LINCOLN, NE – Bruning-Davenport/Shickley has proven that they can play with the best, and beat the best, in Classes D1 and D2.
In its first season of D2, the No. 2 Eagles (29-4) are headed to the state championship match after a 3-0 win (25-13, 25-17, 25-18) over No. 3 Mullen (28-4) in the state semifinal match on Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
The Eagles will have the chance to play for a state title for the first time since 2013, and the first time in coach Kari Jo Alfs’ four-year tenure.
“Our passing was on today,” Alfs said. “Sometimes when your passing off, you’re not able to utilize that middle attack. With our passing being on today, and being able to utilize our middle attack, we could really go to Macy (Kamler), and she had a great game. She put it away.”
A sophomore middle, Kamler started off with six kills in the first set and ended with 13 on the day. She also had two blocks. Senior outside hitter Jadyn Kleinschmidt was dominant once more with a match-high 18 kills to go with one ace serve.
Kleinschmidt has 28 kills through the state tournament thus far.
BDS was challenged by Mullen’s middle blockers. The Broncos finished with eight kills as a team. Sophomore middle Samantha Moore led the way with four total blocks. She also had four kills.
Mullen is to tough to get around on the front row, with three players in the Broncos’ rotation standing six feet tall.
“They have a really big front line,” Alfs said. “I told the girls, ‘You’re not going to get a kill every time. It’s okay, because their blocks aren’t going to be there every time.’ That’s the name of the game – you’re going to get blocked, but you have to come back and work hard the next point. I told them not to get frustrated, not to get down and to keep swinging hard.”
Message received. The Eagles finished with 36 team kills. The Broncos had 22. Mullen was led in scoring by senior outside hitter Alysen Daniels, who had seven kills, a block and an ace.
Mullen, who won their first ever state tournament game against Chambers/Wheeler Central on Thursday, will face No. 4 Wynot (24-5) in Friday’s 3rd place at match at Lincoln Northeast High School at 11 a.m.
Wynot got swept away by No. 1 Ewing, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-17) in the first D2 semifinal on Friday morning.
The Tigers (31-2) are back in the D2 title game for the second straight year after getting swept by Exeter-Milligan in the final last November.
“We’re pretty excited to play Ewing,” Alfs said. “We saw them this summer at a camp. We know a little bit of what they have. They know a little about what we have. Of course, we’ll do a little film watching, but we’re just super excited to see Ewing play.
“I feel like we’re prepared. Last year, we maybe were a little nervous (in the semifinal). Coming in today, knowing how everything works, the girls were really comfortable. I didn’t feel like we were stressed too much. That should carry through to Saturday.”
BDS faces Ewing at the Bob Devaney Sports Center at 9 a.m. Saturday. Ol’ Red 99.5 will have complete coverage.
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