Bishop Brossart celebrated more than one win Tuesday night at Calvary Christian after defeating Campbell County in straight sets, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-14) in the semifinals of the 37th District tournament.
The Mustangs welcomed not one, but two new record holders into the program’s history books after senior Kate Neltner captured her 1,032nd kill while sophomore Aubrey Rebholz came up with her 1,713th assist as both players now hold program records for kills and assists.
“It’s such an amazing accomplishment for the both of them,” Bishop Brossart head coach Danielle French said. “For them to proudly say they hold these kinds of records is just so cool to see, especially with Aubrey (Rebholz) only being a sophomore. Honestly I think it helps set the tone for Thursday.”
Before looking ahead to a final, the Mustangs had to go through the Camels, who they had already beaten in straight sets earlier in the year. Campbell County entered the match having lost nine of their last 10 games.
Bishop Brossart got out to a fast start as they jumped to an early 10-2 lead thanks to three straight aces from sophomore Chloe Hershey. Slowly but surely, Campbell County fought their way back into the set after a point by the Camels kill leader Faith Whitford closed the lead to 18-16.
“Our defense has stood out tremendously this season,” French said. “It helps us handle the big momentum swings from our opposition which has been key for our ability to win big sets.”
The Camels made plays and forced long rallies, but the Mustangs were able to hold their lead throughout each set. Claiming the first set 25-19, Bishop Brossart won their second set 25-20 in similar fashion.
Outside of the first points, the Mustangs controlled the lead throughout the entire match. Forcing the Camels to consistently fight from behind, Bishop Brossart was able to attack on their front foot through the match’s entirety.
Campbell County had no problem getting players involved as the team recorded nine different players with kills. Defensively however, the Camels were unable to find an answer for offensive prowess of Neltner and Hershey, who combined for 21 kills on the night.
Outlasting Campbell County once more, Bishop Brossart took the final set 25-14 to officially reserve a spot at redemption against the Scott Eagles on Thursday night. With both teams racking up convincing wins as of late, the long awaited matchup could very well look quite different than their meeting a month ago.
“We’re a different team now at this point of the season,” French said. “We last lost to Scott on our own court. We weren’t at our full potential yet but now I can say these girls are fired up and ready to play for a rematch.”
The 37 District winner has been a toss up over the last five seasons as no team has been able to repeat as champions since Campbell County in ‘18 and ‘19. Bishop Brossart will look to continue that pattern at least for now as Scott will play for a chance at back-to- back titles Thursday night.
Scott def. Calvary Christian, 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-17)
Scott’s chances of claiming a second 37th District trophy increased after their straight set win against Calvary Christian.
To close out the regular season, the Eagles went on a tear winning their last seven matches.
“Our success over the last two weeks or so has been a factor of everyone contributing when needed,” Scott head coach Andrea Sullivan said. “We’ve had some great wins against great teams, but Volleyball is a team sport that takes everyone filling their roles.”
During that stretch, Scott won 20 of their 22 sets
“I think a lot of that comes from our defense,” Sullivan said. “We call ourselves small but mighty because we aren’t necessarily the tallest team. A lot of what allows us to excel starts with our defensive efforts.”
Calvary Christian was able to keep the first set close as momentum swung back and forth before Scott eventually settled into the match. As the Eagles pulled away, winning the set 25-18, they never looked back.
Scott took the next two sets 25-13 and 25-17 as they booked their fifth-straight spot in the 37th District finals. With history on their side, the Eagles enter having defeated all three of their district opponents in straight sets prior to tournament play.
“We know we’re going to get everyone’s best game from here on out,” Sullivan said. “Nothing is given and everything’s earned. Maybe we’re not the tallest team but we’re going to try and be the smartest team.”
Scott and Brossart will meet Thursday, back at Calvary Christian at 6 p.m.