Linn-Mar Volleyball

No. 5 Cougars spike No. 3 Lions

For awhile Tuesday night, it looked like big Amanda Ollinger was going to personally wreck the Kennedy Cougars in their volleyball showdown with Linn-Mar at the Kennedy gym.

The Cougars kept their cool and battled back for a 17-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15 victory over the Lions in a battle between two of the top Class 5A volleyball teams in the state.

Linn-Mar is ranked No. 3 and Kennedy is ranked No. 5, but the experienced Cougars were the better club this time.

Ollinger, a 6-foot-1 senior who will play basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes, collected eight kills in the first set as the Lions got off to a fast start, but she had only 10 more kills the rest of the night.

"We started off a little shaky," Kennedy senior Tianna Drahn acknowledged.

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Lions open with impressive win

No. 3 Linn-Mar opened its volleyball season with an impressive 25-12, 25-14, 25-17 win over Janesville on Thursday night at Linn-Mar.

Senior Amanda Ollinger led the offense with 16 kills. Freshman Megan Renner added nine kills and sophomore Carly Spies had eight.

Junior Ellie Anderson had 37 assists and junior Emilee McGowan led the defense with 17 digs.

Metro volleyball players rake in honors

Nine high school volleyball players from the Metro area have been named to the all-state and all-district teams by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

Alyssa Thomas and Abby Phillips of Marion were named first team all-state in Class 4A. Amanda Sahm of Marion was named second team all-state. Kayla Torson of Xavier and Isabella Sade of Marion received honorable mention in Class 4A.

Amanda Ollinger of Jefferson was named second team all-state in Class 5A. Anna Fluent of Kennedy, Sarah Renner of Linn-Mar and Kate Busswitz of Prairie received honorable mention in Class 5A.

The same nine players were named to the all-district teams.

Thomas, Sade, Phillips, Sahm and Torson were named all-district on the Class 4A Northeast squad. Busswitz, Renner, Ollinger and Fluent were named all-district on the Class 5A East team.

Ollinger honored on MVC volleyball

Amanda Ollinger of Cedar Rapids Jefferson has been named the Valley Division Athlete of the Year on the Mississippi Valley Conference all-star volleyball team.

Ollinger, a 6-foot-3 junior, was one of the top kill-shot artists in the state this season with her powerful slams. She has committed to play basketball at the University of Iowa.

Sarah Renner of Linn-Mar, Ellie Anderson of Linn-Mar, Anna Fluent of Kennedy and Macy Anderson of Kennedy joined Ollinger as first-team selections in the Valley Division.

Kate Busswitz of Prairie and Kayla Torson of Xavier were first-team picks in the Mississippi Division.

VALLEY DIVISION

Athlete of the Year - Amanda Ollinger, Jefferson
Coach of the Year - Matthew Johnson, Cedar Falls

First Team

Amanda Ollinger (CRJ), Lauryn Kramer (CF), Mackenzie May (DW), Laynie Whitehead (ICW), Sarah Renner (LM), Ellie Anderson (LM), Anna Fluent
(CRK), Macy Anderson (CRK).

Second Team

Emma Gerdes (CF), Mikaela Morgan (ICW), Tayah Mahi (CF), Sami Boekhoff (LM), Emilee McGowan (LM), Brinley Milbrath (CRK), Maddie Heiar (DW), Makenzie Tomkins (CRJ).

Honorable Mention
Metro Only

Jefferson - Avery Guy, Sam Kitterman
Kennedy - Paige Franck, Kendal Meier
Linn-Mar - Meg Gostonczik, Carly Spies

All-Academic
Metro Only

Jefferson - Brianna Prohaska, Hannah Carter
Kennedy - Hannah Skow, Breanna Osterkamp
Linn-Mar - Meg Gostonczik, Sarah Renner

MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

Athlete of the Year - Alexa Aldrich-Ingram, Iowa City High
Coach of the Year - Craig Pitcher, Iowa City High

First Team

Alexa Aldrich-Ingram (ICH), Kate Busswitz (CRP), Kayla Torson (CRX), Ashley Smith (ICH), Kendra Cave (ICH), Kasey Davis (DH), Hope Splinter (DH), Indya Beaman (WE).

Second Team

Makenzie Soeken (CRP), Caiti Peterson (CRW), Majda Sulic (WW), Shannon James (ICH), Rylee Price (ICH), Makayla Doyle (DH), Mallory Jones (CRP), Madsy Richards (CRX).

Honorable Mention
Metro Only

Prairie - Jenni Lockhart, Rachel Shelangoski
Washington - Sophie Smith, Rumer Weiland
Xavier - Melanie Wertzberger, Olivia Krapfl

All-Academic
Metro Only

Prairie - Rachel Shelangoski, Megan Sprengeler
Washington - Ellen Holt, Sophie Smith
Xavier - Melanie Wertzberger, Olivia Krapfl