Storm drop IIAC opener at Central

PELLA, Iowa — Cassie Hoefling had a team-high 12 kills and Hannah Lester had another big outing but errors plagued the Simpson volleyball team in a four-set loss to Central in the Iowa Conference-opener Tuesday.

The Storm (3-5, 0-1) rallied to win the third set after dropping the first two but couldn't complete the comeback.

Simpson had just one fewer kill on the night but the Dutch (5-5, 1-0) committed 11 fewer errors, hitting .223 on the night. Mollie Mason led Central with 13 kills.

Set Scores
25-20, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20

Key Moments
• Simpson battled back from a six-point deficit to tie the second set 21-all but a pair of kills by Mason gave the Dutch a commanding two-set lead.

• Morgan Taylor came alive in Simpson's third-set win, burying five kills in nine attempts with just one error as the Storm forced a fourth set.

• Looking to force a fifth set, Hoefling tallied a kill to give Simpson a 10-7 lead in the fourth. But Central responded with a crippling 9-0 run to effectively put the match away.

Notables
• Lester posted double figure kills for the fourth straight match with 11. She hit .346 on the night and has hit .300 or better in five of eight matches. 

• Jacque Luth had a quiet night, finishg with five kills in 23 attempts. It is just the third time she has been held below 10 kills this season.

• Central won its second-straight in the series. 

Up Next
The Storm have the weekend off before hosting Buena Vista in the home opener Tuesday, Sept. 19. The Beavers (5-3) beat Grinnell in four sets Tuesday and open IIAC play against Nebraska Wesleyan on Thursday.