The Blair High School volleyball team turned a little more than a week's worth of preseason practices into a 3-1 exhibition victory Tuesday at Omaha Northwest.
After the 25-22, 22-25, 26-24 and 25-23 success, three of the most veteran Bears said to expect more of the same when the season officially begins next Thursday at Lincoln Standing Bear.
“I think it was just a really good season-opener for us, coming up with the win,” said senior Taylor Mostek, who's started every match of her BHS career. “There was so many moments in the game where we had highs and our lows, but it just showed how mentally tough we were.”
“The energy was huge tonight and I think that will keep going, for sure,” setter Hailey Roewert added.
Senior Nicki Wendt liked what she saw, too, but explained how the exhibition win on the Class A Huskies' home floor was just the beginning.
“You can definitely expect way more out of us because this is just a start,” she said. “We've only had a few practices, so everything's only going to build from here.”
Altogether, first-year head coach Jess Lansman — fresh off of her own championship-winning pro season with the Omaha Supernovas this past spring — returns seven players who earned at least one start last fall. Ten of her players are past letter winners, too.
On Tuesday, though, Lansman stuck with her top rotation, treating the exhibition match like a regular season one. Blair earned a 25-22 first-set victory against Northwest, coming back from a 21-18 deficit. Madeline Chikos delivered set point, hammering the ball through the Huskies' block.
The home team bounced back, though, winning the second set before BHS again fought back to win the third. Mostek's kill off of a block evened the score at 24-all before Emma Ammon eventually gave her squad a 2-1 lead with a service ace.
Two more Ammon aces — plus a late Mostek kill — gave the Bears a 24-23 lead during the fourth set, too. The match-point situation turned into a Blair win when Northwest hit the ball out of bounds to cap the night's efforts.
Mostek, Roewert and Wendt were all asked for and named their MVPs after the match. Mostek picked her setter, Roewert.
“We can't do anything without her,” the senior said. “She's always giving us great balls. She's always aggressive at the net, holding the block for us. She's in the back row getting digs for us. She does it all.”
Wendt, meanwhile, named both Mostek and Ammon.
“Taylor did everything she could to fight on the outside because their block was amazing,” No. 11 said. “She still found a way to kill the ball.”
Wendt gave Ammon credit for her serve work.
“Even in the most mentally tough situations she got it done and pulled off a win for us,” the senior said. “That really helped.”
Roewert, though, couldn't pick just one or two MVPs. She said it was complete team effort to start the season with a win even if it doesn't officially count.
“That shows a lot about a team,” the setter explained.
The Bears, collectively, said Coach Lansman, a past BHS assistant, is fostering a positive environment in her volleyball program.
“We all have each other,” Roewert said. “It's like a sisterhood out here and Jess is amazing, obviously.”
Mostek said Blair is, ultimately, looking forward to enjoying itself this season.
“When you have fun on the court, you perform well,” she explained. “The energy is always high and it's just fun to be there.”
The hope is that fun will lead to victories this fall. BHS hasn't reached the Class B state tournament since 1997, but Mostek isn't limiting this group at all as it seeks a deep postseason run.
“We just have to work really hard and love each other,” she said.
On Tuesday night, the Bears worked and won in Omaha as the season's official start inches closer day-by-day, exhibition-by-exhibition and practice-by-practice.
IF YOU GO
What: Blair at Lincoln Standing Bear, BHS' season-opener
When: 7 p.m., Aug. 29
Where: Lincoln Standing Bear High School
Note: Before they officially open the season, the Bears host a 5:30 p.m. scrimmage today.
