Bears beat Pioneers on Senior Night

BHS volleyball team claims 3-0 sweep

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Blair High School volleyball coach Becca Mellema started Tuesday's Senior Night match against Nebraska City with all five of her 12th-graders on the floor.
Junior libero Savanah Roan joined Abigail Schlachter, Natalie Reed, Ellia Klanderud, Schuyler Roewert and Norah Cloudt for the first serve as the Bears opened what would become a 3-0 sweep of the Pioneers.
“It was nice to have that moment with each other,” Reed said. She noted it was not only the seniors' last home match together, but its first time all on the floor together this season.
“It felt really special because it was the last time we'll probably all be out there in one game,” Cloudt said. “It was just a really special moment.”
Reed served first before kills by Klanderud and Roewert produced an early 3-1 lead. Nebraska City battled back, though, claiming leads of 13-10 and 16-13.
Sophomore Nicki Wendt pushed Blair back out front, 19-18, with a block, though. Taylor Mostek then spiked the ball down the left sideline on an assist by Schlachter, providing Cloudt the opportunity score set point at 25-21.
Ahead, the Bears dominated the start to the second set, too. Kills by Roewert and Klanderud, and a Mostek ace, all contributed to a 9-1 advantage.
Klanderud later scored an ace down the stretch as Peyton Ogle picked up a late block and a kill during the 25-16 victory.
“I think confidence was our key,” Cloudt said. “We came out thinking we could beat them, and so we did.”
Mostek beat a Pioneer block to even the third set at 8-8, setting up a 10-3 run. Back-to-back Wendt aces made the score 23-16 before Klanderud's kill capped the Senior Night win.
“I would say there was a lot of communication on our side,” Reed said. “That's something we've struggled with, but we've really picked it up coming to the end of the season.”
Blair was scheduled to play its regular season finale Thursday at Lincoln Northwest before next Tuesday's Class B-4 Subdistrict Tournament. The location and match times of the tournament were unavailable as of press time, but BHS is projected to host Schuyler and South Sioux City based on wildcard points.

Blair volleyball