Howard Breaks Tigers Career Digs Record

Iowa Wesleyan competed in their final conference game of the season tonight against Eureka College.  The Tigers defeated the Red Devils in four sets by scores of 25-14, 21-25, 25-18, and 25-21.  Cierra Howard (JR/San Clemente, CA) came into the game needing just two digs to break the career digs record.  Jamie Strawhacker, who played for Iowa Wesleyan from 1998-2001, held the previous record with 1407 digs throughout her career.  In her 300th career set, Howard broke the record in the first set of the night and finished the game with 17 digs to bring her career total to 1423 digs.

The Tigers came out strong and won the first set decisively.  They played a clean set, committing just two errors and converting for 11 kills in the set.  Eureka finished the set with 8 kills and had 6 costly attack errors.  The Red Devils came back and evened the series with a 25-21 win in the second set over IW. They had 14 kills and only three attack errors in the set compared to IW's 14 kills and 6 attack errors.

Iowa Wesleyan took the third set to go up 2-1 on the night.  The Tigers used a .167 attack percentage to their advantage in the set while holding Eureka to a .029 attack percent.  IW finished the third set with 12 kills and 6 errors. Iowa Wesleyan won the fourth set 25-21 thanks to an attack percent of .227.  The Tigers had 14 kills and limited their attack errors to 4 in the set. Eureka had 9 kills but committed 5 errors.

Jordan Miller (FR/High Ridge, MO) had a team high 12 kills on the night and Cassandra Schwamborn (FR/Montebello, CA) finished right behind her with 11.  Maggie Earney (JR/Whiteny, NE) and Cierra Howard each had 17 digs to lead the Tigers. Earney added 35 assists and 3 service aces in the four sets. Alyssa Morales (SR/Romeoville, IL) had a team high 4 services aces and added 14 digs for the Tigers.

Iowa Wesleyan will play their final game of the season on Monday, November 2nd.  They will travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to take on Mount Mercy University at 7 p.m.

STORY COURTESY OF IOWA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE