Comets fall in Consolation Final at Clear Lake VB Invitational

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CEDAR FALLS — Sometimes it pays to have a porous memory — like at a one-day volleyball tournament where you may play five or six matches in rapid-fire succession.

Against the Class 2A Top 10 ranked Osage in an early-morning match at the Cedar Falls Invitational held at the UNI Wellness and Recreational Center on Saturday, the Charles City Comets got a rude wake-up call with a one-sided 21-5, 21-6 loss to the Green Devils.

Charles City responded in the next match by outlasting always competitive Janesville with an extended 25-23 win in the first set.

The Wildcats responded to win the next set (21-14) before winning an extended set of their own (16-14) to take the match.

The Comets finished pool play with a 21-13, 21-13 loss to Linn-Mar before facing Waterloo West in the Consolation Bracket semifinals.

There, Charles City won in straight sets (25-15, 25-13) for a rematch against Linn-Mar in the consolation finals.

With games up to 25, the Lions won again in straight sets (25-15, 25-15) as the Comets fell to 7-12 overall.

Leading the way in the consolation semifinal win over the Warhawks for the Comets were Morgan Maloy (14 assists), Kaylee Anderson (7 kills, 3 service aces), Rachel Chambers (7 kills, 8 digs) and Ava Ellis (6 digs, 3 aces).

In the three-set loss to Janesville, Charles City was led by Maloy (15 assists), Anderson (12 kills), Chambers (9 kills), Anya Ruzick (15 assists), and Ellis, Keely Collins and Claire Girkin, who had two blocks apiece.

In the pool-play loss to Linn-Mar, Mya Rimrod led the Comets with 4 digs.

In the consolation final loss to Linn-Mar, Maloy had 12 assists and Ellis served 3 aces.

The Comets will host Crestwood on Tuesday (Sept. 28) during the team’s Senior Night.