Semifinalist Liberty is last area team standing at the Shirley Ryan Invitational

MOUNT VERNON — Yes, the Liberty Lightning remain a work in progress.

The key word is progress, and it continued Saturday.

“We’re improving each week,” first-year coach Jessica Hauptmann said after the Class 5A seventh-ranked Lightning advanced to the semifinals of the Shirley Ryan Invitational volleyball tournament at Mount Vernon High School.

“We still have a lot to improve on, and we’ll have a lot to work on Monday at practice.”

Liberty (8-2) won each of its three pool matches — two of them went three sets — then topped Waterloo West in a straight-set quarterfinal.

The Lightning won the first set against 3A No. 3 Davenport Assumption before the Knights prevailed, 22-25, 25-17, 15-8.

“I think we got a little less confident (the last two sets),” Liberty’s Sydney Van Heukelom said. “They started blocking a lot better, and because of that, we were hesitant to hit the ball.”

Still, Liberty is more than halfway to topping its win total from last season, when it was 15-21.

“We’ve got a good trajectory,” Hauptmann said. “We’re working on the mental game a lot in practice.”

Van Heukelom said, “We’ve improved so much. Today went really well.”

Liberty was minus a starter (ACT exam), giving Hauptmann a chance to expand the role of Lyla Chandler.

“A little out of the left side, a little out of the right,” Hauptmann said. “She filled in and did a great job.

“And (libero) Edie (Miller) played some great defense.”

Class 2A No. 6 Dike-New Hartford remains an elite program. The Wolverines (15-3) swept through pool play, outlasted 5A No. 3 Ankeny in a three-set semifinal, then blasted Assumption in the championship match, 25-15, 25-14.

Dyersville Beckman was the other area team to reach the championship bracket. The Blazers won two of three matches in pool play and were eliminated by Assumption in the quarterfinals.

North Scott won the Silver Bracket; Springville captured the Bronze.

Shirley Ryan Invitational

At Mount Vernon

ALI STARK POOL

Teams — 1. Ankeny 3-0, 2. Waterloo West 2-1, 3. Mount Vernon 1-2, 4. Davis County 0-3.

Ankeny def. Waterloo West, 21-15, 21-11

Mount Vernon def. Davis County, 21-3, 21-9

Ankeny def. Davis County, 21-10, 21-6

Waterloo West def. Mount Vernon, 27-25, 15-21, 15-12

Waterloo West def. Davis County, 21-8, 21-16

Ankeny def. Mount Vernon, 21-10, 21-10

JOY JORDAN POOL

Teams — 1. Davenport Assumption 3-0, 2. Dubuque Wahlert 2-1, 3. Center Point-Urbana 1-2, 4. Ottumwa 0-3.

Davenport Assumption def. Dubuque Wahlert, 21-13, 21-16

Center Point-Urbana def. Ottumwa, 21-18, 17-21, 15-10

Davenport Assumption def. Ottumwa, 21-14, 21-14

Dubuque Wahlert def. Center Point-Urbana, 21-18, 19-21, 16-14

Dubuque Wahlert def. Ottumwa, 21-17, 21-18

Davenport Assumption def. Center Point-Urbana, 21-18, 21-15

SHELBY KINTZEL POOL

Teams — 1. Iowa City Liberty 3-0, 2. Waverly-Shell Rock 2-1, 3. North Scott 1-2, 4. Waterloo Columbus 0-3.

Iowa City Liberty def. Waverly-Shell Rock, 21-13, 21-13, 15-11

North Scott def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-9, 21-17

Iowa City Liberty def. Waterloo Coumbus, 21-12, 21-10

Waverly-Shell Rock def. North Scott, 21-18, 26-24

Waverly-Shell Rock def. Waterloo Columbus, 21-18, 21-18

Iowa City Liberty def. North Scott, 21-18, 7-21, 15-12

SHIRLEY RYAN POOL

Teams — 1. Dike-New Hartford 3-0, 2. Dyersville Beckman 2-1, 3. Western Dubuque 1-2, 4. Springville 0-3.

Dike-New Hartford def. Western Dubuque, 21-16, 21-11

Dyersville Beckman def. Springville, 21-14, 21-13

Dike-New Hartford def. Springville, 21-8, 21-6

Dyersville Beckman def. Western Dubuque, 21-16, 21-18

Western Dubuque def. Springville, 21-11, 21-11

Dike-New Hartford def. Dyersville Beckman, 21-9, 21-18

BRONZE BRACKET

Semifinals

Ottumwa def. Davis County, 25-15, 25-18

Springville def. Waterloo Columbus, 25-15, 26-24

Final

Springville def. Ottumwa, 25-13, 25-10

SILVER BRACKET

Semifinals

Center Point-Urbana def. Mount Vernon, 28-26, 28-26

North Scott def. Western Dubuque, 19-25, 25-20, 15-9

Final

North Scott def. Center Point-Urbana, 25-15, 19-15, 15-6

CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

Quarterfinals

Ankeny def. Waverly-Shell Rock, 25-20, 25-21

Dike-New Hartford def. Dubuque Wahlert, 25-19, 25-17

Davenport Assumption def. Dyersville Beckman, 25-20, 29-27

Iowa City Liberty def. Waterloo West, 25-19, 25-17

Semifinals

Dike-New Hartford def. Ankeny, 25-23, 19-25, 15-8

Davenport Assumption def. Iowa City Liberty, 22-25, 25-17, 15-8

Championship

Dike-New Hartford def. Davenport Assumption, 25-15, 25-14

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com