West Delaware, Mount Vernon make history with outdoor volleyball in Iowa

It was the first outdoor sanctioned high school volleyball match in Iowa

The first sanctioned outdoor high school volleyball match in Iowa was played Tuesday night. / Photo courtesy of the IGHSAU

A high school volleyball match was played outdoors in Iowa for the first time Tuesday night

Mount Vernon, ranked first in Class 3A, and No. 9 West Delaware battled in Manchester on a court built atop the football field. The Wamac Conference East division rivals made history as the first sanctioned prep contest to be contested outside.

An overflow crowd watched as West Delaware stormed out to a 2-0 lead before Mount Vernon rallied, taking the final three sets and the match.

Weather conditions for the event were nearly perfect as temperatures hovered in the mid-70s with just a slight wind and no clouds in the sky.

Entering the night, Mount Vernon had won each of the previous four meetings, including a five-set victory last September.

Mount Vernon went 35-5 last season and finished second at state while West Delaware reached a regional final and went 26-15.

History was made with an outdoor volleyball match in Iowa on Tuesday night. / Photo courtesy of IGHSAU