CLINTON — The volleyball season didn’t start as well as the Clinton players would have liked. But, after falling out of the Class 5A rankings, the River Queens have started to put things together.

Claiming the title at their own invitational Saturday — sweeping all five of their opponents — was another positive indication, especially since the wins in the semifinals and finals came against teams that beat Clinton earlier in the season.

“We believe in ourselves,” Clinton junior setter Monique Harris said. “Even if we’re underdogs, we want to play to our best level.”

Senior outside hitter Alyssa Wing, who joined Harris on the all-tournament team, said communication was the key to the turnaround.

“In the games we lost nobody was talking,” Wing said, referring to setbacks earlier in the season.

Another factor has been getting key contributions from back-row role players who weren’t seeing floor time earlier in the season.

“We’re working better as a team,” Wing said. “We’re a lot better in serve-receive. They don’t get big runs on us like North Scott did (in a conference-opening loss). We fixed that, and the hitters really stepped up.”

Coach Mark Massey said: “What we’re trying to do is put people in position to succeed. We’ve got a bunch of kids who played significant roles today. When you specialize, I think it allows you to elevate your play more.”



The River Queens (14-6) certainly were playing at a high level Saturday.

They swept Davenport North, Central DeWitt and East Moline (Ill.) United Township in pool play, beat Muscatine 26-24, 25-23 in the semifinals and then capped the day with a 25-21, 25-20 win against Davenport Assumption. Both Assumption and Muscatine swept Clinton two weeks ago at the Muscatine tournament. The River Queens won a five-game conference match with Muscatine on Tuesday.

Wing recorded double-digit kill totals in all five matches, finished the day with 64 and recorded a .553 attack percentage. Fittingly, she delivered the final point against Assumption with a kill assisted by Harris.

“The seniors decided, ‘Let’s win this one,’ ” Wing said of the tournament. “It means a lot, especially being my senior year and my last tournament here, and being named all-tournament three years in a row.

“We wanted to get back at (Muscatine). Against Assumption, this time we communicated more. A lot more girls were involved, and we really stepped it up.”

Clinton trailed 19-14 in the opening game against the Knights but scored four straight points to close within 19-18. The teams traded points, with Assumption going up 21-19 before the Queens scored the final six points. They pulled even on a pair of Assumption hitting errors, took the lead on a kill by Wing, increased the lead on an ace serve by freshman Elle Tubbs, scored on a double block by Marquel Schultheis and Harris, and finished the match when Assumption made another hitting error.

The Queens controlled the second game and never trailed after a four-point run put them ahead 5-1. Assumption pulled within 12-10, but Clinton reeled off five consecutive points, including a pair of block assists by Schultheis.

Massey said he was impressed with Clinton’s blocking in the tournament, highlighted by an 11-block performance against Muscatine. The defensive play was at its best as Clinton pulled even at 24 in the first game, batting down three kill attempts in a row before Wing and Tubbs combined on a block that finally scored the point.

As impressive as that was, the most spectacular feat of the day came in Clinton’s first game against United Township. Harris served 17 points in a row to close out the 21-2 win. The run included 10 aces, including six straight at one point.

“That was kind of fun, but you kind of feel bad, too,” she said.

“That was a pretty dominating serveing performance,” Massey said. “She has a top-spin serve, and that’s a pretty tough serve to pass.”

The River Queens return to Mississippi Athletic Conference action Tuesday with a home match against Assumption.

“We want to show Assumption why we won today,” Wing said.

Sabers lose in semifinals

Central DeWitt finished second to Clinton in Pool B, then lost to Davenport Assumption 25-20, 25-15 in the semifinals.

“I felt like, with all the distractions with homecoming, we played some great volleyball,” Sabers coach Peggy Kuehn said. “We’re trying to work out a new rotation.”

The Sabers (7-12) finished 2-2, beating Davenport North and East Moline United Township and losing to Clinton and Assumption.

“We’re turning the corner and doing some great things,” Kuehn said. “We’re telling them we’re going to peak at the right time.”

CLINTON INVITATIONAL

Pool A results — Davenport Assumption def. Davenport Central 21-14, 21-12; Muscatine def. Dubuque Senior 21-16, 21-23; Assumption def. Senior 12-21, 21-17, 15-6; Muscatine def. Central 21-16, 21-18; Senior def. Central 21-15, 21-18; Assumption def. Muscatine 15-21, 21-17, 16-14.

Pool B results — Clinton def. Davenport North 21-11, 21-9; Central DeWitt def. East Moline (Ill.) United Township 21-8, 21-6; Clinton def. Central DeWitt 21-14, 21-16; United Township def. North 10-21, 21-11, 15-13; Central DeWitt def. North 21-18, 29-27; Clinton def. United Township 21-2, 21-14.

Seventh place — North def. Central 17-21, 21-17, 15-8.

Fifth place — Senior def. United Township 21-11, 21-15.

Semifinals — Clinton def. Muscatine 26-24, 25-23; Assumption def. Central DeWitt 25-20, 25-15.

Third place — No match.

Championship — Clinton def. Assumption 25-21, 25-20.

Clinton statistical leaders

Kills (122) — Alyssa Wing 64, Erin Wenzel 24, Monique Harris 11. Assists (114) — Harris 102, Wing 4. Ace serves (29) — Harris 18, Griffin Rasche 3, Elle Tubbs 3, Wing 3. Blocks (29) — Marquel Schultheis 12, Wing 9, Tubbs 8, Wenzel 6. Digs (149) — Gabby Haan 28, Hannah Dehner 27, Shannon Shovlain 23, Harris 22, Wing 22.

Central DeWitt statistical leaders

Kills (80) — Cori Peterzalek 27, Noelle Feldpausch 15, Katie Irwin 13, Sam Barr 11. Assists (73) — Delany Brainerd 36, Mackenzie Kuehn 34. Ace serves (13) — Kuehn 5, Peterzalek 3, Steph Schrader 3. Blocks (12) — Feldpausch 4, Irwin 2, Amanda Brianerd 2. Digs (132) — Irwin 47, Peterzalek 41, Schrader 14, Kuehn 12.