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 Emerson Lionberger Emerson Lionberger 6'0" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE and Madison Rink Madison Rink 6'2" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE , both of whom shift opposing strategies when they rotate into the match. Then, you combine that with the all-around influence of senior setter Malayah Long Malayah Long 6'0" | S Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State #142 Nation NE . 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 Faith Venable Faith Venable 6'1" | MB Lincoln Pius X | 2025 State NE , a junior middle blocker who has become the most terminal weapon for Pius X. Keeleigh Knobbe Keeleigh Knobbe 5'11" | OH Lincoln Pius X | 2025 State NE and Ava Markowski Ava Markowski 5'10" | OH Lincoln Pius X | 2026 State NE 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. Mia Tvrdy Mia Tvrdy 6'0" | MB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #35 Nation NE was executing the slide to perfection. Her connection with senior setter Reagan Hickey Reagan Hickey 5'8" | S Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE was flourishing, and Hickey kept other hitters going when Tvrdy was not an option. Outside hitter Morgan Glaser Morgan Glaser 6'0" | OH Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE 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 Faith Frame Faith Frame 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #167 Nation NE 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 Lauren Medeck Lauren Medeck 5'10" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State #31 Nation NE , 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 Lyric Judson Lyric Judson 5'10" | MB Papillion-La Vista South | 2027 State #107 Nation NE was a popular choice for Titan setter Charlee Solomon Charlee Solomon 5'9" | S Papillion-La Vista South | 2025 State NE and Kyla Dyrstad Kyla Dyrstad 5'6" | S Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State NE . Kami Dyrstad Kami Dyrstad 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista South | 2026 State #132 Nation NE 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 Ashlyn Paymal Ashlyn Paymal 6'2" | RS Omaha Westside | 2025 State #188 Nation NE has proven to be a game-changer in the lineup this year, but there are so many other terminal hitters around her. Eleanor Brislen Eleanor Brislen 5'11" | OH Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE is finding her form as a senior alongside her longtime pin-hitting counterpart Tatum Godinez Tatum Godinez 5'11" | RS Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE . 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. Tia Traudt Tia Traudt 6'0" | OH Grand Island | 2025 State #181 Nation NE and Haedyn Hoos Haedyn Hoos 5'9" | OH Grand Island Senior High | 2024 State NE elevated their out-of-system attack while Keira Jones Keira Jones 6'0" | RS Grand Island | 2024 State NE made herself known in the middle. Star libero Jaylen Hansen Jaylen Hansen 5'4" | DS/L Grand Island | 2024 State NE 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 Shandy Faalii Shandy Faalii 5'7" | OH Lincoln East | 2024 State NE remained the workhorse on the left pin. She was accompanied by fellow veterans Megan Waters Megan Waters 5'10" | OH Lincoln East | 2024 State NE and Brynne Topolski Brynne Topolski 5'11" | RS Lincoln East | 2024 State NE , both of whom showed their pin-hitting range in Wednesday's contest. Mandy Mettscher Mandy Mettscher 5'10" | S Lincoln East | 2024 State NE 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 Kayla Eggiman Kayla Eggiman 5'8" | OH Bellevue West | 2024 State NE , who has shouldered a major six-rotation role in her final season. Angela Berger Angela Berger 5'2" | DS/L Bellevue West | 2026 State NE '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 Malorie Boesiger dished out a balanced offense that featured terminal hitters like Anna Jelinek Anna Jelinek 5'9" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State #174 Nation NE , Kendall Cose Kendall Cose 6'0" | RS Norris | 2025 State NE , and Celia Spilker Celia Spilker 6'5" | OH Norris | 2024 State NE . The offense was bolstered by consistent backcourt play from Norris's army of defensive specialists. Rya Borer Rya Borer 5'1" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE , Grayson Piening Grayson Piening 5'8" | DS/L Norris | 2024 State NE , Sydney Guthard Sydney Guthard 5'3" | DS/L Norris | 2024 State NE , and Alivia Hausmann Alivia Hausmann 5'5" | DS/L Norris | 2024 State NE 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 Ella Foote Ella Foote 5'10" | MB Scottsbluff | 2024 State NE and Paige 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 Shay Heaney Shay Heaney 6'2" | OH Elkhorn North | 2025 State NE , Reese Booth Reese Booth 5'7" | S Elkhorn North | 2024 State NE , and Ava Spies Ava Spies 5'9" | OH Elkhorn North | 2024 State NE demonstrated their tight connection that has blossomed over multiple seasons. Senior Delaney Briganti Delaney Briganti 5'9" | MB Elkhorn North | 2024 State NE had a breakout match from the middle blocker spot across from rising superstar freshman Reagan Wallraff Reagan Wallraff 6'0" | OH/MB Elkhorn North | 2027 State #52 Nation NE .

