CF finishes runner up at State, falling to No. 2-rated PV

Cedar Falls fell to No. 2 Pleasant Valley in straight sets (25-23, 26-24, 25-13) in the 5A state championship game Thursday at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids. 

The first set started with an 8-1 run for Pleasant Valley, but Cedar Falls followed with a 11-2 run to take a 12-10 lead. Next it was Pleasant Valley’s turn for a run. They got up 19-15 and caused a timeout from Cedar Falls. The Tigers roared back and tied the game up at 20 after an ace serve from senior UNI commit Alivia Bronner. Five of the next eight points went Pleasant Valley’s way, ending the first set with a score of 25-23.

In set two, an ace serve from junior Katie Remmert put the Tigers up 5-4. Pleasant Valley went on an 8-4 run to take a 12-9 lead before a senior Lani Nielsen ace put the Tigers up 15-13. Another kill from Remmert made it 16-13, but then an 8-3 run put Pleasant Valley up 21-19, forcing a Cedar Falls timeout. The Tigers battled back and tied it up at 24 after a kill from senior Olivia Smothers. The Spartans of Pleasant Valley went on to take the second set, 28-26.

The third and final set was dominated by the Spartans from the beginning. Jumping to an early 5-0 lead, Pleasant Valley never looked back. They got up 14-4 before a block from Smothers made it 14-7. Pleasant Valley scored eight of the next 11 points to go up 22-10. They would end up closing out the game by defeating the Tigers 25-13.

Remmert finished the match with a team high 19 kills. Bronner and Remmert were named to the 2021 5A state all-tournament team.

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