Weeeee Are The Champions ...

The champions of the LMYA Volleyball Tournament, 6th Grade Division, are the Nebraska Cornhuskers!

Following a nailbiting (and noisy) third place game that went to 16-14 in the third game (best of three games, first to 15 in the third, must win by two), Nebraska and Illinois faced off in the final. Unlike most matches earlier in the season, the contest progressed slowly as each time worked on grinding it out. Nebraska jumped out to a quick lead against the better-drilled but not more talented Illinois squad. While Illinois lived (and often died) by advanced volleyball techniques of bump-set-spike, the scrappy Huskers kept swatting the ball back to the Illini any way they could. Illinois mounted a comeback toward the end of the first game as Nebraska could not sustain any momentum on serve, and ran off seven consecutive points midway through the game to nearly erase the large deficit. Nebraska salvaged enough points from side outs and serves to stay ahead, though, and finished out the game 25-22. Coming out with a win in the first game was just the punch in the nose Nebraska needed to deliver against a team that clearly believed it was the better squad.

Nothing went right for Nebraska in the second game. The teams engaged in an epic, multi-volley point with great plays on both sides, but the point went to Illinois. Nebraska hit the retracted basketball backboard multiple times. Nebraska's best player finished off a great reaction save from Kelly with a wild spike out of bounds. Nebraska got a total of two points on serve from its two best players, who each had two opportunities to serve (the two of them almost single-handedly wiped out Texas earlier in the week). Nebraska hung tough and stayed close, but Illinois closed out the second game, 25-21, taking both the game and the momentum. Nebraska's players, particularly it best player, were clearly rattled by their erratic play. Going into the third game, Illinois had found its stride and looked well positioned to finish the march to the title that they clearly expected.

A funny thing happened along the way to that coronation, though. Nebraska's athletes showed what they could do. The Huskers still got nothing on serve from its best player, but she contributed to save a lot of other points, just as she had all season. Two of Nebraska's less talented players suddenly decided that they knew how to spike the ball, winning several great points from the front row. Instead of an Illinois runaway, the game was knotted halfway through at 7-7. After a couple of good serves from a teammate, Kelly came up to serve with the game still very much in the balance at 9-8. When she left the service position, Nebraska led 12-9, a critical stretch of solid serves and good play from her teammates that gave Nebraska a little breathing room and put the finish line in sight. Good teams never give in, and Illinois fought hard, but serving down 13-14, they knocked the ball out of bounds, and the title went to Nebraska.

The players on both sides did not need to say anything about how seriously they took this "recreational league" final. There was a lot of nervous energy, big cheers and quite a few tears on Illinois' side at the end. Illinois expected to win, but the little band of spirited, red-clad athletes did everything they had to do to turn the match in their favor. After the match, Kelly said that her legs got wobbly at the end from the tension (I know my mouth was dry).

Kelly played very well, contributing a number of well-controlled bumps, an overhead save from the back row, and consistently solid serves. All she could do at the beginning of the year was bump a ball hit lightly directly to her; by the end of the year she was a valuable, smart player who could contribute anywhere on the court. Her teammates made similar strides in their skills. Even more valuable was the esprit de corps the players showed. Between most points, they would give each other high fives, even after mistakes or tough plays.

This was the first championship anyone in our family has ever won; Kelly was still marveling at it hours later. She probably would have been fine coming in second, and actually expected to (her natural pessimism coming to the fore), but she happily accepted the win.

And the trash-talking payback with a half-dozen of her closest friends who played for Illinois and all but promised a victory at school on Friday. The spirit of participation and sportsmanship is great and all of that, but winning sure is sweet.