Volleyball Battles Through Iowa Invitational
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mesa Community College (4-1, 1-0) | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 15 | 3 |
|
Neosho County Community College | 18 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 12 | 2 |
Mesa Community College
Neosho County Community College
| Game Statistics | Mesa Community College | Neosho County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .200 | .135 |
| Blocks | 18.0 | 11.0 |
| Digs | 82 | 83 |
| Aces | 12 | 5 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mesa Community College (4-2, 1-0) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
|
Hawkeye Community College | 10 | 14 | 21 | 0 |
Mesa Community College
Hawkeye Community College
| Game Statistics | Mesa Community College | Hawkeye Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .258 | .009 |
| Blocks | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Digs | 59 | 43 |
| Aces | 7 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mesa Community College (5-2, 1-0) | 23 | 25 | 12 | 25 | 13 | 2 |
|
Iowa Central Community College | 25 | 17 | 25 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
Mesa Community College
Iowa Central Community College
| Game Statistics | Mesa Community College | Iowa Central Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .141 | .171 |
| Blocks | 15.0 | 13.0 |
| Digs | 120 | 103 |
| Aces | 9 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mesa Community College (6-2, 1-0) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
|
Highland Community College - Kansas | 18 | 12 | 15 | 0 |
Highland Community College - Kansas
| Game Statistics | Mesa Community College | Highland Community College - Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .258 | .094 |
| Blocks | 9.0 | 1.0 |
| Digs | 85 | 65 |
| Aces | 11 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mesa Community College (7-2, 1-0) | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
|
Central Community College | 23 | 25 | 21 | 18 | 1 |
Central Community College
| Game Statistics | Mesa Community College | Central Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .176 | .115 |
| Blocks | 12.0 | 11.0 |
| Digs | 103 | 70 |
| Aces | 12 | 14 |
Monday September 8, 2025 - 12:00 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger
The Mesa Community College volleyball team wrapped up a demanding stretch at the Iowa Central Invitational with five matches in three days, finishing the trip with four wins and one loss. The Thunderbirds picked up key victories over Neosho County, Hawkeye, Highland, & Central, while falling to host Iowa Central..
Head coach Jordan Herrington praised her team's maturity in the face of a grueling weekend.
"This weekend, my sophomores really stood out to me. We faced a tough stretch, back-to-back matches, long travel days, and plenty of challenges stacked against us. Yet, in the middle of it all, my sophomores showed incredible composure and maturity. Each one brings such a unique role both on and off the court, and watching them step up and compete at a high level was inspiring as a coach," said Herrington.
No. 12 Mesa vs. No. 17 Neosho County
Mesa opened the tournament with a five-set thriller, outlasting No. 17 Neosho County Community College, 25-18, 25-22, 24-26, 24-26, 15-12. In the fourth set MCC trailed by 12-1 at one point and rallied to push to the set at 20 all before running out of gas and falling.
Lindsey Leavitt (15 kills, .250%) and Melody Jones (13 kills, .333%) led the attack, while Isa Folau added 13 kills and four service aces.Brianna Anderson anchored the back row with 24 digs, and setter Etta Henson tallied 27 assists with two aces. Gracie McArthur contributed nine block assists as MCC controlled the net down the stretch.
Herrington pointed to Folau's intangible contributions: "She may not always put up flashy statistics, but what she does with the ball—her ability to engage, steady, and control the game is remarkable. Those qualities don't always make the box score, but they make a huge difference in our success."
No. 12 Mesa vs. Hawkeye
The Thunderbirds carried that momentum into a sweep over Hawkeye Community College, winning 25-10, 25-14, 25-21.Isa Folau posted a team-high eight kills (.375) with five aces, and Marley Cortez was sharp with nine kills (.421). Isabella Jackson dished out 15 assists and added nine digs. Anderson chipped in 10 digs, while MCC held Hawkeye to just 22 kills total on a .009 hitting percentage.
No. 12 Mesa vs. No. 13 Iowa Central
Later that day, Mesa went toe-to-toe with host No. 13 Iowa Central, but ultimately fell in five sets, 23-25, 25-17, 12-25, 25-18, 13-15.
Folau tallied 12 kills and 25 digs, while Jones (9 kills) and Aolani Motu (6 kills, .417) added balance. Jackson recorded 28 assists, and Henson added 17. Anderson turned in a massive 39-dig performance, her second 30+ dig outing of the tournament.
Herrington reflected on the response after adversity: "The biggest lesson I learned about this group is just how competitive they are. After our loss to Arizona Western, I was concerned about how we'd respond under pressure. But every single match this weekend tested us in high-stakes situations—whether we were up by double digits or battling from behind—and the response was the same: relentless effort."
No. 12 Mesa vs. Highland
Mesa bounced back strong with a sweep of Highland Community College (Kansas), taking the match 25-18, 25-12, 25-15.
Leavitt led with 10 kills (.269), while Folau chipped in 8 kills and 5 aces. McArthur was dominant with seven kills on 13 swings (.538). Anderson continued her defensive surge with 33 digs, while Jackson passed out 14 assists and 15 digs.
No. 12 Mesa vs. No. 20 Central
Closing the weekend, the Thunderbirds secured another four-set victory over No. 20 Central Community College, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 25-18.
Jayden Arrington (11 kills, .450) and Leavitt (11 kills, .310) provided the punch while Folau added 7 kills and 20 digs, with Cortez adding 5 kills and 10 digs. Anderson led all players with 34 digs, and setter Jackson guided the offense with 23 assists.
Herrington emphasized the buy-in across the roster.
"No matter whose number I called, each player was engaged, ready, and eager to contribute in whatever way I asked. That continued fight and resilience are what makes this team so unique," said Herrington.
The five-match stretch pushed No. 12 Mesa's record to 7-2 (1-0) overall. Across the weekend, libero Brianna Anderson tallied 140 digs (28 per match), while Folau, Leavitt, and Jones consistently carried the offensive load.
Looking ahead, Herrington expressed excitement for the next phase:
"I look forward to watching them continue to grow and develop as we hit more conference play this week," said Herrington.
No. 12 Mesa now turns its attention back to conference play as they travel to take on Chandler-Gilbert on Wednesday and host Pima on Friday.
