Terry Douglass, Central Nebraska Today
LINCOLN — Grand Island’s valiant comeback bid came up just a little short.
After dropping the first two sets, the Class A No. 7-rated (Omaha World-Herald) Islanders appeared to be on their way to forcing a fifth set against No. 6 Omaha Westside. However, the Warriors came up big down the stretch to post a 25-21, 25-13, 23-25, 25-23 victory Wednesday in first-round play of the Class A state tournament at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
“For us to come back to come back in the third and most of the fourth set, after the way we played in the first two sets, was a testament to our grit and our willingness to fight for it,” Grand Island coach Marcus Ehrke said. “We put ourselves into a position to win and to get into a fifth set. That’s all I can ask from them.”
Grand Island led 23-19 in the fourth, but couldn’t put Westside away. The Warriors closed with a 6-0 run, advancing to Friday’s 5 p.m. semifinal against Papillion-La Vista, which ousted top-seeded Papillion-La Vista South.
“There were two or three moments where you thought we had the momentum, we were going to do this and we were going to get to the fifth set,” Ehrke said. “But (Westside) made plays and we didn’t. It’s all about stepping up to the occasion and finding ways to battle.
“They just kind of won it in that fourth set.”
The Islanders (26-9) were led by Haedyn Hoos, who finished with 20 kills and two blocks. The Grand Island senior outside hitter was playing less than a week after her mother, Ashli, lost her battle with cancer.
“For Haedyn to have to experience what she has had to experience this year, nobody should have to go through that — let alone somebody who is 17-18 years old,” Ehrke said. “The fact that Haedyn could even come out here and perform and play and lead this team was amazing. I didn’t expect anything less from her.
“We talked all week and with her dad (Joe) and Haedyn that this is what her mom would want is for her to be playing out here — and playing at that high of a level. … I’m not surprised by Haedyn at all. I’m just super proud of her because nobody should have to endure that during this part of their senior year.”
Tia Traudt added 12 kills and two blocks, Keira Jones had seven kills and five blocks and Mya Christensen had five kills and three blocks for Grand Island. Islanders’ setter Jaysa Wentzlaff battled through a hand injury suffered in the second set and finished with a match-high 37 assists.
Six-foot-3 outside hitter Ashlyn Paymal paced Westside (26-10) with 20 kills, an ace and two blocks, while 6-footer Madeline Lamb added 10 kills. Kherington Snider had 21 assists and Kat Gaughen recorded 17 assists for the Warriors.
“Their length and their size at the net really dictated a lot of what we couldn’t do as a block and then their serve really challenged us,” Ehrke said. “I challenged our girls to respond in the third and fourth set and match that a little bit because I felt like they were absolutely killing us from the service line in the first two sets.”
Down 2-0 in sets, Grand Island raced to a 7-1 lead in the third. The Warriors rallied to take a 21-20 lead, but Hoos had two kills and a block in a 4-0 Islanders’ run and Traudt later terminated from the outside, sending the match to a fourth set.
“After the first two sets, I didn’t know how we were going to respond,” Ehrke said. “Ending it on a note where we gave it all we had and we were competitive and didn’t whither away in a sweep indicates the type of season that we had and the type of girls that we have.
“We’re really proud of the year that we had.”
Grand Island was making its first state-tournament appearance since 2013. Ehrke said his seniors set a solid foundation and he’s hopeful the Islanders will use their state-tournament experience to make a return trip next season.
“It’s huge, getting a taste of it,” Ehrke said. “That’s why some teams win eight state championships in a row. They just are used to the routines, they’re used to being here and they’re used to everything that comes with playing here.
“Once you get a taste of all the fun and all the magic that leads up to here, I think obviously any girl would want to come back here and experience it again.”
Omaha Westside 3, Grand Island 1
Omaha Westside (26-10)
25
25
23
25
Grand Island (26-9)
21
13
25
23
OMAHA WESTSIDE (kills-aces-blocks)—Kat Gaughen 0-0-0, Kherington Snider 1-1-0, Isabella Lamb 6-0-1, Ashlyn Paymal 20-1-2, Madelina Lamb 10-2-1, Reagan Siebler 1-0-0, Jane Kubat 0-0-0, Eleanor Brislen 4-1-1, Tatum Godinez 6-0-1. Totals 48-5-6.
GRAND ISLAND (kills-aces-blocks)—Tia Traudt 12-0-3, Addysen Waind 3-0-2, Jaysa Wentzlaff 1-1-0, Haedyn Hoos 20-0-2, Mya Chrisman 5-0-3, Jaylen Hansen 0-2-0, Aralynn Scheel 0-0-0, Elzada Gernstein 0-0-0. Totals 48-3-15.
Set assists—Omaha Westside 45 (Gaughen 17, Snider 21, Lamb 2, Kubat 4, Godinez 1), Grand Island 42 (Wentzlaff 37, Hansen 3, Waind 1).
