Young Newman squad shows growth Bureau Valley

Newman and Bureau Valley are both fielding young volleyball teams this season.

It was the Comets who showed the most growth in Monday’s season opener at the Storm Cellar.

Newman rallied from a 23-20 deficit to take the opening set 25-23 and finished off the Storm with a 25-15 win and the second set to defeat their former Three Rivers Conference rival.

“We’re still very young this year. Got four sophomores coming through, but I thought we’re seeing great improvement from them with the pace of the game and their mental side of it and how to stay in it,” Newman coach Debbi Kelly said. “I think we’ll some great things as we keep going throughout the year. We got some pieces. There’s things to work on, but we’re getting better.”

The Storm jumped out to a 5-0 lead in Game 1 behind the service of junior setter Libby Endress. They ran their lead to 9-2, but Newman battled back, climbing back within 13-12 with a 10-4 run.

Senior striker Maddie Wetzell capped a 4-0 BV run with a kill to put the Storm up 19-14.

Newman got a kill from Isabella Lanning to make it 19-17 and another from Ruby Burger on the way to close within 21-20.

The Storm scored twice to push its lead to 23-20 only to have the Comets score five straight to take the opener 25-20.

“One thing we’ve been working with this group is just play one point at a time and really working on their energy and working as a team and not on any one’s shoulder. We have to be supportive of each other. Just keep bringing the energy and they did.”

Newman broke open the second game late, taking a 17-12 lead on a stuff by Burger. Lauren McClain served up an ace on the way to a 20-12. Martin ran it to 23-16 with a kill and two Storm hitting errors sent Newman home with the two-set victory.

“Not the outcome that anyone of us wanted. We didn’t do the things we needed to to beat a team like Newman. That’s end of the story,” BV coach Saige Barnett said. “Shoutout to the back row. We did our part there, but we didn’t produce kills and kills win volleyball games.

“Offensively, there’s going to have to be an improvement. We have a tough Erie-Prophetstown team to play tomorrow so there’s no time to practice and get in the gym. So their ability to bounce back is going to say a lot about our kids. If we show up and play E-P like we did tonight, it’s going to be a long bus ride home.”

It proved to trial by fire for Barnett’s young team.

“It’s no excuse, but we’re young and lot of them got their first taste of varsity volleyball tonight and that’s where we’re at,” she said. “We’re going to play a tough team tomorrow and do the things we do well. And that’s run an offense and serve well. We did great from the serve line tonight. (Got to) control what we can control.

“It’s a long season so the first game doesn’t necessarily set the tone for the season. They’re a coachable team. They’re athletic. They’re gifted. With their ability to adjust and adapt, they’ll be able to make it happen if they want to make it happen.”

Martin (seven assists, one block, nine digs), McClain (two aces), Lanning and Burger each had five kills for the Comets. Lucy Oetting served two aces with 14 digs while Brooklyn Warren had six digs.