2023 NSAA State Championship Recap: Day 1

What an opening day in Lincoln.

We're on the scene to cover all the standouts, recaps, and winners from the 2023 NSAA State Championships. Day 1 is complete with Class A, B, and C1 taking the stage at Pinnacle Bank Arena for the quarterfinal round.

Here's the rundown.

Class A

Wednesday's quarterfinals wrapped up with Class A--and it felt like the perfect way to close things out.

The north court was thrust into a rivalry tilt with #1 Papillion-La Vista South facing #8 Papillion-La Vista. Grudges aside, this pairing brought extra intrigue with the Monarchs handing Papio South its only loss of the regular season in the Metro Conference Tournament. The state championship crowd would surely supplement the ever-evolving feud between these neighbors.

On the other end of the tarp, second-seeded Lincoln Southwest welcomed Lincoln Pius X in another conference clash. The stage was set for a memorable night.

If there's a team that looked razor sharp from beginning to end in Wave 1, it was Lincoln Southwest. The Silver Hawks quickly took care of Pius X in a three-set sweep to reach the semifinals for a second consecutive year.

Spectacular seniors were the torchbearers for LSW. That includes the platoon of D1-bound attackers like [player_tooltip player_id='152857' first='Emerson' last='Lionberger'] and [player_tooltip player_id='152858' first='Madison' last='Rink'], both of whom shift opposing strategies when they rotate into the match. Then, you combine that with the all-around influence of senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='104989' first='Malayah' last='Long']. The Marquette commit has a superior feel for tempo and location that gets better with experience. Nebraska doesn't have many like Long.

The Thunderbolts found a groove late in the match by working the ball to [player_tooltip player_id='189362' first='Faith' last='Venable'], a junior middle blocker who has become the most terminal weapon for Pius X. [player_tooltip player_id='462567' first='Keeleigh' last='Knobbe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='276212' first='Ava' last='Markowski'] had breakout seasons on the pins, but it wasn't enough to quell the ever-efficient Silver Hawks.

With the South Court reaching a quick conclusion, all eyes were on the instant classic unfolding between Papio and Papio South.

From the first serve, the Monarchs looked like a motivated, loose #8 team playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Papio built on the things that led to victory in the Metro Conference Tournament. [player_tooltip player_id='109603' first='Mia' last='Tvrdy'] was executing the slide to perfection. Her connection with senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='109586' first='Reagan' last='Hickey'] was flourishing, and Hickey kept other hitters going when Tvrdy was not an option. Outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='109602' first='Morgan' last='Glaser'] dented the crosscourt on multiple occasions.

Papio seized control of Set 1 and won by a comfortable margin. The challenge was to prove that this win wasn't a fluke. Challenge accepted.

The Monarchs found more energy through their floor defense, particularly with senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='104984' first='Faith' last='Frame'] digging heat in the left-back area. Papio was suddenly up 2-0 and kept rolling in the third.

It all came to a climax as the Monarchs led 24-21 in Set 3 with a chance to shut out their rivals. This was it.

But Papio South is a two-time defending champ for a reason. This group is resilient. A steady dose of [player_tooltip player_id='109585' first='Lauren' last='Medeck'], our top player in Nebraska's senior class, pulled the Titans back from the brink. This miraculous stretch helped Papio South tie the set at 24, fight off another match point, and eventually win 28-26.

From Papio's perspective, it's hard to bounce back after being so close. Indeed, Papio South came out firing after the big win. Freshman middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='458153' first='Lyric' last='Judson'] was a popular choice for Titan setter [player_tooltip player_id='155053' first='Charlee' last='Solomon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='109587' first='Kyla' last='Dyrstad']. [player_tooltip player_id='275896' first='Kami' last='Dyrstad'] stepped up her defensive reads in the libero jersey. This felt like another five-set collision.

However, with the spirit of the underdog, Papio pieced together a late scoring run behind aggressive serving and error-free volleyball. Frame embraced contact against Medeck's heavy heat. Tvrdy scored the final kill as the #8 seed eliminated its archrival.

The final wave of the night featured a quartet of eager teams. A couple were returning powerhouses from last year's tournament while the other two were making their first trip in a while.

Our 3-versus-6 contest pitted defending Class A runner-up Omaha Westside against sixth-seeded Grand Island.

