(Oakland, IA) — Riverside dominated their way into the Regional Finals for the second consecutive season with a three set sweep over East Mills on Monday night. The Bulldogs won 25-22, 25-21, and 25-13.
In the first set, East Mills led 5-4 early but a sideout for the Bulldogs and Bentley Rone served an ace followed by a Lilli Reed kill to make it 6-5 — Riverside would never trail the rest of the set. The most they would lead was by three points — it was close all the way through the set. At one point there were 7 straight sideouts. Rone would take the set over with a kill to make it 22-19. Then a Rone block made it 23-19. After an East Mills sideout, Rone answered with a kill and Reed finished off the set with a kill and a 25-22 win.
In set number two, it was close to start tied at 4 until Riverside went on a 6-1 run to lead 10-5. The Wolverines fought back with some big blocks up front from Ava Grindle to tie it at 12. It was then time for Elly Henderson with back to back kills to make it 16-14. After a Wolverine sideout, Henderson got another kill and it was 17-14. The Bulldogs pushed it to 20-15 but back to back blocks from Grindle and Evelyn Stoakes cut it to 20-18. But Henderson got another kill and then Sophia Taylor got back to back kills to put the 2nd set away 25-21.
It was close again to start the 3rd set — with the score tied at 5 Riverside showed its balance, a Reed kill, a Taylor kill, and a Sydney Somers kill made it 8-5. East Mills would tie it at 12 but Riverside went on 13-1 run to close out the set and finish off the Wolverines 25-13.
Senior Sophia Taylor had 9 kills, 6 digs and 2 blocks and talks about the win
Elsewhere for Riverside, Bentley Rone had 11 kills, 21 assists, 4 digs, 3 blocks, and 2 aces. Elly Henderson finished with 7 kills, 8 digs. Sydney Somers had 9 kills. Ashley Kelley had 17 assists, 2 aces. Madison Kelley had 5 blocks, 3 aces. Ayla Richardson led the defense with 10 digs.
Unofficially for East Mills, Evelyn Stoakes had 13 kills; Loycee Palmer and Brooke Jones each had 5 kills. East Mills falls to 26-10 on the season.
Riverside will go to 37-3 and will face Akron Westfield 21-4 for the Regional Final on Wednesday, October 30 at West Monona High School, coverage on KSOM.
