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NORFOLK — The 2025 edition of the Northeast Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match was moved outside for the first time in the history of the event as part of the “Volleyball Day in Norfolk” celebration which was celebrated prior to the all-star match at the Veterans Memorial Baseball Field.
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge’s Julie Kvols was a coach for the Light Team which lost 13-25, 25-13, 18-25, 27-25 and 9-15 to the Dark Team.
Melayna McGregor and Bailey Hochstein of Cedar Catholic were the only Cedar County athletes represented on the tam. The duo competed on separate teams, though as McGregor was on the Light Team and Hochstein played on the Dark Team.
All three participants were excited to be a part of history as the first outdoor volleyball high school match ever.
“It was really neat the way they had it set up, I kind of worried about the weather coming in, but it was really well done and planned,” Kvols said. “It was a very neat atmosphere, a little warm, but very neat.”
Hochstein played libero for the Dark Team and enjoyed meeting her teammates, most of them she played against during her career.
“It was fun to experience being outdoors and with all of the talented players, it was pretty cool,” said Hochstein. “You played against these girls your entire career and now they are your teammates and you find out they are pretty much just like you are, normal people.”
“You play volleyball your whole life and now you’re outside playing, it was pretty cool,” said McGregor. “For three sets it was okay temperature-wise. There were clouds. But the last two sets it got really hot. But it was still fun.”
Hochstein finished the match with a couple of ace serves and the win.
“It was a fun atmosphere but if they are going to keep score, you might as well win,” she said. “It would have been fun regardless, but probably a little more fun if you win.”
McGregor had six kills in the match along with a couple of ace serves.
“Everyone there was really good, it was different playing some different positions, but in the end, it’s just volleyball,” said McGregor. “It was kind of an emotional feeling at the end, but it’s time to move on.”
Light Team 13 25 18 27 9 Dark Team 25 13 25 25 15
Light Team (kills-aces-blocks):
Claudia Riggert (Pierce) 1-0-1; Addison Stewart (Ponca) 6-0-2; Skylar Scholting (Pierce) 1-2-0; Alli Brown (Wakefield) 6-0-0; Baylee Settje (Clarkson/Leigh) 8-0-0; Melayna McGregor (Cedar Catholic) 6-2-0; Olivia Hupp (Stanton) 4-2-0; Sami Wemhoff (Battle Creek) 4-1-0; Jade Bayer (Howells-Dodge) 0-0-0; Totals 36-7-3.
Dark Team (kills-aces-blocks):
Sophie Humphrey (Battle Creek) 5-4-0; Lydia Robertson (Summerland) 9-0-0; Brandi Helzer (Oakland-Craig) 7-5-0; Annabell Barlow (O’Neill St. Mary’s) 0-3-0; JJ Black (Elkhorn Valley) 6-0-3; Chloe Henn (Elgin Public/Pope John) 8-0-1; Brynn Settje (Clarkson/Leigh) 5-2-0; Izzy Hollatz (Clarkson/Leigh) 0-0-0; Bailey Hochstein (Cedar Catholic) 0-2-0. Totals 40-16-4.
Set assists
Light Team 32 (Scholting 32); Dark Team 35 (Humphrey 18, Hollatz 14, Robertson 1, Barlow 1, Br. Settje 1).
