Iowa City West players react to the Lady Trojans class 4A state quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
CEDAR RAPIDS — Nothing remotely close to panic. Not even a timeout.
A 5-0 deficit was met with a simple shrug.
“I’m never concerned about the first few points of a match anyway,” said Iowa City West Coach Bresnahan. “But (Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s) game plan obviously was to serve short and to tip.
“What that said to me was that they were afraid to hit against our front line.”
Top-ranked West adjusted and swept the Lynx, 25-20, 25-15, 25-20, in a Class 4A quarterfinal at the state volleyball tournament Wednesday afternoon at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.
“They were short-serving us, and they were tipping us (early),” said West’s Shelly Stumpff. “But none of us panicked, and we were able to get out of our funk.”
Iowa City West's Kelley Fliehler (left) and Olivia Fairfield go up for a block during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
The Women of Troy (37-6) will face No. 7 Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a 4A semifinal at noon Friday. The Cougars (30-9) smashed No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead in three games.
Stumpff collected nine kills, three aces and two blocks as the Women of Troy moved within two wins of a state-championship repeat.
Abraham Lincoln (25-22) scored the first five points of the match, then had a 12-9 lead before West marched away.
Mollie Mason had two kills and Stumpff served two aces in a five-point run that put the Women of Troy ahead for good at 19-15.
Mason, a sophomore, had a big first set with three kills and two blocks.
“We really pulled together,” she said. “We had a lot of energy. We started off a little slow, but our energy pulled us through.”
The last two games were much easier.
Kelley Fliehler distributed 30 assists for West. Lauren Meeker and Michaela Kennedy recorded seven kills apiece for Abraham Lincoln.
Fans cheer and clap during play of the Iowa City West and Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln class 4A state quarterfinal match at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Hannah Infelt celebrates with teammates after a point during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln fans cheer on the Lynx during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Iowa City West at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s Michaela Kennedy sets in front of Samantha Bohnet during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Iowa City West at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Fans cheer and clap during play of the Iowa City West and Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln class 4A state quarterfinal match at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Shelly Stumpff (hits the ball over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s Olivia Leisinger during their class 4A state quarterfinal match at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Kelley Fliehler (left) and Olivia Fairfield go up for a block during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s Victoria Krohn (right) reacts to a Lynx point next to Olivia Leisinger during their class 4A state quarterfinal match at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Kelley Fliehler sets during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Anna Pashkova gets a dig their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s Olivia Leisinger (left) and Victoria Krohn celebrate celebrate a Lynx point during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Iowa City West at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Shelly Stumpff hits over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s Samantha Bohnet during their class 4A state quarterfinal match at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln coach Yvonne Carson talks to the team during a timeout of their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Iowa City West at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West players celebrate a point during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West players react to the Women of Troy’s class 4A state quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Shelly Stumpff reacts to the Women of Troy’s class 4A state quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West players react to the Women of Troy’s class 4A state quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West players react to the Women of Troy’s class 4A state quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West Olivia Mekies (left) hugs Shelly Stumpff after the Women of Troy’s class 4A state quarterfinal win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
Iowa City West’s Kelley Fliehler celebrates a point for the Women of Troy during their class 4A state quarterfinal match against Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. West won in three sets. (SourceMedia Group News/Jim Slosiarek)
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