Seward countered with the frontcourt firepower we've seen on this stage before. Kelsey Miller Kelsey Miller 6'0" | MB Seward | 2025 State NE was a force in the middle alongside outside hitter Kennedy Dominy Kennedy Dominy 5'8" | S Seward | 2027 State NE . Abby Covalt Abby Covalt 5'6" | DS/L Seward | 2025 State NE 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 Olivia Mauch Olivia Mauch 5'7" | DS/L Bennington | 2024 State #49 Nation NE 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 Madelyn Uhlir Madelyn Uhlir 5'10" | S Bennington | 2024 State NE and Hayden Liebsack Hayden Liebsack 6'2" | OH Bennington | 2026 State #115 Nation NE to find their stride in clutch moments.

The Griffins leaned on their year-long leaders. Hayden Hart Hayden Hart 5'10" | MB Millard West | 2025 State NE '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 Hailey Levinson Hailey Levinson 6'1" | MB Gretna East | 2025 State NE was another go-to target. Nyah Potthoff Nyah Potthoff 5'8" | S Gretna East | 2025 State NE 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 Addison West Addison West 6'2" | OH Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2026 State #56 Nation NE was the unquestioned go-to in these situations, and Abbie Hagedorn Abbie Hagedorn 5'11" | RS Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE 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 Meghan Anderson Meghan Anderson 5'11" | S Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE and Brooke Banker Brooke Banker 5'3" | S Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE both made appearances.

Waverly forged a response in Set 3. Senior setter Caylee Rowley Caylee Rowley 5'9" | S Waverly | 2024 State NE got more comfortable as the match progressed. She found reliable options in senior opposite Eden Moore Eden Moore 5'10" | RS Waverly | 2024 State NE , sophomore middle blocker Aubrie Lierman, and freshman outside hitter Hallie Lauenstein Hallie Lauenstein 5'9" | OH Waverly | 2027 State NE . Joslyn Rice Joslyn Rice 5'6" | DS/L Waverly | 2024 State NE was impenetrable in the back row as the senior went toe-to-toe with her counterpart form Skutt Catholic, USC commit Paisley Douglas Paisley Douglas 5'5" | DS/L Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2024 State #123 Nation NE .

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 Delainey Cast Delainey Cast 5'7" | OH Syracuse | 2024 State NE and Kadyn Sisco Kadyn Sisco 5'11" | MB Syracuse | 2024 State NE produced some floor-denting kills for the Rockets. Meanwhile, sophomore libero Bridget 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. Callie Squiers Callie Squiers 6'0" | S Kearney Catholic | 2024 State NE set up important kills for Margaret Haarberg Margaret Haarberg 5'9" | OH Kearney Catholic | 2024 State NE and Londyn Carnes Londyn Carnes 6'3" | MB Kearney Catholic | 2024 State NE , 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 Mattie Kamery Mattie Kamery 5'10" | S Minden | 2025 State NE and Myla Emery Myla Emery 5'10" | S Minden | 2026 State NE , 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 Carolyn Maser Carolyn Maser 6'1" | S Grand Island Central Catholic | 2024 State NE , Tristyn Hedman Tristyn Hedman 5'5" | DS/L Grand Island Central Catholic | 2024 State NE , and Madison 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 Halle Dolliver Halle Dolliver 5'9" | OH Malcolm | 2026 State NE , which is nothing unusual based on last year's state tournament. But sophomore setter McKenna Powell McKenna Powell 5'10" | S Malcolm | 2026 State NE spreads it around effectively, allowing middle blockers Jordan Brown and Laurel Johnson Laurel Johnson 6'2" | MB Malcolm | 2027 State NE 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 Jaya Wachholtz Jaya Wachholtz 5'9" | RS Pierce | 2024 State NE . When she's not the one putting balls away in the frontcourt, fellow left-side hitter Nora Herian Nora Herian 6'1" | OH Pierce | 2027 State #108 Nation NE is another safe bet. Junior setter Skylar Scholting Skylar Scholting 5'8" | S Pierce | 2025 State NE 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 Lexi Hans Lexi Hans 5'11" | OH Platteview | 2024 State NE and junior Abree Plueger Abree Plueger 5'10" | RS Platteview | 2025 State NE churned out an onslaught of attacking volume as the Trojans soared to a Set 1 win. Middle blockers Brooklyn Stehlik Brooklyn Stehlik 5'10" | OH Platteview | 2026 State NE and Kate Roseland Kate Roseland 5'10" | MB Platteview | 2024 State NE joined in to give Platteview a wide array of frontcourt options.

However, Gothenburg had the balance to keep pace. Clara Evert Clara Evert 5'6" | OH Gothenburg | 2024 State NE is clearly the focal point, but the Swedes look formidable when middle blockers Madison Smith Madison Smith 5'10" | MB Gothenburg | 2024 State NE and Aubrey O’Hare Aubrey O’Hare 5'9" | RS Gothenburg | 2024 State NE 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.