Cardinals Protect The Nest In Bremen Home Opening Win Over Russia

New Bremen improved to 2-0 in characteristic style – power volleyball in a straight-set win over Russia in the Cardinals home opener.

New Bremen, OH – No doubt, Russia volleyball coach Aaron Watkins had seen it before, had prepared for it, and ultimately could do nothing about it.

It?

A 3-0 win by the New Bremen Cardinals in their home opener for 2026 Tuesday in front of an appreciative crowd who enjoyed the fireworks of a slam-bam win that once again raised hopes for something bigger and better by mid-November.

New Bremen used its characteristic aggressive serving, athletic defense, and blocking to undo whatever preparation Watkins had drawn up to leave little doubt in a 25-11, 25-18, and 25-19 win that Watkins might have admitted…wasn’t that close.

Preparation?  It seemed so as Russia cautiously eased out to a 4-2 lead in the first set with a couple of plays at the net, a block, and a pair of mishits by the Cardinals that must have given them hope.

But just as quick as hope can come, it took its leave early as New Bremen rode the serving of freshman lefthander Maeve Eilerman to a 8-0 run, a 10-4 lead, and an eventual 13-6 lead.  Volleyball is about momentum.  And success is contagious.  And some well-placed kills became habit-forming in what was soon to become a 25-18 Bremen win for the set.

“We came out hot,”  said Bremen coach Diana Kramer, later.  “We had some fire tonight, the gym was filled, and the girls were confident.  I think we played really well with first contact, I thought our blocking was really good, and once we got going we were able to serve aggressively, hit with some aggression, and put them out of system,

“We were clearly the aggressors tonight, and they were back on their heels tonight.”

That said, Russia is obviously a very good young volleyball team with just the right mix of senior experience to again make them a regional final candidate by season’s end.  And indeed, they came out in the second half with more confidence, owing no doubt to their impressive win over Versailles over the weekend, another MAC team expected to make their own tournament statement come November.

Again, Russia eased out to an early 7-5 lead, only to have New Bremen sprint ahead with five minutes of aggressive, accurate play at the net.  Kills by Maria Kramer (11 for the game), Ashton Eilerman (11 for the game), and Mariana Muether spurred the Cardinals into one of those feeding frenzies where every touch is literally an opportunity to score.

Still, Russia found a way to stay close enough to rally.  But New Bremen’s serve was too good.  And their serve receive was setting up Kramer, Muether, and Eilerman on a too-predictable basis.  For Russia, it was just the opposite.  A team who thrives on its middle hitting, the Raiders were struggling to get the ball to those scorers enough.  Bremen went ahead for good, and built their lead to a 25-18 win.

“Once you get out of system it’s hard to get it back without making some key adjustments,”  said Kramer.  “And that can be hard to do on the fly, at least at this level.”

And as it turned out, the third set turned into an early double-digit lead for Bremen as the serves were landing on the back line, kill attempts were finding the corners of the court, and Russia shots that did clear the net found a diving body in red making a dig to deny a Raider point.  Trailing 23-12. Russia did go on a 7-0 run late to make the score interesting, but kill by Mariana Muether turned out to be game, set, match…25-19.

So is this, in reality another one of those New Bremen teams that the community gets on board with, seeking their fifth OHSAA title since 2017?  It’s rich in undergrad talent, with only three seniors on the roster, and a couple of those really young players impress Kramer as some of the best at this stage that she’s ever coached.

“Look,”  says Kramer.  “The way we play is high risk, and high reward.  And if you can do that with a young team that’s a good thing.  We beat a very, very good team tonight that just beat another of the best teams in the state of Ohio (Versailles).  And Russia is also one of the top teams in the state of Ohio.  So to come out and play like we did tonight, except for those last seven points of the third set…I’m really, really proud of this team and how they played tonight.”

Aaron Watkins was unavailable for comment afterwards, and what would there have been to say?  There’s nothing in sports worse than being on the wrong end of momentum in volleyball.

And there’s nothing in volleyball worse than being ‘out of system’, where you struggle to receiver serve, make a crisp pass to the setter who in turn sets up a hitter for a shot attempt.  Anything less than that is called being out of system, or in layman’s words…out of whack.

But it happens, which is why the gym is always open for practice on Wednesdays.  Rest assured, when you’re that good that’s all you can do.

New Bremen continues play at home on Thursday in a match with Convoy Crestview, while Russia hosts Jackson Center in Shelby County League play, also on Thursday.