By james art The Mount Pleasant volleyball team fends off Fort Madison in the regional opener
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MT. PLEASANT — The Mount Pleasant volleyball team looked sharp, then hesitant, then sharp again in the Class 4A, Region 4 opener against Southeastern Conference rival Fort Madison on Tuesday night.
The Mount Pleasant volleyball team celebrates after a regional tournament victory over Fort Madison on Tuesday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
The Panthers took the first two sets from the visiting Bloodhounds, then fought back to stop a potential tiebreaker in the fifth set, winning the match 25-20, 25-19, 22-25 and 26-24.
“I was a little nervous for a while there,” Panther head coach Logan Wall said. “But I just think we all really believed in each other.”
Mount Pleasant stayed on top through the first two sets. Alex Scott’s game-winning block helped the Panthers get the first out, and Addison Clark ended the second with a ferocious kill.
Mount Pleasant’s Alex Scott dives for a block attempt against Fort Madison in the 2024 regional tournament (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Fort Madison, however, had an answer. Not only did the Bloodhounds control the third set, but they led 7-2 early in the fourth.
“I think we just had to slow down on our end and just trust each other,” Clark said. “They were really bad so we had to work hard on our defense.”
A timeout by the Panthers and a speech by Coach Wall was met with light laughter from the players of Mt. Pleasant, who settled in to get back in the final game.
“I told them they should listen to me like they listen to their mother,” Wall said. “I guess that was the funny thing.”
Abby Carty of Mt. Pleasant kept the ball alive Tuesday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Mount Pleasant led at 14-13, but the two teams traded shots throughout. The game was tied at 19-19, 20-20, 22-22, 23-23 and 24-24.
“I didn’t want to go down like that,” said Addison Peck, one of eight seniors on Mount Pleasant’s roster. “This is my senior year. I wanted to go down with a bang.”
Mount Pleasant libero Addison Peck shoots a ball Tuesday night against Fort Madison. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Another senior player delivered the final blow on the Panthers’ home court. Zoe Atkinson took a serve at 25-24 and sent it right into the back right corner of the Fort Madison side to close out the win.
“It was definitely nerve-racking,” Atkinson said. “But exciting once we figured out the goal.”
The winning point sent Mt. Pleasant to 12-25 overall. The Panthers will have their hands full Thursday night in their regional semifinal at No. 4 Clear Creek-Amana. This match starts at 19:00
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Wall said. “They are known for volleyball. We will have to play in our system.”