Always aggressive, New Bremen’s early hitting helped them seize the momentum and a two-sets-to-none lead. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Julie McMaken Wright)
Down two sets, Versailles stormed to an exciting comeback bid to take the third and fourth sets…before falling in the fifth set to still unbeaten New Bremen.
New Bremen, OH – It wasn’t textbook, but New Bremen coach Diana Kramer was more than willing to take Thursday’s ‘I-don’t-want-it-you-take-it’ five-set win over Versailles, 25-20, 25-17, 18-25, 16-26, 16-14 to remain unbeaten and win their eighth straight match.
“It was just the way I planned it,” said Kramer, tongue-in-cheek. “Sell some tickets, give the fans their money’s worth, make it interesting, send ’em home excited. Just the way you want it.”
Hardly!
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After winning the first two sets handily over Versailles with good defensive play and aggressive hitting on offense, New Bremen then watched as Versailles turned the tables in exact fashion to take the next two sets, and in the process, expose New Bremen’s youth and inexperience.
“Seriously, I’m happy just with the win,” said Kramer. “Actually, this is what MAC volleyball’s all about. Back and forth, there’s D-I players on our side, and D-I players on their side, and this gym was packed to see it. We have a lot of respect for Versailles, and Liz (McNeilan) is a good friend. She always has her team ready to play.
“But my team found some toughness tonight. We didn’t play our best, but we found a way to be good enough, and that’s what this team is all about. We’re young, we’re inexperienced, but with that being said that’s no longer the case. It’s September and it’s time to be grown up. Put on your big-boy pants, and it’s go time.”
Some grit…New Bremen took a two-set lead by playing defense and refusing to let the ball touch the floor.
To her point about not being their best, New Bremen withstood numerous serving and hitting errors in the first two sets, but still won because of their blocking and defense – their refusal to let the ball touch the floor. Always aggressive on offense, they put enough shots down to keep Versailles back on their heels, keep them scrambling, and in a couple of cases…simply out of synch, bordering on chaotic.
But trailing 0-2, Versailles came out a different team for the third set. Their serving, so much a part of volleyball, suddenly found the range, putting the pressure on New Bremen’s serve-receive.
“I think we turned the pressure around on them,” said Liz McNeilan. “But I also think our blocking came up big. We starting blocking some balls, and when that happens you change the momentum, you become more aggressive, and you get more confident from behind the service line.
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“We had some long points, and that was huge…that adds to the confidence of your serve, too. And you hear all of us coaches talk about momentum, because momentum is the victory.”
That pressure, that momentum, and that confidence led to a confident-looking 25-18 third set win for the Tigers. And the confidence that had carried New Bremen through the first two sets, was suddenly and noticeably wavering.
In the fourth Versailles again came out serving precisely, the ball just clearing the top of the net, clearing it with a little wiggle. New Bremen was suddenly fighting the ball, struggling to pass, getting by with just keeping the ball in the air – out of system. And the more they chunked it back over the net without purpose and pace, the more Versailles hitters like Kiley May and Katey Litten took advantage, suddenly driving the ball with authority through the Cardinals’ defense.
Diana Kramer called timeouts twice to regroup, but to no avail as Versailles cruised to a 25-16 win to even the match and garner all the momentum entering the deciding fifth set.
Fifth sets in volleyball are often a crap shoot. Some teams run out of gas, and teams suddenly surge with having that second chance to win – a chance to put a stumbling team away.
But this one was a fight – tied five times as New Bremen and Versailles took turns with the lead and with exchanging the momentum.
Versailles’ Kiley May rises to drive a point home during the Tigers’ third and fourth set comeback.
“We had to play with some grit,” said Kramer. “We’re young, yes, but you learn in volleyball that wins don’t come easy on some nights. This was a good win for us, and a good time in the schedule to have it come.”
McNeilan seconded that emotion. Her girls were just as good, and just as gritty.
“Kudos to both teams,” she said, managing a smile. “There was so much grit tonight, and yet we’re young. We’re old from a roster standpoint, but a lot of these girls have been put in new positions and are still learning. Tonight you had young girls versus young girls, and it was great volleyball.
Diana Kramer celebrates match point as the Cardinals remained unbeaten.
“We have a phenomenal team this year. I’m super proud of them and I think the biggest thing holding us back right now is not believing in our own selves,” she added. “We have to start believing in ourselves, and I think you saw a turnaround in sets three and four. We started a little late today, but you know we battled, we did some great things, and we’re going in the right direction. I’m excited for them.”
New Bremen improved to 8-0 on the season, and 2-0 in league play…while Versailles dropped to 5-3 and 0-2 in the MAC.
However, with being on the right direction comes momentum, and there’s a lot of time left – 14 matches – for McNeilan’s team to begin to believe in what their fans got a glimpse of in the third and fourth set.
What she needs, and what they need, collectively…is for that to become habit.
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