Prep volleyball: Ottumwa spikers open season at Carlisle quad

CARLISLE — The Ottumwa High School volleyball season began with three competitive matches at the Carlisle quadrangular tournament on Monday.

The Bulldogs dropped tough decisions to No. 15 (4A) Knoxville and Carlisle during the tournament, falling 21-18 and 21-15 to the 15th-ranked Panthers before ending the night with a 21-15, 21-18 loss to the Wildcats. Ottumwa picked up its first win in the second match of the night, sweeping Oskaloosa 21-10 and 21-19.

Emma Ryder led the Bulldogs at the net in her varsity debut as the 6-2 freshman collected a pair of solo blocks while matching Alli Goedken with five kills against Knoxville. Lily Garrison led Ottumwa with 13 assists and matched Goedken with a team-leading 10 digs against the Panthers.

Goedken continued her stellar play at the net against Oskaloosa, collecting four of Ottumwa's 14 kills in the season's first win going 9-10 hitting at the net. Garrison added 12 assists and seven digs while Ryder served up a team-leading three aces against the Indians.

Ottumwa (1-2) hosts Mount Pleasant and Davis County in the team's home-opening triangular.