CORALVILLE – Even one of the best individual performances of the tournament couldn’t keep Denver from winning a state championship.
The top-ranked Cyclones survived a succession of powerful swings by Molly Shafer of Eddyvlle-Blakesburg-Fremont to sweep the second-ranked Rockets in straight sets and win the Class 2A title at Xtream Arena on Thursday.
Denver topped off a 47-3 season with its first state championship and the Cyclones had to work for it. They dominated the first set in a 25-16 victory, then had to come from behind to win the final two games, 25-22 and 25-20.
The Cyclones got it done because they were able to block or dig enough of the attacks from Shafer, who compiled 26 kills and 16 digs and was named captain of the all-tournament team. Grace Mullihan led Denver with 13 kills – she hit an astounding .750 – and also earned all-tournament honors.
EBF (36-3) was much more competitive after struggling in the opening set and had a 23-22 lead and the serve in the second game. But two kills and a block gave the victory to the Cyclones after the two teams battled through 13 ties and five lead changes.
The Rockets looked as though they would force a fourth game when Shafer’s kill put them up 20-17. But they never scored again.
The Cyclones rattled off eight straight points to close out the set and match, getting two ace serves from Myia Rosencrans during the run plus three kills from Adeana Murch and two from Mullihan. Mullihan’s smash ended it and brought on the dogpile.
Murch finished with nine kills in the balanced Denver attack and Mylee Thurm had 11, giving setter Channing Johnson plenty of options.
Shafer, a senior who will continue her career at Northern Iowa, finished with tournament with 88 kills and 52 digs, including a 2A tournament-record 41 kills in a semifinal victory over Dyersville Beckman Catholic.
Her twin sister Kate also was chosen for the all-tournament team after compiling 36 assists, four digs and two kills. The other all-tournament honors went to Johnson (38 assists, nine digs and two kills), Denver’s Bailey Mullihan (11 kills), Beckman Catholic’s Alli Scherbring and Iowa City Regina Catholic’s Reese Naeve.