The Blair High School volleyball team made mistakes Tuesday during a home exhibition triangular.
The Bears got tangled up in the net against Omaha Mercy and Fremont Bergan, and hammered the ball a bit too hard at times.
“I thought that we kind of beat ourselves at some points,” second-year coach Becca Mellema said after the pair of 2-0 losses. There were some mental lapses during the Jamboree event, and BHS didn't always make the plays it could have and should have in her estimation.
“I think that's part of the nerves, too,” Mellema said. “Getting desperate for a kill, so just swinging for the back wall.”
Blair lost 25-11 and 25-20 sets to Mercy first before a 25-10, 25-19 loss to the Knights.
“I'm glad that they give us a Jamboree, so that we can get some of these nerves out and so that we can give them their first time out on the court without actually having it be something that's on our record,” Mellema said. “Definitely a good scrimmage and a good experience for them, for sure.”
The Bears didn't do all bad in their first action of the 2022 season either. The coach felt new varsity setters Hailey Roewert, a sophomore, and Abigail Schlachter, a senior, performed well in their efforts.
“I really felt like they stepped up,” Mellema said. “They were making aggressive plays and they were pretty consistent across the board, too.”
Roewert handled most of the reps against both Mercy and Bergan, while Schlachter provided a spark during the second set against Mercy.
“They worked so hard,” Mellema said. “They definitely gave it their best shot.”
Against Mercy, Blair junior Savanah Roan and sophomore Nicki Wendt stepped in and played alongside more experienced Bears including Ellia Klanderud, Valeria Hernandez, Schuyler Roewert, Taylor Mostek and Peyton Ogle, too. Wendt provided a strong block against Mercy as well as a cross-court kill against Bergan, while a Roan kill helped her team to a 15-14, second-set lead against the Knights.
Schuyler Roewert, the Bears' most-experienced outside hitter, unleashed notable spikes during the night's play, too. A Hernandez service ace against Bergan drew applause from the crowd as well.
BHS next plays its first official match of the 2022 season Saturday at Hastings. After a reserves match at 1 and a junior varsity match at 2 p.m., the varsity bears will face the Tigers at approximately 3.
