PHOTO BY BRITT KUDLA/FORT DODGE MESSENGER - Marshalltown’s Khloe Shipley (11) bumps the ball back over her head during Tuesday’s CIML Iowa Conference volleyball match in Fort Dodge. The Bobcats won the match in four sets.

LE GRAND — The East Marshall volleyball team couldn’t overcome the loss of a pair of starters and was swept by visiting GMG on Thursday night, 25-22, 25-22, 25-20.

The Mustangs (7-17) were without starting senior middle hitter Clare Veren and sophomore setter Faith Bandstra as the pair were sent home to quaratine after being exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19, according to head coach Terri Westendorf. Their season, Westendorf said, is likely over.

In their place, Devyn Crosser led East Marshall with eight kills while fellow sophomore Lizzy Vesely added seven more, and senior Noelia Aguilera compiled 22 assists as the team’s only setter.

Senior J.J. Westendorf led the Mustang defense with 19 digs to become the school’s all-time single-season recordholder in the category. Camy Weeks added another 18 digs. Westendorf served 13-for-13 with an ace, while Jane Collum and Crosser both had two aces.

No statistics were available for GMG (4-11) as of press time.

Aplington-Parkersburg 3, BCLUW 1

PARKERSBURG — The BCLUW volleyball team got out to a fast start before being overtaken by Aplington-Parkersburg, and the Falcons won Thursday’s cross-NICL match 12-25, 25-14, 24-15, 25-19.

Eden Wilson piled up 18 kills to lead the Comets (18-15), while Lizzie Garber added 10 kills, Kenna Paxson had seven, Allison Engle six and Anistyn Borsch-Rash four. Both Garber and Engle had 19 assists, while they also led the defense with two and one blocks, respectively.

Emma Averill paced the BCLUW defense with 12 digs, and she was 17-for-17 serving with two aces. Engle went 16-for-16 while Sydney Anderson was 10-for-10 with an ace.

LATE TUESDAY

Marshalltown 3, Fort Dodge 1

FORT DODGE — The Marshalltown volleyball team got a balanced attack like never before this season to pick up a CIML Iowa Conference victory on Tuesday at Fort Dodge.

Four Bobcat hitters had at least nine kills apiece as Marshalltown (12-10) made off with a four-set triumph, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22.

Sophie Younkin and Autumn Finch both finished with a team-high 12 kills for Marshalltown, while Brittany Sichra racked up another 10 kills and Hayden Oetker added nine. The foursome accounted for all but two of the Bobcats’ kills on the night.

Setters Sydney Faltys and Drew Carson tallied 24 and 15 assists, respectively.

Finch finished with two blocks at the net and Shipley had another. Younkin’s 12 digs led the MHS defense, while Emma Bair, Kyra Feldman and Carson had 11 digs each.

Marshalltown served 86-for-93 as a team, recording 12 aces. Younkin had a team-high five aces while Feldman was 22-for-22 with two aces.

Kiana Tourney led Fort Dodge (6-17) with a match-high 17 kills.

Grundy Center 3, BCLUW 0

GRUNDY CENTER — Grundy Center jumped into a three-way tie atop the NICL West Division by sweeping BCLUW on Tuesday night, winning 25-18, 25-15, 25-18.

Abby Hamann hammered out a match-high 18 kills to lead the host Spartans (18-17).

BCLUW (18-15) was led by Eden Wilson and Allison Engle with seven kills apiece. Lizzie Garber finished with three kills and 10 assists.

Engle paced the Comet defense with two blocks, and Emma Averill made a team-high nine digs. Sydney Anderson served 11-for-11 and Averill was 9-for-10, while Wilson and Engle each recorded an ace.