You will not see Niles sophomore Bella Rasler smile very often on a volleyball court.

But do not mistake a lack of a smile for someone who is not enjoying herself.

Rasler does not smile often because she is an intense individual whose goal is winning.

“She is out here with one goal and one goal only,” Niles coach Jenny Nate said. “She is so hard on herself all the time. She is actually pretty humble. You have to remind her just how good she is at times because she forgets that. But at the same time I love that intensity. I love that she is not satisfied with anything less than her best.”

That intensity was on display Wednesday night in the Vikings’ 3-2 loss to South Bend St. Joe.

Rasler finished the non-conference match with nine kills, three blocks, nine points and 16 digs.

“I really get into the game,” Rasler said about her intensity. “It get my intensity from my dad. He encourages me to do my best and play my hardest.”

Niles lost the first set to the Indians 25-18 before rebounding to win 25-20 in the second set.

After St. Joe went up 2-1 with a 25-18 victory, Rasler and the Vikings fought back again, this time winning 26-24 to force a fifth and deciding set.

It was in that fourth set that Rasler cracked a small smile when a ball she dumped over the net landed for a kill and kept the set alive.

“I liked that,” she said.

The loss came in Niles’ first home match of the season. Rasler and Nate both felt that perhaps the team was too excited to be playing at home for the first time this season.

“I think we were nervous because this was our first home game,” Rasler said.

“The heat played a factor, but we are used to it,” Nate said. “I think being on our home court for our first real match gave them a little bit of adrenalin that we didn’t quite have control of when the match started. I feel like it almost took them that first set to relax. I thought we finally pushed through that and the jitters are gone and we can refocus. But it seemed like we didn’t really start playing our game until we were 10 or 15 points in. We have to do that sooner.”

Rasler feels the team needs to talk more on the court in order to improve.

“We need to communicate better,” she said.

Lexi Smith had a big night for the Vikings as she finished with 20 kills and three blocks. Kelsey Barton added nine kills, four blocks, 12 digs and 24 assists.

SOUTH BEND ST. JOE 3, NILES 2

At Niles

Set Scores

St. Joe d. Niles 25-18, 20-25, 25-18, 24-26 and 15-3

 

Individual Statistics

Leading scorers

Holly Walker 14 points, 2 aces

Bella Rasler 9 points

Kelsey Barton 7 points, 2 aces

Bre Love 4 points

Carly Barton 3 points

Kills

Lexi Smith 20

Rasler 9

Kelsey Barton 9

Jazmin Brann 4

Blocks

Nola Wallace 7

Brann 5

Kelsey Barton 4

Smith 3

Rasler 3

Digs

Bre Love 16

Rasler 16

Kelsey Barton 12

Walker 9

Carly Barton 6

Peyton Cavanaugh 3

Assists

Kelsey Barton 24

Carly Barton 19