State Champs Quarterfinals Recap: Class C1
In this article:
Class C1 made up the middle section of the opening day of quarterfinals. Let’s check out how it all went down! (1) Kearney Catholic vs. (8) Pierce This 1-8 matchup had some exciting back-and-forth action. Eighth-seeded Pierce brought a…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingClass C1 made up the middle section of the opening day of quarterfinals. Let’s check out how it all went down!
(1) Kearney Catholic vs. (8) Pierce
This 1-8 matchup had some exciting back-and-forth action. Eighth-seeded Pierce brought a solid corps of attackers to Lincoln; sophomore Maggie Painter could attack off of either one or two feet, and Jaya Wachholtz had some good rips on the left pin. The offense meshed well behind the leadership of talented junior setter Brielle Unseld Brielle Unseld 5'7" | S Pierce | 2023 State NE .
This 1-8 matchup is a lot of fun!
Maggie Painter is taking some nice swings for Pierce. Kearney Catholic is still working with an early lead. pic.twitter.com/l7yI6482yj
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) November 3, 2021
The match was tight in the opening handful of points before the top seed began to assert itself. Kearney Catholic has a wide range of offensive weapons, and the attack is usually spearheaded by senior outside hitter Ashley Keck Ashley Keck 5'9" | OH Kearney Catholic | 2022 State NE . Callie Squiers also brought some nice heat Wednesday afternoon. This attacking success gave Kearney Catholic a 25-19 win in the opening set.
The Stars continued to find their groove in the second frame. Senior setter Sydney Conner Sydney Conner 5'10" | S Kearney Catholic | 2022 State NE mixed up her tempos nicely and put her hitters in a lot of good spots. Kearney Catholic surged forward and won the set 25-16.
It was a similar story in the following set. Pierce put together a few short scoring runs with middle blocker Jozy Piper making some good plays, but the top seed was just too strong. A 25-17 third-set win punched Kearney Catholic’s trip to the semifinals.
(2) Grand Island Central Catholic vs. (7) Gothenburg
The seven seed came out and played like they had something to prove.
Gothenburg has a lot unique, fun players in their lineup. Aubrey O’Hare Aubrey O’Hare 5'9" | RS Gothenburg | 2024 State NE is a natural leader for this team, but her role is anything but typical. She’s a front row middle blocker and a back row setter. I’m always thrilled to see these eccentricities on the volleyball court.
The Swedes got out to a fast start with Clara Evert Clara Evert 5'6" | OH Gothenburg | 2024 State NE providing much of the offense on the left side. Regarding the defense, Gothenburg junior captain and libero Emily Cornwell is an absolute baller. If “hidden gem” is an apt description for Cornwell, then she ought not be hidden for much longer. Her fearless play helped elevate the Swedes to a thrilling 27-25 win in the opening set.
Of course, C1’s #2 team would not go away easily. The Crusaders got a big lift in the second set from some of its steady leaders. Carolyn Maser Carolyn Maser 6'1" | S Grand Island Central Catholic | 2024 State NE put together a good match from the setter position, and she had a lot of great options throughout the match. Gracie Woods Gracie Woods 6'0" | OH Grand Island CC | 2023 State NE was effective on the pin, and the middle duo of Chloe Cloud Chloe Cloud 6'2" | MB Grand Island Central Catholic | 2022 State NE and Lucy Ghaifan Lucy Ghaifan 6'1" | MB Grand Island Central Catholic | 2023 State NE is always tough to stop. GICC took the second set 25-18.
The third set was the turning point of the match. Neither team found a big advantage in the third until a few big blocks shifted the momentum in GICC’s favor. A 25-21 triumph put the #2 seed ahead.
From there, GICC stepped on the gas. The Crusaders took command from the service line and built their biggest lead of the match. Gothenburg fought hard, but GICC eventually took a 25-17 win and sealed the match in four sets.
(3) Lincoln Lutheran vs. (6) Bishop Neumann
Lincoln Lutheran set the tone early in this matchup. It quickly became clear that this would be a pin hitter showcase, as a few different outsides crushed balls with impunity. On the Lutheran side, junior captain Abby Wachal Abby Wachal 5'10" | OH Lincoln Lutheran | 2023 State NE was as terminal as ever. Elecea Saathoff Elecea Saathoff 5'9" | S Lincoln Lutheran | 2023 State NE made some good contributions on the opposite pin. The biggest challenge that these pin hitters faced was slowing down Bishop Neumann’s do-everything outside hitter, Kali Jurgensmeier Kali Jurgensmeier 6'1" | MB Bishop Neumann | 2022 State NE .
Pin hitters are working hard in this matchup between Lincoln Lutheran and Bishop Neumann. pic.twitter.com/gdjRRXVmYv
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) November 3, 2021
The Warriors were up to the task. Class C1’s three seed quickly jumped out to a one-set lead with a 25-20 win in the first. This was followed up by a resounding 25-12 victory as the Warrior backcourt began to make plays. Keri Leimbach Keri Leimbach 5'4" | DS/L Lincoln Lutheran | 2025 State #40 Nation NE was all over the court in the libero jersey and will not hesitate to take over serve receive duties as a freshman.
Bishop Neumann showed some flashes as they tried to battle back. Lauren Thiele Lauren Thiele 5'9" | RS Bishop Neumann | 2022 State NE is a skilled utility player that has contributed a lot of this program over the years. Erin Raabe was similarly effective in her libero role.
In the end, though, Lincoln Lutheran wrapped up a sweep with a 25-15 decision in the third. Among the field of three seeds across the state, the Warriors are as tough as they come.
(4) Columbus Lakeview vs. (5) Syracuse
4-5 matchups are usually unpredictable, and this pairing was certainly no exception. It was hard to know who had the advantage coming into this one.
Columbus Lakeview boasts a nice stable of experienced players that know how to play big-time volleyball. Senior Lilly Rowe Lilly Rowe 5'9" | OH Columbus Lakeview | 2022 State NE is a constant force on either pin. Josie Bentz Josie Bentz 5'9" | MB Columbus Lakeview | 2023 State NE is a multi-dimensional attacker who also puts up a solid block. These two were standouts throughout Wednesday’s contest.
On the Syracuse side, Lily Vollertsen Lily Vollertsen 6'0" | OH Syracuse | 2022 State NE is a scoring threat in all six rotations. She has unusually adept backcourt skills for a long athlete and is a cornerstone of the Rockets’ success. Likewise, Delainey Cast Delainey Cast 5'7" | OH Syracuse | 2024 State NE carries a big role and can be relied upon to terminate at either pin.
The two sides were deadlocked for much of Wednesday’s match. Regarding late-set runs, though, it was Lakeview that capitalized every time. The Vikings pulled away to take a 25-17 win in the first set and followed it up with an even bigger 25-13 win in the second. Syracuse played an even contest with Lakeview for much of the third set, but the Vikings sealed the deal with a late run and claimed a 25-21 triumph.
And another sweep on the north court!
Columbus Lakeview wins 3-0 to wrap up C1 quarterfinals. pic.twitter.com/l4xDxTv85W
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) November 3, 2021