By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa Indians had a tough task in front of them on Tuesday night as they traveled to 4A #4 Norwalk for a Little Hawkeye Conference bout.

You wouldn’t have known it based on how the action began, though: in the opening set, Oskaloosa looked ready to meet the moment as they jumped out to a 13-6 lead. The Indians were able to offset their inexperience with energy and composure, and the Warriors did not appear to be ready for such a challenge. Rotating almost their entire roster into the lineup throughout the match, the Indians brought a level of unpredictability to the table that proved to be a bit difficult for the Warriors to handle at first.

However, the Warriors soon rounded into form. After falling behind 13-6, they scored 7 consecutive points to tie it up. After the two teams traded 3 points apiece, the Warriors again embarked on a lengthy run and ultimately put the first set away, 25-19.

They would ride the wave of momentum in the second set, which began poorly for the Indians and they were not able to recover by the end of the set. Norwalk staked a 10-1 lead and won the set 25-8.

The Indians would not, however, go quietly. The 3rd set proved to be the most competitive of the bunch, and it featured a late rally by the Indians to once again force the Warriors to earn the victory. Osky fell behind 20-11, but they went on a 7-1 run to make things interesting. In the end, though, the Warriors would close the deal, 25-20, to secure the sweep.

Despite the loss, the Indians’ young group demonstrated great resiliency in the face of a very talented and experienced team on the road. A total of 12 different Indian players saw playing time during the match, gaining valuable experience and showing that they were more than capable of having their moments against a top 5 ranked team.

Oskaloosa (2-11) will next suit up this Saturday for a tournament in Southeast Polk.