M-HC spikers knock out defending D-1 champions

Maywood-Hayes Center junior Olivia Hansen (6) smiles during pre-match lineups at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday. She created plenty of joy with 20 kills and 20 digs as the Wolves won a Class D-1 state volleyball quarterfinal over defending champ Diller-Odell.

krgi.com photo

LINCOLN, Neb. — Tricky Maddie Doyle’s left-handed kill clinched a win and echoed two more truths the Class D-2 state tournament Thursday morning.

1. School’s out but these Maywood-Hayes Center volleyball girls still inspire big words like “ambidextrous.”

That means using both left and right hands for any Dallas Cowboys fans who might have seen this previous sentence.

2. These Wolves can adjust to anything with great balance.

While two Diller-Odell teamers teamed for 40 kills, M-HC unleashed four killers who sent 43 lethal shots down to the Pinnacle Bank Arena court.

The result?

A huge M-HC four-set triumph over the two-time defending D-2 state champs 25-22, 25-23, 24-26, 25-16.

The Wolves (27-2 record) have already advanced into today’s D-2 semifinals against No. 2-seed Humphrey St. Francis (24-5) — which needed five sets to knock out No. 7 Anselmo-Merna Thursday.

Diller-Odell (23-10 final record) dropped only its second match without all-stater Karli Heidemann injured her knee during subdistricts.

“They still have a lot of talent,” M-HC coach Kory Rohde said.

Yet few teams can match all the variety of players who delivered for M-HC on Thursday.

Doyle, junior Lexi Wood and senior Stevie Handsaker all ripped huge kills in the opening set.

However, it was sophomore Kyla Patel who crushed the final point of this 25-22 victory.

Diller-Odell took an early lead in the second set as sophomore Lili Swanson continued her 27-kill onslaught.

Hansen’s cross-court shot caught the champs at 12-12, then super-clutch Handsaker sent down another point which broke a 17-17 deadlock.

The Wolves ran loose to five consecutive points, saw D-O close within 23-22 before to Doyle for her “lefty” game winner.

The Griffins (great nickname) rallied to take set No. 3 which kept their three-peat title hopes alive.

Not for long.

The Wolves jumped in front, 4-0, as Hansen, Doyle and Wood all walloped big kills to make it 7-2.

M-HC was never caught and closed out this win. The Wolves reach a second consecutive semifinal following their historic first appearance in Lincoln last fall. Watch for results today on mccookgazette.com. Leaders from the state quarterfinal:

KILLS

M-HC: Olivia Hansen 20, Stevie Handsaker 9, Maddie Doyle 8, Alexis Wood 7. D-O: Lily Swanson 27, Madelyn Meyerle 13.

ASSISTS

M-HC: Kiley Hejtmanek 28, Wood 20. D-O: Keira Hannerberg 44.

DIGS

M-HC: Aniah Seiler 41, Hansen 20, Wood 19, Hejtmanek 18. D-O: Ashley Duis 31, Meyerle 26, Hennerberg 18.

ACE SERVES

M-HC: Hejtmanek, Hansen. D-O: Hennerberg, Baileigh Viilda, Rachel Stanosheck.

SOLO BLOCKS

M-HC: Stevie Handsaker 3. D-o: Myleigh Weers 2.