CORALVILLE, Iowa – Size matters in some sports and it certainly did for Davenport Assumption volleyball.

   The second-seeded Knights overwhelmed Humboldt with its height at the net and efficient middle hitting in sweeping the Wildcats 25-20, 25-17, 25-22 to win its second Class 3A championship in four years.

   A pair of senior middle hitters, 6-foot-3 Ellah Derrer and 6-foot-1 Erin Robbins, powered the Assumption attack, with help from sophomore Belle Cotton on the outside and setter Carsyn Kelley getting them the ball in the right spot.

   Derrer, who has committed to Kansas State, knocked down 16 kills and was named captain of the all-tournament team. A starter on Assumption’s 2022 title team as a freshman, Derrer finished the tournament with an even 50 kills.

   Robbins and Kelley also were all-tournament, Robbins adding eight kills and four assists on blocks and Kelley compiling 36 assists to total 108 for her three tournament matches.  Cotton added 11 kills and eight digs to the championship effort, while libero Piper Hodge collected 20 digs.

   Fifth-seeded Humboldt, which had not won a state tournament match before this season, upset top-seeded Western Christian, a 19-time state champion, in the semifinals but couldn’t handle the varied attack that Assumption presented.

   Still, it was a solid effort for the Wildcats (33-7), who made it to state for just the second time and were ranked from start to finish for the first time in program history.

   Adelynn Goodell, a sophomore with a promising future, led Humboldt with 11 kills and was named to the all-tournament team. Setter Addie Waldorf racked up 29 assists and also earned all-tournament recognition.  Mia Schluter added eight kills for Humboldt, while Kendall Works and Alivia Goodell, Adelynn’s sister, each had six.

   Western Christian’s Morgan Kooiman and Kuemper Catholic’s Addy Anthofer completed the all-tournament team.