Blair claims 4th at Norris tourney
The Blair volleyball team split four matches in Hickman on Saturday, finishing fourth in Pool A of the Norris Titans' tournament.
The Bears defeated both Crete and Ralston, while losing to Seward in the opener and to Platteview in the third place match. Coach Becca Mellema's team is 4-6 this season.
BHS lost its final match against the Trojans 25-12 and 26-24, giving up a late lead during the second set.
Before that, though, the Bears toppled the Rams 25-9, 18-25 and 25-20. In the deciding set, libero Megan McKeon hit an unreturned serve for a 21-17 lead. Claire Gochanour and Schuyler Roewert attacks resulted in points from there before freshman Taylor Mostek got the Bears' final touch of the win.
BHS lost 25-22, 25-22 to Seward to start its tournament run before a 25-24, 25-23 win against Crete.
On Thursday, before the tournament in Hickman, the Bears hosted Class B No. 5 Elkhorn. The battle-tested Antlers swept BHS 25-11, 25-18 and 25-16.
During the tightest set, the second, Blair fell behind 5-2 before Peyton Ogle's hit to Elkhorn's back row went unreturned. Her kill to the middle of the floor later cut the Bears' deficit to two, 6-4.
The Antlers went on a tear, building a 14-6 advantage when they finally hit a serve long. Reece Ewoldt responded with an ace as BHS stayed in the match.
Finally, down 21-11, the Bears scored seven of the next 11 points. The last — the 18th BHS point of second set — came when Mostek dove for a dig and Ewoldt chased it well beyond the end line. She made a play on the ball and McKeon bumped it over the net, forcing Elkhorn into an error.
BHS next plays home tonight against Elkhorn North. The Eastern Midlands Conference match begins at 6:30 p.m.
BHS LINE SCORES
Saturday
Platteview 2, Blair 0
BHS (4-6) 12 24 — 0
PHS 25 26 — 2
Blair 2, Ralston 1
RHS 9 25 20 — 1
BHS (4-5) 25 18 25 — 2
Blair 2, Crete 0
CHS 24 23 — 0
BHS (3-5) 26 25 — 2
Seward 2, Blair 0
SHS 25 25 — 2
BHS (2-5) 22 22 — 0
Thursday
No. 5 Elkhorn 3, Blair 0
EHS (4-3) 25 25 25 — 3
BHS (2-4) 11 18 16 — 0
Pioneers go 0-5 at Malcolm
Coach Sarah Rangel's Fort Calhoun volleyball team spent two days in Malcolm last week, going 0-5.
The Pioneers lost to Louisville, Class C1 No. 10 Columbus Scotus, No. 1 Lincoln Lutheran, Fairbury and Centennial and are 2-8 this season.
The Clippers' tournament started Thursday with FCHS dropping back-to-back matches to Louisville and Scotus. The Pioneers lost to the Lions 25-10, 25-14 despite four kills and four assists by Olivia Quinlan. Megan Braymen had two aces, too.
Calhoun then lost a 2-0 match to the Shamrocks, 25-18 and 25-4. The Pioneers' Tilden Nottleman had 12 digs during the match.
The tourney continued Saturday for Rangel's squad as it fell 25-8, 25-5 to top-ranked Lincoln Lutheran in the opener. Fairbury then beat FCHS 25-10, 25-8 before the Pioneers lost their last match of the day to Centennial — 25-11 and 25-7. Nottleman and Quinlan combined for 20 digs against the Jeffs.
FCHS LINE SCORES
Saturday
Centennial 2, Fort Calhoun 0
CEN 25 25 — 2
FCHS (2-8) 11 7 — 0
Fairbury 2, Fort Calhoun 0
FAIR 25 25 — 2
FCHS (2-7) 10 8 — 0
No. 1 Lincoln Lutheran 2, Fort Calhoun 0
LL 25 25 — 2
FCHS (2-6) 8 5 — 0
Thursday
No. 10 Columbus Scotus 2, Fort Calhoun 0
CS (8-3) 25 25 — 2
FCHS (2-5) 18 4 — 0
Louisville 2, Fort Calhoun 0
LHS (2-5) 25 25 — 2
FCHS (2-4) 10 14 — 0
— Staff reports
