Bullettes reap honors

The Mediapolis Bullettes placed six girls on the Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division all conference team. In a vote of division coaches, junior middle hitter Bethany Weber and senior utility player Aurey Kramer were named to the first team. Seniors Emily Kester (setter) and Lydia Ertz (outside hitter) earned second team honors. Junior Jesika McLaughlin and senior Amber Scott were named honorable mention.

Weber led the Bullettes in every hitting statistical category in 2004. She recorded a team high 236 kills, averaging 2.2 kills per game with a hitting efficiency of .233. Her skills were not just limited to offense as she also paced the Bullettes in blocks with 133 (1.2 per game).

Kramer was a back row defensive specialist who led the Bullettes in digs with 174. She also serve received at a team high .811.

Mediapolis head coach Dennis Jandrey credited both his first team selections with playing key roles in the Bullettes 28-14 season record and in helping the Bullettes finish in the a tie for second in the division with a 5-2 mark. "Weber led the team in all the hitting categories. She started hitting the ball with authority as the season progressed. She was a lot more of a force to be reckoned with this year," Jandrey said.

The coach felt his 2004 team was an excellent passing team and pointed to Kramer as a reason for that success. "Our passing was as good as it has been and Aurey was the center of that. She led in digs and in serve reception, but it wasn't just that. She got the ball to the spots where we wanted it," Jandrey said.

Kester was the setter for the Bullettes. That was a spot that featured lots of talent in 2004 in the division. "There were a lot of good setters this year. We actually ended up with a three-way tie for the first team. Emily was willing to do whatever we asked her to do to help the team," Jandrey said. Finishing in the tie for first team were Ashley Orris of Columbus, Linea Bartel of Iowa Mennonite and Taylor Hjerleid of Wapello.

Kester not only led the Bullettes in assists with 661, but also saw her assists per game average jump to 6.2 in 2004, up nearly one half an assist per game from last year. The talented senior also led the Bullettes in serving percentage at .962. She served successfully on 331 of 344 serves during the year and recorded 34 aces and was second on the team in blocks with 77.

Ertz came into her own this year after moving to the outside hitting spot late last year according to Jandrey. "Lydia has really come a long way. There was a time last year when she wasn't playing much. Then we moved her to the outside and she really took to that role," Jandrey said.

Ertz finished 2004 second on the team in kills with 193 for an average of 1.8 per game. Her hitting percentage was .191.
McLaughlin was a middle hitter for Mediapolis who showed great improvement through out the year according to Jandrey. "She progressed further than anyone from last year to this year. We needed someone else in the middle and she really stepped up. She is willing to try to learn to do whatever you ask her," Jandrey said.

McLaughlin was second on the team in hitting efficiency at .201, third in kills with 115 (1.1 per game) and third in blocks with 58.

Scott was another of the back row players who helped make the Bullettes such an excellent passing team. "She was second in serve reception and was also responsible for our passing success," Jandrey said.

Scott serve received at a rate of .801 and had 143 digs, which placed her third on the team. While a defensive specialist, Scott also played a key role in the offense as she led the team in service aces with 51, which figured out to a half of an ace in every game in which she played.

Jandrey seemed pleased with the selections. "I am happy to see the girls get the recognition," he said.

Despite finishing with just a 3-4 mark in division play, Columbus led in first team players with four. Iowa Mennonite, who finished in a tie for second with Mediapolis and Highland for second, placed three players on the first unit, as did undefeated champion Wapello. Highland had just one player named to the first team. Wapello coach Ken Spielbauer was selected as the division's Coach of the year.