Spencer Daily Reporter: High School Sports: Volleyball: Spencer 1-3 at Urbandale tourney (10/02/12)

Spencer senior Taylor Anderson blocks an attack attempt earlier this season. Anderson tallied three blocks in Spencer's win over DCG at last Saturday's Urbandale tournament. Spencer hosts Western Christian tonight at 7 p.m. at Spencer Field House.
(Photo by Michael Fischer)

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The Spencer volleyball team got a chance to face new competition, including some 5A schools at Saturday's Urbandale tournament. The Tigers went 1-3 on the day, earning a 2-1 win over Dallas Center-Grimes (21-14, 16-21, 15-12). Spencer lost to Carroll, Marshalltown and Cedar Falls, all by a 2-0 score.

The Tigers got a balanced attack from its frontcourt in the win over DCG. Taylor Glover and Kirstin Martindale led the team with eight kills each, and Taylor Anderson added seven in the win. Spencer had five aces in the match, including three from Maddie Boyd, who also had nine assists.

In the loss to Carroll (25-21, 25-17), Anderson led with five kills and three blocks. Glover added four more, and Sydney VanWettering also had four kills. The Tigers served just 74 percent during the match.

Spencer (13-13) struggled against the 5A schools as Marshalltown jumped out quickly on the Tigers in a 2-0 win (21-6, 21-15). Martindale had seven kills on 17 attempts. VanWettering notched four kills. Against Cedar Falls, ranked ninth in 5A, Spencer tallied seven kills and 13 attack errors and were 76 percent on serves. Anderson led with three kills in the loss (21-11, 21-9).

TIGERS HOST WESTERN FOR HOMECOMING GAME

The Tigers will be back in Lakes Conference play tonight (Tuesday) as they host Western Christian at 7 p.m. It will be "Pack the Gym" night, which is part of the Homecoming events this week.

Western Christian (26-2) is ranked second in Class 2A and hasn't lost to an Iowa school all year. Its two losses came at the hands of Nebraska schools at a tournament in Bellevue, Neb. during the first weekend of the year, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Western has won 22 matches in a row and has only lost three sets in its 26 wins this year. The last set the Wolfpack lost was to Lewis Central on Sept. 15, in a 2-1 win at the Fort Dodge tournament.

REGIONAL PAIRINGS RELEASED

The Iowa Girls Athletic Union released the regional volleyball pairings and Spencer will be matched up with Humboldt in the first round of Class 4A Region 3. The Tigers will play at Humboldt on Monday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. The winner will play Le Mars on Thursday, Oct. 25 in Le Mars.

Humboldt is currently 19-7 and defeated Spencer, 2-1, on Sept. 8 at the Spencer tournament.