Volleyball: Young core helps Bonduel earn road win

Bears start fast before finishing strong
By: 
Morgan Rode
Sports Editor

GILLETT — The Bonduel High School volleyball team secured a nonconference road win over Gillett on Monday, with underclassmen leading the charge.

The Bears have been decimated by injuries the season, forcing several freshmen and sophomores into prominent roles on the varsity team. A lineup consisting of a trio of freshmen, Josie Hoffman, Macy Niles and Nakiyah Henning, and sophomores Allaina Robaidek and Kylie Hoffman did most of the damage in the team’s 25-16, 25-17, 18-25, 25-21 win over Gillett.

“At the beginning of the season, we had a lot of young players on the team, freshmen included, and as we’ve had injuries happen, those players have really stepped up and filled roles that you wouldn’t expect most of them to do,” said first-year Bonduel coach Abby Reinke. “I’m really happy with how they’ve been playing and stepping up.”

The Bears controlled the first two sets, building early leads with Niles serving. The quick starts to each set put the pressure on Gillett, and the hosts had several errors that allowed Bonduel to keep increasing its lead.

When the Bears were earning points at the net, it was the Hoffman girls doing most of the damage. Kylie Hoffman finished with a 11 total kills, while Josie Hoffman had eight attack kills.

Robaidek chipped in with six total kills, while junior Halea Sporisky had five and Henning four.

After Bonduel jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the first set with Niles serving, Gillett slowly battled its way back to within two points, 14-12. With Niles serving again, the Bears went on a 4-0 run to create some breathing room.

Bonduel finished the set on an 11-4 run.

“I think since we’ve had so many injuries that everyone’s had to step up and everyone pretty much plays their role,” said Kylie Hoffman, who also had eight digs. “At first, they (freshmen and first-time varsity players) are all uncomfortable because they haven’t played with us, but we’ve been practicing with the younger players and I think that now everyone is stepping up and being comfortable with their position that we’re starting to work together more and we’re finally starting to talk and communicate.”

Niles was serving as Bonduel raced out to a 3-0 lead in the second set, but Gillett soon rallied to tie it at four. The Bears responded by taking the next six points to regain control, with Henning and Sporisky tallying attack kills while Robaidek served.

The hosting Tigers never got closer than three points the rest of the set.

Things didn’t come as easily to the Bears in the third set, as they split the first 16 points of the set before the Tigers used a 8-1 run to take control.

Bonduel got within four points after some Gillett errors, but the hosts ended the set on a 4-0 run to extend the match to a fourth set.

The fourth set also went back and forth, but Gillett seemed poised to take the set after going up 19-17. But Bonduel went on a 5-0 run with Sporisky serving and Kylie Hoffman providing a couple kills.

The Tigers cut the deficit back down to one before three straight Bonduel attacks were successful to finish off the set.

“I think it was just our mentality. In the third set, we were getting down and they were beating us on a lot of stuff, the tip coverage wasn’t there. But the fourth (set) we definitely brought it back up. The coverage was really good. Some of our serving hurt us tonight, but we bounced back from that and were able to score on some other things,” said Josie Hoffman on how the team bounced back from the third set to finish the match off.

In the win, Robaidek also contributed 12 assists and six digs, while Sporisky had 13 digs and 12 assists. Josie Hoffman had 19 digs, while Niles had 16 and Henning seven.

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