The first two sets were all about the dominant Westside frontcourt. That encompasses attacking and blocking, too. Right-side hitter and Creighton commit [player_tooltip player_id='155047' first='Ashlyn' last='Paymal'] has proven to be a game-changer in the lineup this year, but there are so many other terminal hitters around her. [player_tooltip player_id='122761' first='Eleanor' last='Brislen'] is finding her form as a senior alongside her longtime pin-hitting counterpart [player_tooltip player_id='124775' first='Tatum' last='Godinez']. We have plenty of memories of this duo and added a few more on Wednesday night.

A 2-0 hole could have sunk Grand Island, but the Islanders were determined to make the most of their historic trip to the state tournament. Set 3 was dominated by the Islanders, who still had to fend off a late Westside push to win the frame. [player_tooltip player_id='155042' first='Tia' last='Traudt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='104983' first='Haedyn' last='Hoos'] elevated their out-of-system attack while [player_tooltip player_id='393554' first='Keira' last='Jones'] made herself known in the middle. Star libero [player_tooltip player_id='450530' first='Jaylen' last='Hansen'] showcased her bravery along the end line.

Grand Island rode the wave into Set 4 and inched closer to Set 5. However, Westside rocketed back through some strong serving from Brislen and more dominance from Paymal. Omaha Westside converted on its first match point to seal it in four.

On the other end, third-seeded Lincoln East welcomed Bellevue West on the South Court, where a back-and-forth battle ensued. Just another day in Class A.

The first strike was landed by Lincoln East, which was back for a second consecutive year with a lot of new faces. Senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='104986' first='Shandy' last='Faalii'] remained the workhorse on the left pin. She was accompanied by fellow veterans [player_tooltip player_id='109612' first='Megan' last='Waters'] and [player_tooltip player_id='187800' first='Brynne' last='Topolski'], both of whom showed their pin-hitting range in Wednesday's contest. [player_tooltip player_id='393553' first='Mandy' last='Mettscher'] stepped in at setter to keep everything balanced.

Though Lincoln East rolled in Set 1, the sixth-seeded Thunderbirds had a new gear to find. Bellevue West's best attacking commodity has been senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='122824' first='Kayla' last='Eggiman'], who has shouldered a major six-rotation role in her final season. [player_tooltip player_id='464932' first='Angela' last='Berger']'s strong season at libero also helped catalyze Bellevue West's first trip to the tournament in a few years. We're also obliged to mention Tessa Reistma, who has taken a big step forward as an upperclassman.

We soon found ourselves with a tied match. Lincoln East then rediscovered its groove from Set 1 and swiped Set 3 in convincing fashion. Would this be the time for the Spartans to slam the door?

As we approached 10 p.m., Bellevue West clearly wasn't feeling fatigued. The Thunderbirds kept the oscillating pattern going with a strong start to Set 4. One of our night finales was going to five.

It seemed right that the two sides finally met in the middle to produce a deuce nail-biter in the fifth set. Bellevue West finally brought the match to its conclusion with a 20-18 win to reach the semifinals for the first time in almost two decades.

Class B

The 2023 state tournament began with the Class B quarterfinals.

Top seeds were dominant in Wednesday's opening wave. This includes #1 Norris, which picked up a 3-0 win over Scottsbluff to reach the semifinal round for the fifth consecutive year.

All components of the Titan attack were humming. Freshman setter [player_tooltip player_id='458131' first='Malorie' last='Boesiger'] dished out a balanced offense that featured terminal hitters like [player_tooltip player_id='155030' first='Anna' last='Jelinek'], [player_tooltip player_id='189322' first='Kendall' last='Cose'], and [player_tooltip player_id='105000' first='Celia' last='Spilker']. The offense was bolstered by consistent backcourt play from Norris's army of defensive specialists. [player_tooltip player_id='189328' first='Rya' last='Borer'], [player_tooltip player_id='187687' first='Grayson' last='Piening'], [player_tooltip player_id='105830' first='Sydney' last='Guthard'], and [player_tooltip player_id='105001' first='Alivia' last='Hausmann'] all pitch in along the end line.

Scottsbluff's best volleyball came in Set 2, which was tied at 19 after a back-and-forth struggle. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='253914' first='Ella' last='Foote'] and [player_tooltip player_id='492308' first='Paige' last='Horne'] anchored the offense. Still, Norris mustered enough late momentum to take the set and, eventually, the match.

Second-seeded Elkhorn North clinched a third-straight semifinal berth with a 3-0 win over Seward. Familiar stars like [player_tooltip player_id='155043' first='Shay' last='Heaney'], [player_tooltip player_id='109593' first='Reese' last='Booth'], and [player_tooltip player_id='152906' first='Ava' last='Spies'] demonstrated their tight connection that has blossomed over multiple seasons. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='212055' first='Delaney' last='Briganti'] had a breakout match from the middle blocker spot across from rising superstar freshman [player_tooltip player_id='445956' first='Reagan' last='Wallraff'].

