Volleyball team sees doubles
After taking a three-set loss to Colorado Mesa on Friday, the Eagles returned to the court Saturday for their last home volleyball game of the season against Westminster College and three players reached a double-double game during another five-set comeback win.
“It’s nice that we can extend games and push ourselves to continue to be competitive for those long, games that—when they go to five sets—it usually goes two hours,” Jennifer Stadler, head volleyball coach, said. “It’s a long night. So, their ability to be competitive for that long is really awesome.”
One of the players to earn a double-double was a senior playing her last home game as an Eagle.
Amelia Berg, senior of Fort Collins, Colorado, reached the double-double with 18 kills and 25 digs for the night. She reached season highs as well with her digs, five assists, and 21 points.
“It was insane,” Berg said. “My team definitely helped motivate me to do my best. They supported me the whole way and I wanted to play for those around me.”
The other two players to reach double digits in two statistical categories was Audrey Bennett, freshman of Lenexa, Kansas, and Rylee Greiman, junior of Windsor, Colorado. Bennett had 15 digs and 57 assists, both of which were season highs, and Greiman had 12 kills and 29 digs.
“Just seeing them play one of their best games toward the end of the season is awesome,” Stadler said. “They’ve been working hard all season, so, to see their hard work pay off a little bit is just really cool.”
Despite batting from the start, Westminster took the first set, 26-24, and the second set, 25-22. The Eagles continued attacking the Griffins, kills going back and forth between teams to push the third set past 25 points. The third was won by Chadron State, 30-28, with back-to-back kills from Greiman and Berg, respectively.
The final two sets were just as close, finishing the fourth 25-23 with a kill from Aiyana Fujiyama, freshman of Wahiawa, Hawaii. The Eagles were able to take the win from Westminster 15-13, with the last three points being kills from Greiman, each set up by Bennett.
Stadler said that playing at home in general brings more competitiveness from the team because of things like more fans’ support and that the team usually competes hard when they are at home.
It was the last home game for the season and the last time seniors Berg, Aracely Hernandez, of Greeley, Colorado, Alli Keisel, of Fleming, Colorado, and Kincaid Strain, of Elk River, Minnesota, played in the Chicoine Center.
“Aracely (Hernandez) stepped in a crucial role during the third set and played great,” Berg said. “It’ll be amazing to look back and remember how we won seniors last game in Chicoine.”
Chadron State volleyball team finishes its season in South Dakota against South Dakota School of Mines at 5 p.m., Friday in Rapid City, followed by Black Hills State University at 5:30 p.m., Saturday in Spearfish.