NDCL volleyball team has big goals this year

The North Coast League is as unforgiving as ever in volleyball this season. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin is navigating the schedule in hopes it will prepare the Lions for an extended postseason.

Three years ago, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin’s volleyball team was in the midst of its second consecutive state championship season.

One week in September of this fall season showed the Lions are primed to return to such heights.

NDCL picked up a pair of wins over teams then ranked among Division II’s top 10 teams. The Lions held serve on their home floor against Gilmour, ranked No. 8 at the time, then swept rival No. 6 Lake Catholic on its home floor.

“I think our goal, we want to be at the state finals this year,” sophomore setter Hanna Bissler said. “We want to go as far as we possibly can. I don’t think there’s much holding us back but with that comes hard work and determination.”

NDCL received two firstplace votes in the most recent Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association poll and ascended to a No. 6 ranking. The Lions are 10-5 headed into a rematch with Gilmour on Sept. 27. NDCL concludes its regular season with a match at Padua, the two-time defending D-II state champion currently ranked No. 3 in D-I, then hosts Walsh Jesuit and Lake Catholic.

As is the case for the rest of the teams in their conference, the Lions will arrive at the postseason welltested by the North Coast League. NDCL’s schedule includes matches with No. 5 St. Joseph Academy, Beaumont and Villa Angela-St. Joseph alongside the aforementioned teams.

“We have the NCL so beating out those competitors is really big for us,” sophomore outside hitter Missy Sterkel said.

Bissler and Sterkel are at the center of NDCL’s successful campaign, each in their second season as varsity players.

Coach Tom Ray challenged Sterkel to add aggression to her game. Alongside an improved attacking mindset, Sterkel’s confidence is measurably higher – she is second on the team with 2.5 kills per set.

“I think we’ve turned a leaf on her,” Ray said. “She’s got the green light from me to be aggressive, go after everything.”

Bissler, listed as the team’s setter, makes an impact all over the court. While she averages 5.8 assists per set running the offense, Bissler is also a weapon as a powerful hitter and a steady defensive presence.

“She’s one of those kids that she’s a natural scorer,” Ray said. “It’s fun to coach her because you’re like, ‘Hey, how about you go out and hit this one then come to the right side and hit over, and why don’t you set the next two.’ Then it’s like, yeah, jump in the back row and dig a couple balls. She just can do it.”

Sterkel and Bissler’s development has allowed for continued success after doit-all senior outside hitter Alexis Zienka sustained a leg injury at Lake Catholic. Zienka’s made progress and has begun to practice again in a limited capacity. NDCL’s ability to lose its best player and still win a match against a rival in a hostile opponent, let alone in three sets, taught Ray a great deal about his team.

“I’ve learned that in 18 years of coaching,” Ray said, “I’ve never seen a team lose one of their best players in the front row and back row and pull it together and still win. That takes character, it takes a heart and determination that I haven’t had on a team before.”

In Zienka’s stead, another sophomore – Emma Manning – filled in admirably at outside hitter. Sophomore libero Ella Shubert leads the team with 4.6 digs per set. In the middle, the Lions have depth and size in junior Melissa Murray and seniors Annie Borah and Maddie Cipolla.

When the Lions put their talent together, their potential is unquestionable.

“This team, if they want to play as a team, can go to states and win,” Ray said. “I’ve had state championship teams. I know what it takes. It’s going to take a lot of determination, it’s going to take a lot of hard work but the longer the team stays together and plays as a team, the better we are.”