On December 6th, the University of Iowa hosted their inaugural match, their official debut into the league. The event consisted of three NCDA matches, one mixed NCDA formatted game, and one no-sting game, each of which provided priceless experience for the budding team. Below are the game recaps and some brief interview questions each team answered, so take a look at how the day went!
UWP vs Iowa (6-0)
The first game of the day started off without a hitch. UWP came in strong and synchronized with ball control on their side while Iowa threw whenever they could. Big thanks to UWP’s veteran alumni, Nicholas Stocks, for helping Iowa find their footing and for helping them build their confidence and strategy! Platteville was more vocal in their communication than Iowa, and they were more conservative with the number of balls they threw. Even though they are a brand new team, they pulled off some great outs on Platteville and made some awesome grabs. Throughout the game, the pace of their attacks began to click and they fell into a more obvious groove as a team. While they didn’t score any points in this game, Iowa shows great athleticism and potential as rookie team. It’s exciting to think of how they’ll continue to grow and improve in the league.
UNL vs Iowa (9-0)
Nebraska is really good at not underestimating their opponent; they always come in hard and fast regardless of who they are playing. This is evident in how quickly they scored points on Iowa. But Iowa wasn’t hung out to dry! Over the course of the game, they obtained several outs and catches on UNL which hints towards their growing confidence and understanding of the game. They showed no fear when pushed to their backline without ball control, and their spontaneity kept UNL on their toes. UNL managed to take five points by half-time. As the game continues, the points got longer and longer as Iowa continued to fall into place. They began to strategize more on when to throw, where to throw, and when to set up team throws. In the end, Iowa prevented the final point from being completed, and the game ended UNL 9-0 Iowa.
UNL vs UWP (4-3 OT)
The temperature ramped up as Platteville and Nebraska faced off again. The first point was in Platteville’s favor as they maintained excellent pressure with pump fakes and moving as a unified front. They took the first point with nearly a full squad on the court and came into the second point with a boost of confidence. UNL was pushed to their backline without ball control, but they repeatedly utilized wall-ball (hitting off the bleachers) to keep the balls on their side. UNL took the second point much like UWP took the first, and the third point started with just over ten minutes left in the half. Again, UNL is kept at their backline and are picked off one by one, but UWP is unable to get them all before a shot clock violation is called on them. Miraculously, after a catch made by UWP, a time out was called by UNL with only 16 seconds on the clock, UWP was able to take the point after a three person team throw to end the half. The first point of the second half went to UWP while the next two went to UNL, tying up the game, forcing overtime. Things really ramped up as each team scored out after out and catches were made, but UNL came out on top in a final 3 vs 1 fight for the win.
Mixed UWP B vs Iowa (3-1)
Iowa was the only team who played three games, and their final game was against UWP’s B team. This game was a great opportunity for Iowa to play another team, and it allowed Platteville’s rookies to play a full game with some vets building their leadership skills. UWP B took two points by the time half time rolled around, and they took the first point in the second half. Iowa was able to score their first point on the day and of the season against UWP B at the end of the second half but leaving the final point played unfinished.
UNL/UWP mix vs UWP No-Sting (7-1)
After the court was set up, teams were split up into a mixed A team and a mixed B team. The mixed B team held out strong by preventing the A team from scoring anything in the first half and heading into half time with a score of 3-0. Mixed A came back strong after a short half time and scored a speedy point in just a few minutes, but mixed B replied to that fast point with a quick point of their own. Mixed team B took two more points after that, but mixed A prevented them from scoring one last point as the game ended. Overall, it was a fun game and valuable experience for the rookies and vets alike.
Interview Questions
Below are a few questions sent to the teams asking about the games and the event. Take a look at what the players had to say!
Q. Overall, how did your team perform at this tournament? How did the event go?
Lucas Hesson (Iowa) (LH): Overall, I think we are very proud as a team, although we didn’t get an official win in the books. We were all impressed with the skills we showcased, especially for a new team. The event went well in the sense that we learned so much from getting experience in the league. There was clear improvement from the whole team as the event went on, which was great to see.
Malaki Shriner-Horne (UNL) (MSH): The team overall did really good. Most of the team had to wake up at 4AM to travel to Iowa and we were very fatigued but the team was able to overcome this and was able to leave with 2 more wins.
Ben Breidenbach (UWP) (BB): Overall, the team performed really well. We were communicating effectively and our throws were connecting. We felt like a team that weekend. The event went great as we went 1-1 on the weekend, and although we lost to UNL in overtime, we fought hard till the very last point.
Q. What is one takeaway you got from playing these teams?
LH: One takeaway I got from playing these teams was that the central region is one that has great teams. In both games we played, it was obvious that the teams were prepared and had chemistry together. These teams had fantastic communication and chemistry, which is something we hope to emulate.
MSH: My team is improving everyday and always challenging themselves. Our rookies have all improved so much since our 1st tournament and they are definitely players that need to be looked at for the next coming tournaments.
BB: My biggest takeaway from this weekend was just how dedicated and passionate every member of our opponents are. Even in defeat, Iowa was still in high spirits and eager to play UNL. And UNL fought especially hard against us to secure the win on the weekend.
Q. What changes and/or additions do you hope to implement by your next tournament?
LH: Building off of the last question, I think we need to work on communication and togetherness as a team. We would benefit from talking about team throws and working together as groups when making plays on the courts. I am hoping we also show aggressiveness to get ball control on the court.
MSH: We hope to be able to progress with moving as a unit and hopefully fix mistakes with a couple players going out on their own.
BB: I’ve got a few ideas for changes for our team that I’m hoping to implement before our next tournament, but the most present in my mind is our mindset. I hate to see us lose, but I especially hate to see our spirits broken. I’d like to reinforce that it’s ok to lose, we just need to work harder and keep our heads up.
Q. What is one or two highlights from your team?
LH: One highlight was our win against the Platteville B team. Even though it doesn’t go in the official record books, it gave us lots of confidence that we had what it takes to get a victory in the NCDA. A second highlight was the rally we had going against Nebraska. I don’t remember what specific match it was, but Nolan made a few catches and outs that gave us the numbers in the point. At this point, Nebraska had to call a timeout to regroup. Although we didn’t win, it was good to put the pressure on.
MSH: We pulled out with our first overtime win against UWP. Our OT Six really stepped up to the challenge with none of us having any prior experience in an overtime point. Another highlight would be our rookies really stepping up as we have 3 rookies starting in our lineup.
BB: A few highlights from my team includes the incredible pressure from the middle of the court as well as ball fakes from Maisie Montemurno, and Reagan Bucholtz. As well as the more than valuable explosion of progression from all of our rookies.
Final Thoughts
This tournament is a huge step forward for the league as it continues to grow. It gives the central region more chances to play without having to travel as far, and is drawing more eyes to the sport. Shout out again to UWP’s veteran alumni, Nicholas Stocks, for supporting and coaching Iowa throughout the day, and big thanks for the team for hosting the event.
If you missed out on any of the games, check out the UW-Platteville Dodgeball Club’s YouTube channel for the streams, and check out the teams’ socials for highlights!