Trust, confidence, enthusiasm – all play an important role in a team’s success on the volleyball court.
It’s a lesson the Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzlies learned the hard way Tuesday night at the West Plains Civic Center.
The Grizzlies (10-4), who rose to 10th in the NJCAA rankings this week, dropped their first Region 16 game of the season, losing to Jefferson College of Hillsboro 29-27, 19-25, 25-27, 20-25.
“Sometimes you have to humble yourself to grow, and that’s exactly where we’re at right now,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. “This game is played with mistakes and struggle, and we need to learn to be okay in those moments.”
After a great performance this past weekend at the Blue Dragon Classic in Hutchinson, Kansas, and a great practice on Monday, Wiedemann expected her team to come out and play with the same trust, confidence and enthusiasm they exhibited at the tournament.
Instead, the Grizzlies were too focused on what they were doing with each contact instead of the flow of the game. “We did some good things; we just didn’t get to the point where we were confident enough to keep putting those good things together. There were times we looked great, but when mistakes happened, we didn’t respond well enough to create the confidence we needed.
“When things get hard, it’s your response that matters. That’s where trust and confidence come from,” she added. “The right response will help you get past the struggle, grow in the struggle and not withdraw into it. If you withdraw, it takes energy away from your teammates.”
The Vikings’ defense played a factor in the Grizzlies’ struggles. “Jefferson played very well, and we didn’t respond to them the way I thought we would, the way we should have. It was like we didn’t expect them to show up and compete.
“Defensively is where they separated themselves from us. They let their mistakes roll off their backs and just kept working through points. I respect the heck out of teams who play that way. It’s where you really learn to compete against anyone,” she added.
“When we did get something going, we let our mistakes take up way too much of our energy and confidence. We played like we weren’t okay with making errors last night,” she said.
Turning point
The game’s turning point came in the third set when the Grizzlies and Vikings were battling hard to take the advantage. In the end, the Vikings came out on top of the set.
“We should have won that third set, period, and we didn’t. We were pouting too much. We were letting their good play affect us. You have to be excited by the competition. You have to show joy for the competition in front of you, and we didn’t,” the coach said.
Sophomore outside attacker Maju Loureiro led the Grizzlies offensively at the net with 15 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Nayla Watkins was most efficient at the net with a .400 attacking percentage. Freshman setter Ashton Wildermuth led the team in assists with 24, and freshman libero Lauren Weber led the Grizzlies in passing rating with 2.26 and in digs with 18.
Freshman middle blocker Manuela Bibinbe led the defensive charge for the Grizzlies with four blocks, and freshman outside hitter Imani Nicholson recorded two service aces.
“I hope we can take this and learn something from it,” Wiedemann said. “We have to go through these things to see what we’re really made of, and it’s better now than at the end of the season. We’ve got to keep working through and learning how to be okay with the struggle and wanting to compete when the opponent is bringing it. We must get better with the details that make the game great. The growth process never ends for those who love to compete.”
Next game
The Grizzlies’ next game will be Tuesday, March 3, against Region 16 rival Mineral Area College. The game will get underway at 6:30 p.m. at the West Plains Civic Center arena.
Wiedemann reminds that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seating will be limited at the game, and social distancing and masking will be required throughout the event for everyone age 10 and above. Children age 2 to 9 are highly recommended to wear a mask, he added.
Those planning to attend should have their masks on when they enter the civic center. Masks will need to remain on throughout the game.
Ushers will be available to answer questions, and signage will be placed to help with seating. Every other row will be blocked off and three seats will be required between groups if seated in the same row.
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball program, visit www.msuwpgrizzlies.com.
