CORALVILLE, Iowa – Janesville volleyball is back in the hunt for another state championship.

   A winner of five titles between 2013 and 2018, Janesville is returning to the finals for the first time since that run after sweeping North Tama in the Class 1A semifinals.

   The second-seeded Wildcats (33-11) won 25-19, 25-19, 25-14 and will face top-seeded Saint Ansgar (30-4) in the championship match at 7 p.m. Thursday inside Xtream Arena. Saint Ansgar swept first-time state tournament qualifier Dunkerton 25-13, 25-19, 25-22 to complete the semifinal round.

   Janesville won all of its titles under coach Shelly Sorensen, who is now in her 35th season with the program. Freshman Quinn Sweeney powered the Wildcats into this year’s title match with 14 kills, two solo blocks and three assisted blocks. Senior Keke Smith added eight kills and junior Jayden Anderson finished with seven

   Junior Tayah Pollock set up the hitters with 28 assists and libero Gracie Bloes came up with 12 digs.

   Alaney Sienknecht led third-seeded North Tama (29-14) with 11 kills, Isabelle Gropper had 15 assists and Addison Hochstetler came through with 16 digs.

   Lindsay Kruse and Ava Falk did the heavy lifting for Saint Ansgar, each hammering home 17 kills. Falk added 10 digs and Sofia Parrott racked up 39 assists.

   Fourth-seeded Dunkerton (30-12) threatened to extend the match when it knocked down two straight kills for a tie at 22 in the third set. But Falk hammered one home from the back row, Kruse put one down from the middle and Falk connected on another back row attack to finish it off.

   Taylor Kipp led Dunkerton with 11 kills and Delaney Toneff logged 27 assists.