CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The No. 2-seed Parkland volleyball team (32-1) swept its quarterfinal match in the NJCAA DII Volleyball National Tournament, defeating No. 10-seed Sauk Valley CC (15-8) by the final score of 3-0 (25-20, 25-9, 25-16).
 
In set one, Parkland built an early lead at 10-5, but Sauk Valley took 7 of the next 8 points to pull ahead, 12-11. Each team put together a 4-point run, and the lead was still 1 for the Skyhawks, at 16-15. The Cobras surged, taking 7 of the next 8 points and building a 5-point, 22-17, lead, a margin that held to the finish.
 
Parkland dominated set two, racing to a 17-3 lead and never looking back.
 
In set three, after Sauk Valley pulled ahead, 7-5, the Cobras scored 8 of the next 9 points to open up a 13-8 lead. The lead grew to 17-9, and then to 23-10, before Parkland clinched the match.
 
 
Summerlyn Smith (2 aces, 6 digs, 2 blocks) dished out 33 assists, primarily to the quartet of Halle Everett (11 kills, 3 aces, 5 blocks), Hailey Sperling (9 kills, 2 blocks), Arika Richardson (8 kills, 3 blocks), and Jayden Sortor (7 kills).
 
Brittney Litton (15 digs) was dominant in the back line, with support from Kayla Brandon (8 digs) and Isabella Classen (7 digs).
 
Katie Kaiser (7 blocks) was a force at the net as she, Everett, and Richardson led the way to a total of 14 team blocks.
 
 
Up next, Parkland will face No. 3-seed Iowa Central (21-3) on Wednesday, April 14, at 6:30 pm. The semifinal match is available to watch on the NJCAA network.