The Knoxville Volleyball Squad embarks on its road to Iowa City tonight with a first round home match with Newton. The Panthers have not been shy about having the State Tournament as a goal, something Knoxville has not accomplished since 1992. The Cardinals finished 1-5 in the rigorous Little Hawkeye Conference and are 15-13 overall. Panthers Coach Mollie Keitges tells KNIA/KRLS Sports while Newton was near the bottom of the LHC, the schedule and being a 4A school makes the Cardinals a team not to be taken lightly.

Keitges: “They’re no slouch at all so we’re going to be ready to play. I hope our experience in the regionals will help us along with our crowd support, love the Panther Pit and what they do.”

The two teams played this season with Knoxville sweeping the Cardinals in two sets in the Des Moines Christian Invitational earlier in the season. In the Bound Era the Cardinals actually have a 14-10 lead in the series, but Knoxville have won the last six matches dating back 2018. First serve in Knoxville is at 7:00. A win by the Panthers sends them to Nevada on Thursday.