PELLA —The Central College volleyball team opened with a strong sweep against Beloit College (Wis.) before suffering a straight-sets loss of its own to the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in the second match.
           
Central (19-7) needed less than an hour to take down Beloit (1-19) 25-15, 25-25, 25-11. Wis. – La Crosse (16-10) swept the Dutch 25-17, 25-11, 25-16.
           
In the win against the Bucaneers, Gracie Daniels (senior, Broken Arrow, Ola.)  had a team-high nine kills while fellow senior Elyse Johnson (senior, Kirksville, Mo.) was in on five blocks to go with five kills of her own.
           
Daniels and Johnson, the only two seniors on the roster, were honored in a Senior Night ceremony before the Wis. – La Crosse game.
           
"Our seniors are special kids," coach Jeanne Czipri said. "They pushed through that first fall of 2020 and stayed with it for four years when it wasn't easy. I'm proud of the energy they have given this program."
           
Johnson had seven kills in the second match.
           
"Elyse really was an offensive force tonight," Czipri said. 'I was we had gotten our middles the ball even more.
           
Makayla Ribble (sophomore, setter, Iowa City) led Central with 22 assists in the first contest while Landry Pacha (freshman, Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) had a team-high 15 in the second match. Libero Colleen Kenney (sophomore, Taylor Ridge, Ill., Rock Island Alleman HS) had 20 digs between the two matches.
           
Two big matches await the Dutch next weekend in American Rivers Conference play. Central travels to Waverly for a 6 p.m. match with Wartburg College on Friday. Then the Dutch will head to Cedar Rapids on Saturday for an 11 a.m. match with Coe College.
           
"Now, we need to regroup and get some hard-earned wins in conference next weekend," Czipri said.