#4 Kirkwood Tops Nation’s Best at Heartland Tournament
NORMAL, Ill. — The #4-ranked Kirkwood Eagles Volleyball Team faced their toughest test of the season at Heartland Community College, taking on the nation's top two teams. The Eagles rose to the challenge, defeating #2 Kansas City Kansas in four sets before sweeping #1 and back-to-back national champion Cowley College.
Eagles Defeat #2 Kansas City Kansas
Kirkwood opened the day with a four-set win over Kansas City Kansas (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18).
Setter Kaci Johnson led the way with 25 assists and 13 kills on a .379 hitting percentage. Josie Bryan added 12 kills and 3 digs, while Carly Wazac contributed 9 kills and 2 blocks.
Defensively, Natalee Hartman led the team with 17 digs, and Abbie Staats added 11. Madalyn Boyer and Sydney Brandmeyer combined for 12 kills, helping balance Kirkwood's offensive attack. The Eagles hit .257 as a team in the match.
Kirkwood Sweeps #1 Cowley College
In the afternoon matchup, Kirkwood completed an impressive sweep over #1 Cowley (25-10, 25-15, 25-24).
Carly Wazac was dominant with 11 kills on 15 swings for a .733 hitting percentage. Sydney Brandmeyer and Josie Bryan added 10 and 7 kills, respectively.
Kaci Johnson and Avery Knoop set the pace with 17 and 15 assists, while the Eagles' defense totaled 13 team blocks, including key contributions from Madalyn Boyer and Emily Naughton.
Kirkwood hit .269 as a team against Cowley, showcasing consistency and control throughout the match.
Next Up
The Eagles will return home for another ICCAC matchup on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., when they host the NIACC Trojans in Johnson Hall.