Seward countered with the frontcourt firepower we've seen on this stage before. [player_tooltip player_id='269908' first='Kelsey' last='Miller'] was a force in the middle alongside outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='521269' first='Kennedy' last='Dominy']. [player_tooltip player_id='269961' first='Abby' last='Covalt'] was the clear defensive leader.

The margin for error slimmed in our second wave of Class B quarterfinals, which featured some familiar adversaries and an eight-time defending champion.

#4 Bennington made a statement with its 3-0 win against Gretna East, but the match was much closer than the set scoreline would indicate. The Badgers needed a pair of hefty comebacks in Set 2 and Set 3 with Gretna East's offense getting out to fast starts.

Senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='109590' first='Olivia' last='Mauch'] was back to her stellar form for Bennington. The Nebraska commit was unbreakable in tip coverage and was equally valuable in serve receive. This backcourt dominance allowed attackers like [player_tooltip player_id='179361' first='Madelyn' last='Uhlir'] and [player_tooltip player_id='253919' first='Hayden' last='Liebsack'] to find their stride in clutch moments.

The Griffins leaned on their year-long leaders. [player_tooltip player_id='209291' first='Hayden' last='Hart']'s quick arm produced huge scoring bursts, which is nothing new for the high-flying junior. When Gretna East was in system, junior middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='189352' first='Hailey' last='Levinson'] was another go-to target. [player_tooltip player_id='230003' first='Nyah' last='Potthoff'] bound the first-year program together at setter.

The other Wave 2 quarterfinal featured Omaha Skutt Catholic and Waverly--two schools that have produced their share of state tournament classics. Wednesday's bout was no different.

Skutt Catholic, Class B's eight-time defending champion, seized an early advantage by winning the first two sets. It required some clutch performances with both teams effectively deadlocked for most of those two frames. Sophomore outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='275935' first='Addison' last='West'] was the unquestioned go-to in these situations, and [player_tooltip player_id='173527' first='Abbie' last='Hagedorn'] was just as productive on the other side of the dial. We got a look at Skutt Catholic's two-headed monster at setter, as [player_tooltip player_id='173517' first='Meghan' last='Anderson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='155045' first='Brooke' last='Banker'] both made appearances.

Waverly forged a response in Set 3. Senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='187798' first='Caylee' last='Rowley'] got more comfortable as the match progressed. She found reliable options in senior opposite [player_tooltip player_id='187686' first='Eden' last='Moore'], sophomore middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='497375' first='Aubrie' last='Lierman'], and freshman outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='458123' first='Hallie' last='Lauenstein']. [player_tooltip player_id='187688' first='Joslyn' last='Rice'] was impenetrable in the back row as the senior went toe-to-toe with her counterpart form Skutt Catholic, USC commit [player_tooltip player_id='109597' first='Paisley' last='Douglas'].

A 26-24 win in Set 3 seemingly set the Vikings up for a comeback run. Waverly was up big in Set 4 and was looking for a race to 15. However, the scrappy SkyHawk floor defense narrowed the gap and tied the set late. Skutt Catholic prevailed on a frantic final rally to keep the nine-peat dreams alive.

Class C1

Class C1 occupied the middle portion of Wednesday's action.

Frist, the top seeds. Wave 1 was packed with powerhouses as #1 Kearney Catholic battled #8 Syracuse and #2 Minden met defending C1 champion Grand Island Central Catholic.

The north court produced a closer match than you might expect from a 1-8 pairing. Kearney Catholic came to Lincoln as the hottest team in C1 but faced stiff resistance from a seasoned Syracuse squad. The ever-reliable senior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='105008' first='Delainey' last='Cast'] and [player_tooltip player_id='105009' first='Kadyn' last='Sisco'] produced some floor-denting kills for the Rockets. Meanwhile, sophomore libero [player_tooltip player_id='497385' first='Bridget' last='Donovan'] is quickly asserting herself as one of Nebraska's best small-town liberos. She's entering the spotlight after Wednesday's performance.

Despite Syracuse's spectacular efforts, Kearney Catholic narrowly swiped a two-point win in Set 1. The Stars channeled their core of seniors to make a late comeback. [player_tooltip player_id='393535' first='Callie' last='Squiers'] set up important kills for [player_tooltip player_id='393536' first='Margaret' last='Haarberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='256642' first='Londyn' last='Carnes'], among many others. Maleigh Johnson, another senior, dimed some crucial passes in the back row.

