Katilyn Steffes and the Iowa Central volleyball team have felt pressure throughout the fall.

After placing third at nationals in the spring, the Tritons have dealt with expectations on their way to reaching the No. 1 ranking in the country and winning a fourth consecutive ICCAC regular season title.

Now, second-ranked Iowa Central has reached its final destination as they will contend for a national championship at the NJCAA Div. II Tournament in Cedar Rapids beginning Thursday vs. Mott at 11 a.m. 

For Steffes and her teammates, all of those expectations have helped drive them.

"We definitely all have felt the pressure at some time during the season but I think we do a good job at helping each other out on the court and trying to lift people up," Steffes said. "Everyone is going to have a bad play or not play as good as they want to but we just have to rely on each other that we got each other's backs and we can get through anything."

At nationals in the spring, Steffes earned all-tournament honors as the Tritons secured their highest finish in program history. She is one of several returning regulars back along with Angel Baylark, Molly McCauley, Bailey Dugan, Baylyn Johnson, Haley Alharithy and Alesha Johnson.  

"We definitely had more expectations for us this year because most of our starting lineup is back and everyone knows what we're capable of so we just have to play perfect and execute," she said. "We have a very sophomore-led team so I think that most of us that got to experience nationals last year will help the other girls out that hasn't yet. There's a lot of nerves when you play at a big stage like that with a national title on the line so we'll be a good shoulder for them to lean on.

"But for us also I think we won't have as many nerves as we had last year. We've been there, we know what to expect; now it's time to work for what we have been all season."

Steffes has recorded 443 kills this year with 69 blocks, 324 digs and 18 serving aces. In her career, she has 683 kills, 102 total blocks, 510 digs and 42 aces. 

"I'm very excited to get another chance to play for a national title," she said. "We're more experienced than last year, we've been there before and have played a lot of these teams here that we're going to see. I know all of us want to make school history so we're gonna go harder than ever."

-By Dana Becker