Spartans maintain pace for share of Rolling Valley title

 ELK HORN -- And then there were two.
 The tie atop the Rolling Valley Conference volleyball standings was whittled down to just a pair here Tuesday night after Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton handled Coon Rapids-Bayard in four sets (25-16, 25-10, 22-25, 25-18).
 The Spartans (11-12 overall) won their fifth straight conference match since falling to Glidden-Ralston in early September and improved their league mark to 5-1 with four RVC matches to go.
 Exira-EHK and G-R (6-1) remain tied for first place in the loss column while CR-B (10-10, 6-2) has now dropped into third.
 Tuesday’s impressive Senior Night win was a big one for second-year head coach Hilary Runyan’s squad, which is determined to make its mark on the walls of the Spartan gymnasium in Elk Horn.