Coe finishes perfect IIAC season

STORM LAKE, Iowa - Coe trailed late in the first two sets, but rallied in each for a 3-0 win over Buena Vista Tuesday night. The win improved Coe to 8-0 in the Iowa Conference, becoming the fourth different school to complete a perfect season in league play.

After grabbing at least a share of their first Iowa Conference title in school history last week at Loras, the Kohawks earned the outright title with the win tonight.  Coe won the match 26-24, 25-23, 25-15.  Coe is now 29-2 overall and finishes the IIAC slate 8-0.

The Kohawks led the first set 21-18 before the Beavers fought back to take a 24-22 lead.  Coe then scored four-straight points to win the set.  The Kohawks had 15 kills in the first set, but hit just .093.

Coe led the second set 10-8, but the Beavers took an 11-10 lead and didn't trail again in the set until the end.  Buena Vista led 21-15 and 22-17 before Coe made its move.  The Kohawks scored four-straight points, but the Beavers scored again to go ahead 23-22.  Coe won the final two points for the 25-23 win.

It was all Kohawks in the third set, as they hit .286 with 11 kills in the 25-15 win.

Sophomore Megan Barron (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) had a team-high 11 kills.  Freshmen Rachel Bosworth (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) and Rachel Schaefer (Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus), along with senior Kaitlin McClimon (DeWitt, Iowa/Central) added seven kills apiece for Coe.  Junior Emily Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) had a match-high 31 assists.

Ryan and Schaefer each had two service aces.  Freshman Alissa Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) had a match-high 16 digs.  Senior Molly Steffens (Peosta, Iowa/Western Dubuque) had seven digs while Ryan added six.  McClimon added three solo blocks and four block assists.

Coe will step out of Iowa Conference play for the final two matches of the year.  The Kohawks will face William Penn Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at Eby Fieldhouse.