North Nodaway’s volleyball team only got one win in their first two years of existence. But they picked up their second win of the year, beating West Nodaway in four sets. They previously beat Union Star at the start of the campaign. They started off strong, winning the first set 25-8. They struggled in the second set, falling 20-25. They recovered to win the third set 25-18 and built up a big lead in the fourth set behind the serving of Jacquelyn Cline. But in a precursor of the Worth County/Albany game the next night, the Mustangs had an epic meltdown, losing the lead to the Rockets. But then the righted the ship and went on to win 25-19.
The big difference between Thursday’s game and the South Holt game was the fact that the Mustangs kept their composure when things did not go their way. North Nodaway had a winnable game against South Holt, which came into that game at 1-4, rallied to take a 21-20 lead in the first set, but then lost the next five points and then proceeded to lose the next two sets. But against West Nodaway, they did not get down on themselves when the Rockets made one of their big runs, finding their second and third wind.
North Nodaway was shorthanded, playing without Sarah Chesnut, who was injured in the previous game. That forced them to adjust, as Chesnut is one of two setters on the floor along with Cline. But it didn’t matter, as they broke out to a 15-0 run, fueled by Jadon Dobbins and her bullet serves; she had six aces during the run. Lauren Herndon got a tip, and Karissa Oberhauser and Dobbins both got kills. West Nodaway got the next five points, but never got closer than 10, and a pair of tips from Dobbins at the end finished it.
Lauren Herndon fueled the Mustangs to an 11-10 lead in the second set, getting a cross spike, a jump serve ace, and a tip; Jacquelyn Cline added a kill and Saylor Brown added a block. Several of the players are learning jump serves, which are a lot harder to handle. But then Riley Linville, who kept the Rockets going throughout the match, took over, getting several aces and kills as the Rockets took control for the win. North Nodaway struggled with their hitting that game.
Service aces from Jacquelyn Cline and Lauren Herndon, a tip from Saylor Brown, and a kill from Karissa Oberhauser put the Mustangs up 9-3 at the outset of the third match. West Nodaway closed to as close as 9-6, but then a pair of aces from Saylor Brown restored order for the Mustangs, and the hitting of Saryn Brown put the Mustangs up as much as 23-14. Linville fueled a late Rocket run and Abby Bragg added an ace, but then Lauren Herndon got a block for the final point.
North Nodaway seemed to pick off where they left off in the first set. After dropping the first two points, they were fueled by the serving of Jacquelyn Cline, who got six aces in a 10-0 run that put them up 10-2. Saylor Brown added a kill, and Lauren Herndon added a block. Herndon’s ace made it 12-3, but then disaster nearly struck as Linville got to the serve, and North Nodaway couldn’t handle her hard deliveries, as she got four aces in an 8-0 run that made it a game again at 12-11. The Mustangs then fell behind 17-15, but then they stopped the bleeding and Tessa Steele got a critical kill to put the Mustangs back out in front, placing one perfectly just in front of the back line to make it 18-17. Her defense on Linville down the stretch was key, as she forced her into some bad hits.
Under new coach Emily Bix, the Mustangs have eight players that they can rely on in key situations. She said that the chemistry was good, and that they all picked each other up when things did not go their way. Serving has become a strength for the young squad. “When we get those aces, it gets us up and sets the tone for the whole game,” said Herndon. The players are starting to buy in to the system. “It helps having a coach who has played and who can help us out,” said Herndon. “We’ve played together since junior high down, and we don’t let adversity get to us anymore.”
Bix credited several of her players for making critical plays during the game. Easily one of the most improved is Steele, who has emerged as one of the most versatile players on the team. “She can play any position, and I can use her to give one of the other players a break and talk to them,” said Bix.
The two freshmen, Lauren Herndon and Saryn Brown, have been a spark for the squad. Herndon, along with Saylor Brown, have given North Nodaway a blocking game that they didn’t have before, while Saryn Brown has grown a lot since last year emerged as one of the main hitters on the squad.
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