Class D-2 volleyball: Heidemann sisters come through for Diller-Odell; Other first-round results

LINCOLN — Competing in the state’s smallest class, Diller-Odell boasts two big-time sisters trying to lead their team to a second straight title.

The Heidemanns — senior setter Addison and sophomore outside hitter Karli — have helped the Class D-2 Griffins go 31-1 this season. The duo also played a major role in Diller-Odell fending off the upset bid of Nebraska Christian in an early match Thursday at the state tournament.

The Eagles took the first set, but the top-seeded Griffins roared back to capture the match 23-25, 25-11, 25-19, 25-10.

Leading the way again were the sisters ranked in the top 150 of their respective classes by PrepVolleyball.com. Addison is No. 127 nationally and had 44 assists while Karli, ranked No. 63, smashed 31 kills.

“The great thing about both sisters is that they always come ready to work,” Diller-Odell coach Reba Hestermann said. “Whether it’s practices or games, they always give 100%.”

She said the sisters, who travel one hour to Lincoln three times per week to compete on the club level, elevate their games in different ways.

“Addison does a nice job of keeping her composure and spreading the passes around,” Hestermann said. “Karli is willing to hit different shots, and that makes her hard to defend.”

The 5-foot-11 Addison, who entered state with 718 assists and 122 kills, will be a walk-on next year at Iowa State. Karli is taller at 6-2 and only a sophomore, so her college plans are not yet set, though a Division I school is probably in her future.

That’s pretty good for a school with 27 girls.

Still, the Griffins, last year’s Class D-1 champs, found themselves in an unusual spot after dropping the first set Thursday. Hestermann said she told her team it needed to respond.

“We’re here to make a statement,” she said. “I knew that we had to come back strong and get the momentum back.”

With the help of three aces from Addison Heidemann, Diller-Odell grabbed a 7-0 lead in the second set. The Griffins cruised to a 14-point win then held on for a six-point victory in the third set.

Diller-Odell dropped the hammer in the fourth set, grabbing a 14-2 advantage. The Heidemanns fittingly combined on the final point as Addison set Karli, who pounded kill No. 31.

“We know what those two can do,” Hestermann said. “They’re both very coachable and they also make sure that everybody on the team is involved.”

The coach added that her team is focused in Addison Heidemann’s final varsity season.

“A lot of our girls have been to state before, and that helps us,” Hestermann said. “We started fresh after that first set today and worked things out.”

The Griffins hope the Heidemanns can help work out two more wins to secure another state title.

Nebraska Christian (18-9) … 25 11 19 10

Diller-Odell (31-1) … 23 25 25 25

NC (kills-aces-blocks): Tabitha Seip 2-0-1, Molly Greiss 14-1-0, Reghan Flynn 7-0-2, Sidney McHargue 2-2-0, Ali Bruning 1-1-0, Shelby McHargue 4-4-0.

DO: Madelyn Meyerle 5-1-2, Addison Heidemann 7-2-3, Ava Lovitt 7-1-1, Lilly Swanson 4-1-2, Elecea Saathoff 7-2-1, Karli Heidemann 31-2-3.

Set assists: NC 24 (Bruning 21, McHargue 2, Seip 1); DO 46 (A. Heidemann 44, Lovitt 2).

CWC 3, Wynot 1

Morgan Ramsey had 33 kills to lead the Renegades to a 25-19, 24-26, 25-19, 25-22 win over the Blue Devils.

CWC (Chambers/Wheeler Central) improves to 32-1 and advances to play in a Friday semifinal at approximately 11 a.m.

Karley Heimes had nine kills and five aces to pace Wynot, which ends the season 18-5.

Wynot (18-5) … 19 26 19 22

CWC (32-1) … 25 24 25 25

W: Edyn Sudbeck 5-0-2, Chloe Heimes 0-1-0, Amber Lawson 2-0-5, Krystal Sudbeck 2-0-1, Karley Heimes 9-5-2, Autumn Lawson 3-0-3, Kendra Pinkelman 5-0-5.

CWC: Emma Jonseth 9-0-1, Michelle Koenig 5-0-0, Morgan Ramsey 33-3-6, Makenna Pelster 0-2-0, Rachel Dierks 4-0-0, Tessa Metschke 8-2-1.

Set assists: W 20 (Sudbeck 13, C. Heimes 7); CWC 50 (Ryann Haburchak 47, Jonseth 1, Ramsey 1, Dierks 1).

Maywood-Hayes Center 3, Mullen 0

Jaycee Widener had 12 kills to lead the unbeaten Wolves to a 25-23, 25-11, 25-22 win over the Broncos.

Maywood-Hayes Center moves to 29-0 and advances to play 32-1 CWC in a Friday semifinal.

​Samantha Moore had 15 kills for the Broncos, who finish the season 28-6.

Mullen (28-6) … 23 11 22

Maywood-HC (29-0) … 25 25 25

M : Lindey Coble 0-2-0, Hanna Marshall 4-0-0, Kylie Licking 3-0-1, Taylor Svoboda 2-1-1, Samantha Moore 15-1-2, Brooke McCully 1-0-3, Shelby Welsh 0-0-1.

MHC: Kiley Hejtmanek 0-1-0, Ashlin Broz 2-3-0, Olivia Hansen 7-0-0, Alexis Wood 3-0-2, Jaycee Widener 12-0-2, Stevie Handsaker 7-0-2.

Set assists: M 23 (Alli Loughran 21, Svoboda 1, Moore 1); MHC 30 (Broz 16, Hejtmanek 13, Handsaker 1).

Falls City Sacred Heart 3, Humphrey St. Francis 1

Erison Vonderschmidt had 29 kills to lead the Irish to a 23-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-23 win over the Flyers.

Rachel Magdanz had 41 assists for the 26-6 Irish, who advance to a 9 a.m. semifinal Friday against top-ranked Diller-Odell.

Allison Weidner, a Nebraska basketball recruit, had 13 kills to pace the 26-3 Flyers.

Humphrey St. Francis (26-3) … 25 15 22 23

Falls City Sacred Heart (26-6) … 23 25 25 25

HSF (kills-aces-blocks): Allison Weidner 13-2-3, Kylee Wessel 10-1-2, Kelly Pfeifer 4-1-0, Tessa Deets 1-0-0, Kaylee Stricklin 8-0-2, Peighton Eisenmeger 1-0-1.

FCSH: Olivia Eickhoff 3-0-1, Rachel Magdanz 1-0-3, Erison Vonderschmidt 29-0-3, Taylor Frederick 7-1-0, Lainey Ebel 4-0-1, Danielle Bippes 0-1-3.

Set assists: HSF 13 (Eisenmenger 13); FCSH 43 (Magdanz 41, Vinderschmidt 1, Bippes 1).