This Set 1 breakthrough yielded a more comfortable win in Set 2 to go up 2-0. Kearney Catholic withstood another Rocket surge to win a deuce Set 3 and complete the sweep.

Meanwhile, we had a collision of Class C1 titans on the south court with Minden facing Grand Island Central Catholic. Like our 1-8 matchup, this contest started with a close Set 1 that eventually went to the higher seed. The Whippets leveraged their familiar outside hitter tandem of [player_tooltip player_id='173530' first='Mattie' last='Kamery'] and [player_tooltip player_id='276201' first='Myla' last='Emery'], both of whom can also set in the back row. Makenna Starkey made her mark in the middle.

After that, it was total Whippet dominance to win in a sweep. GICC showed flashes from veterans like [player_tooltip player_id='104674' first='Carolyn' last='Maser'], [player_tooltip player_id='256658' first='Tristyn' last='Hedman'], and [player_tooltip player_id='492332' first='Madison' last='Schneider'], but it wasn't enough to fend off the mighty Whippet machine.

Class C1 still had drama left to give in the second quarterfinal wave. Malcolm met Pierce in the 4-5 matchup while defending runner-up Gothenburg had a date with Platteview.

This time slot gave us the kind of back-and-forth pendulum swings you'd expect from such evenly-matched teams.

Malcolm struck first against Pierce in the north court contest. The Clippers relied on a steady dose of outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='275894' first='Halle' last='Dolliver'], which is nothing unusual based on last year's state tournament. But sophomore setter [player_tooltip player_id='464916' first='McKenna' last='Powell'] spreads it around effectively, allowing middle blockers Jordan Brown and [player_tooltip player_id='458168' first='Laurel' last='Johnson'] to thrive.

Pierce tied the match with a narrow 25-23 triumph in Set 2. The Bluejays know when to ride their hot hand, and that's usually senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='152902' first='Jaya' last='Wachholtz']. When she's not the one putting balls away in the frontcourt, fellow left-side hitter [player_tooltip player_id='498907' first='Nora' last='Herian'] is another safe bet. Junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='462587' first='Skylar' last='Scholting'] ensures that the Pierce offense isn't too predictable.

Set 3 progressed much like Set 2 with neither team finding much separation on the scoreboard. In the end, Malcolm limited its errors just enough to prevail, 25-23.

The Bluejays weren't done, however. A scoring surge midway through Set 4 brought Pierce to the cusp of forcing a fifth. The lead held firm, and we were heading to our first five-set contest of the tournament.

Fittingly, the deciding frame went back to the deuce theme that prevailed throughout the match. Pierce surged behind its Set 4 win and claimed a 17-15 triumph to reach the semifinals. Wachholtz notched the winning kills as we saw the first upset of the day.

The South Court chose to produce thrilling moments in lockstep with the adjacent North Court. This also looked like an upset in the making with #6 Platteview jumping out to a hot start against third-seeded and defending runner-up Gothenburg.

Platteview's pin duo is among C1's best. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='122815' first='Lexi' last='Hans'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='189374' first='Abree' last='Plueger'] churned out an onslaught of attacking volume as the Trojans soared to a Set 1 win. Middle blockers [player_tooltip player_id='257188' first='Brooklyn' last='Stehlik'] and [player_tooltip player_id='256646' first='Kate' last='Roseland'] joined in to give Platteview a wide array of frontcourt options.

However, Gothenburg had the balance to keep pace. [player_tooltip player_id='104982' first='Clara' last='Evert'] is clearly the focal point, but the Swedes look formidable when middle blockers [player_tooltip player_id='459979' first='Madison' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='104981' first='Aubrey' last='O'Hare'] start racking up kills. O'Hare even has a dual role as a setter, making her one of the most unique players in Class C1.

After the Swedes battled back to take the second, chaos ensued in Set 3. The electric crowd was treated to the longest set of the day, which ended in a 31-29 decision for Platteview. This would have been the upset of the day.

But Gothenburg had a final push left. The Swedes rallied from an early Set 4 deficit to force a deciding fifth. That familiar dose of pressure seemed to push Gothenburg forward as the #3 seed took the match, 3-2. Evert clinched it on match point. Both matches in this wave featured 1-2 comebacks with featured senior outside hitters sealing the deal. A state championship staple.