Niles beats Edwardsburg in five sets for first regional title

Published 9:24 am Friday, November 10, 2017

By Scott Novak

ALLEGAN — The firsts just keep coming for the No. 4-ranked Niles volleyball team.

After capturing the school’s first district championship the previous week, the Vikings needed five sets to knock off rival Edwardsburg for the Class B regional championship at Allegan High School Thursday night.

The win advances Niles to the Class B state quarterfinals against Lake Odessa-Lakewood, the defending state runner-up and No. 3-ranked team in the state, in East Lansing.

The Vikings reached the Elite Eight with a 19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22 and 15-8 win over the Eddies, who were in the regional finals for the first time since 1992.

Niles (41-8-4) got off to a slow start against an Edwardsburg team that was bent on avenging a pair of losses to the Vikings at the St. Joseph Tournament in October.

After dropping the first set 25-19, the Vikings rebounded to win the second set 25-23. It was a set that was filled with errors on both sides of the net.

The Eddies (38-8) appeared to regain control of the match with a 25-21 victory in the third set, but was unable to put the Vikings away, falling 25-22 in the fourth set.

Niles raced out to a 7-0 lead in the fifth and deciding set before settling for the 15-8 victory and a trip to the quarterfinals.

The victory was not without some anxious moments, including when senior standout Bella Rasler went to the floor with the Vikings needing just one point to win the championship.

Rasler suffered a cramp, battled through the point that was being played before going down on the floor and limping off the court.

Niles coach Jenny Nate called a time out. The Allegan trainer worked on Rasler’s cramp throughout the time out and got her back on the court for what turned out to be the match-winning point.

“I had a heart attack, but I have coached her long enough to know that she will give me the look if it is time to go out,” she said. “I called the time out for her. I was going to sub her out. She looked at me and said ‘it is a cramp, leave me in. It is just one more point.’ You know what, in that moment I knew they would finish. She deserved to be out there for that final point.”

“I knew it was just a cramp because I had already gotten one earlier, but in the other leg. It hurt so bad I had to go down. I would not stand up,” Rasler said.

Nate was pleased with how her team battled through the highs and lows of the match.

“My girls have literally been bringing every ounce of effort they have on the court day after day,” she said. “They focus on their goals, and no matter how tough a match gets, they know how to push through, finish, and win. I am beyond proud of their determination and focus.”

Rasler finished the night with 26 kills, 33 digs and three blocks. Sophomore Taylor Bailey came up big with 10 kills.

Senior Bre Love finished the night with 29 digs and six points, while senior Carly Barton had 42 assists.

Edwardsburg senior Audrey Bellina finished the night with 26 kills, four block and 28 digs, while junior Skye Leach had 13 kills and 35 digs.

The Eddies also got 25 digs from Kylee Meek and 20 digs from Brooke Allen.

Claire Alby finished the night with 52 assists.

“Those Niles kids have been playing together for a long time,” said Edwardsburg coach Sarah Strefling. “They expect to win. Coming in as a new coach, you try and change things. This group has never learned to win. They just need to come in and expect to win. That did not happen.”

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