CORALVILLE – Experience prevailed in the Class 5A volleyball championship match.
Top-ranked Pleasant Valley dominated the first set, then fought off a young, talented Waukee Northwest team for a 3-1 victory at Xtream Arena on Thursday. Led by all-tournament captain Isabelle Kremer, the Spartans beat the defending champs 25-20, 24-26, 25-22 and 25-16 for their second state title in four years.
Kremer amassed 24 kills as Pleasant Valley (35-2), with a veteran lineup of juniors and seniors, won its 30th straight match. All-tournament selection Gabriella Ragins added 11 kills and seven blocks, setter Carsyn Kelley had 24 assists and libero Abbie Staats came up with 23 digs.
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for sixth-ranked Northwest after its 2023 championship, but the Wolves played their way back to the finals with a lineup comprised mostly of sophomores.
One of those sophomores, Logan Vogt, led Northwest (28-10) with 21 kills and was named to the all-tournament team. Her sister Avery, a junior, set up her teammates with 37 assists and sophomore London Taylor had 17 digs.
Pleasant Valley started the match by jumping to a 5-0 lead and was in control the rest of the opening set. The young Wolves then settled down and the two teams battled on even terms until Pleasant Valley finished the fourth and final set with a big run.
The Spartans were looking at match point in the second set before Northwest ran off four straight points for a 26-24 victory. The Wolves threatened to do the same in the third set, pulling to 24-22 before Kremer ended it with a kill.
Pleasant Valley wrapped things up with a flourish, pulling away from a tie at 15 with a 10-1 run that included four blocks and Kremer’s final kill.
Avery Vogt also was named to the all-tournament team along with Dowling Catholic’s Ella Rogers and Ellie Muller and Ankeny Centennial’s Delaney Miller.