CEDAR RAPIDS — The Marshalltown High School volleyball squad inched closer but never to within striking distance of Class 5A No. 9 Cedar Rapids Kennedy, and the Cougars eliminated the Bobcats in Thursday’s regional semifinals.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (24-10) came away with a three-game sweek of MHS, sending the Bobcats home with a 25-10, 25-15, 25-18 defeat to advance to within one round of the state tournament.

The Bobcats (11-22) finished with one fewer win than the previous season’s truncated schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, but one round farther because of the same reason. Marshalltown’s 2020 postseason was canceled by COVID-19 concerns within the Bobcats’ program.

MHS senior outside hitter Sophie Younkin led the Bobcats with 10 kills on 28 swings with a .214 hitting efficiency. Senior middle hitter Autumn Finch finished with six kills, but the Bobcats had just three kills otherwise. Marshalltown setter Khloe Shipley registered 16 assists in the season-ending loss.

Finch finished with three blocks at the net and Shipley assisted on one of them. Younkin led the defense with 12 digs, Shipley had nine, and Finch added another five.

From the service stripe, Marshalltown went 41-for-45 with a single ace handed out by sophomore Sara Huffman. She was 10-for-11 serving while Younkin and Gracious Ree both went 9-for-9.

Kennedy advances to face 10th-ranked Johnston (26-11) in next Monday’s regional finals.