.

Arguello had six digs and Meg Callaghan had four digs. Hernandez made two digs while junior Priscila Amador and Rogers had one dig apiece.

Newton led early, 8-6, in the match with Ottumwa as McGuire and McConnell had two-point runs at the service line. The Bulldogs used a seven-point run to gain the lead 16-10. Newton fought off set point at 20-12 and Arguello served seven straight but the Cardinals came up short, 21-19.

The Bulldogs were able to pull away in the second set, leading 11-6. They gained the win maintaining their lead with sideout play for a 21-12 set victory.

Leading the net attack for Newton was Kate Callaghan with six kills followed by Amos with five kills. McGuire was credited with three kills. Brunsmann made two kills and McConnell had one kill. Brunsmann put up four set assists and Kate Callaghan had three assists.

Amos had eight digs for the Newton defensive effort while McConnell and Arguello had three digs each. McGuire and Hernandez had two digs apiece.

Newton went 24-of-26 serving led by Arguello’s seven service points. McGuire served up four points, McConnell had two points and Meg Callaghan had one point on an ace. McConnell and Arguello each had an ace serve.

Newton is 4-15 overall. The Cardinals take an 0-5 mark into their Little Hawkeye Conference match on Tuesday at Pella Christian, which is 2-3 in conference play. The varsity match is set for 7:15 p.m. at Pella Christian High School in Pella.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com