The Arlington and Fort Calhoun High School volleyball teams met in opposition Monday during the first round of the Class C1-3 Subdistrict Tournament in Valley.
One team extended its season by a match, while the other finished up with a loss to its Washington County neighbor.
“We had to win against them,” FCHS senior libero Mollie Dierks said. “I love Arlington. All of the girls are super nice and everything, but we just had to beat them.”
“We just kind of have to put it all out there,” Eagles junior Kaylie Herman said, recalling what she'd told teammates before the match. “It's possibly our last game of the season and we need to — if not play for our coaches or yourself or your family — play for our seniors.”
Though they eventually lost to top-seeded Douglas County West during the next round of play, 3-1, the Pioneers (9-20 overall) topped AHS (2-25) for what was their final match victory of the season — 25-13, 25-21 and 26-24.
“We came in with a lot of high energy,” senior Raegen Wells said. “We knew what we had to do.”
Arlington and its three seniors, meanwhile, went out with a lot of effort, too.
“I think we did our best at putting up a fight against them,” Herman said.
The Eagles' Austyn Flesner started the postseason match with an ace before Fort Calhoun built a 6-2 advantage with a Bria Bench kill to cap it.
Herman and Macy Wolf responded with a kill and an ace, respectively, but the Pioneers opened up their lead as the set rolled on. Wells had a kill at 8-5 before a service ace by freshman Ansley Elofson pushed the FCHS lead to 16-6.
Senior Shelby Dorau had an ace at 19-7, too, before the Eagles' Taylor Arp tried to build momentum for her team with one at 24-13. Wells scored set point next, though, giving the Pioneers a 1-0 lead.
“We had very good communication,” Dorau said. “I think we had really good energy, too. We, like, lifted each other and stayed lifted.”
Coach Liz Sevcik's team earned a 2-0 lead through end of the second set, too. Bench's ace gave the Pioneers a 19-14 advantage before Arlington tried to battle back with a Lizzie Meyer kill and block.
Emilee Thayer-Mencke's kill gave Calhoun a 23-21 lead, though, and her team eventually closed out the set win.
The third belonged to the Eagles until the very end, though. A Herman ace gave AHS an 8-7 lead before a Wolf kill and back-to-back Peyton Timm aces produced a 14-11 lead for coach Stacy Nelson's squad.
Herman notched another kill for a 23-18 lead before a wide Fort Calhoun serve set up the Eagles' set point at 24-20.
“I really thought we were going to pull it off,” Timm said.
Wells had a different idea, though. She scored three kills across the next six points as FCHS completed the sweep by two, 26-24.
“Losing by two in a big game like that, knowing you could go to another set, it kind of sucks,” Timm said.
In defeat, though, the junior noted how the Eagles improved during the season even as losses piled up. Herman added how getting to really know her teammates on bus rides was among the most enjoyable aspects of the fall.
“We shared a lot of memories with other people, and just a lot of good laughs and fun times there,” the junior said. “I'll definitely cherish those moments.”
Timm felt AHS' three seniors — Meyer, Flesner and Arp — all led their team well.
“(Arp) didn't always have the season she wanted, but she still stuck with it and she played for us,” she said, providing an example. “We're just really going to miss them all.”
DC West tops FCHS
The Pioneers moved onto C1-3's second round later Monday night, but were forced to get reflective themselves after a four-set loss to the host DC West Falcons.
FCHS, however, didn't say goodbye to their 9-20 season before earning a 27-25 second-set victory against the top-seeded, 26-4 Falcons.
“The best feeling in the world. I will remember that,” Wells said. “I almost started crying.”
Though coach Sevcik's team lost handily in the first set against the top seed, 25-9, it bounced back and took a 7-6 lead during the second after back-to-back DC West miscues.
“We definitely tried to take advantage of all of their errors, for sure,” Dierks said. “You've got to take what you can.”
The Pioneers took their swings, though, too. Thayer-Mencke, who unofficially finished with 11 kills, scored two — back-to-back — for a 10-8 advantage. The freshman hit another spike to the back corner for a 13-10 lead, too.
It was Dorau, however, who forced a Falcons timeout at 18-15 with her own back-to-back kills.
Calhoun was finding success offensively, but also defensively.
“The coverage was a lot better, too,” Dierks explained. “I feel like we were a lot quicker on our toes.”
The Pioneers had to be as DC West came back and took a 24-23 advantage late. Bench, however, tied the match again off of a Falcon block before Dorau went around more DC West players at the net for another at 26-25. The latter senior finished one more attack at the end, too, for the second-set victory.
Eventually, the Falcons bounced back with 25-15 and 25-16 set wins in the third and fourth, but the Pioneers were in good spirits even as they cried after the match.
“I think it will be hard to replace me,” Dorau said with a laugh, flashing the endearing sense of humor she brought to her team. “But, I think, if they work together, they can find the spirit.”
The subdistrict loss was her last match, but also the last for Dierks, Wells, Abbey Lienemann and Bench. All played and contributed in their finale.
“Just playing with my best friends,” Wells said when asked what she'll remember most. “We had so many ups and downs, but the highs were just even greater.”
C1-3 SUBDISTRICT TOURNAMENT
Monday at Douglas County West, Valley
DC West 3, Fort Calhoun 1
FCHS (9-20) 9 27 15 16 — 1
DCW (26-4) 25 25 25 25 — 3
Fort Calhoun 3, Arlington 0
FCHS (9-19) 25 25 26 — 3
AHS (2-25) 13 21 24 — 0
