BREESE — Mater Dei senior Addison Nenninger wanted to end what had been a frustrating night, by her standards, on a high note.
Mission accomplished.
Nenninger, an all-state setter, took it herself with the match on the line Thursday against visiting Incarnate Word.
Instead of dishing to one of her hitters, the 5-foot-10 Nenninger blasted home the match winner to lift Mater Dei to a 23-25, 25-18, 25-21 win in a nonconference match between two girls volleyball bluebloods
“I was struggling the whole night hitting,” Nenninger said. “I just wanted to end it on a good note for the team and for myself.”
Nenninger had 23 assists with three kills and three aces for Mater Dei (14-4), No. 4 in the STLhighschoolsports.com small school rankings.
Marlie Haag had nine kills, Adrienne Rakers had seven and Avery Patton added six more for the Knights.
“I felt like we really didn’t have much intensity the first set,” Mater Dei coach Cortney Walker said. “We looked slow, we looked a little lazy. We had some silly unforced errors. So, I think once we were able to figure that out and clear that up and play our normal fast pace, you know, minimal-air volleyball, then things went our way.”
Bailey Hensgens blasted 17 kills and had three aces for No. 8 Incarnate Word (8-6).
Cate McCulloch had eight kills, Kylee Donahue added six more and Avery Buckley recorded 32 assists.
“We got better tonight, even with the loss,” Red Knights coach Shane Weber said. “And how we respond is what’s important to me, and I’m sure that we can do that.”
A Haag block helped restore order after Incarnate Word cut the Mater Dei lead to 20-19 in the third set.
Patton put down a free ball and Haag followed with a kill to restore the Knights’ advantage to 23-19.
“We say it probably every huddle, every practice, mix it up, mix it up, mix it up, because we have girls out there that are capable of putting the ball down,” Walker said. “This year we’re so widespread, you know, that puts a lot of pressure on opposing teams’ blockers.”
Nenninger’s laser ended the 75-minute match.
“When we’re struggling, can’t put a ball down, she’s always there to find a spot and place it,” Haag said of Nenninger.
Red Knights rally
After a slow start, big swings from Hensgens and McCulloch helped Incarnate Word dig out of a 17-11 hole in the first set. A Donahue spike broke a 21-all tie and kills from Audrey Schaeffer and Hensgens helped the Red Knights clinch the opener.
Hensgens had seven kills and a block and Donahue added five kills for Incarnate Word in the first set, while Buckley recorded 17 assists.
“She continues to get better and better,” Weber said of Hensgens, a junior. “Obviously the type of athlete she is, is amazing … Bailey is going to be something special.”
Mater Dei responds
The Knights took control of the second set with a 7-0 run that snapped a 13-all tie. Rakers sparked the salvo with a pair of kills, Hailey Klosterman added a kill and Nenninger put down an ace to help Mater Dei even it up at one set each.
Haag had four kills and a block and Nenninger recorded nine assists and an ace for Mater Dei in the middle frame.
“Our hitters were struggling a little bit, putting the ball down,” Haag said. “They had a big block up, so I was just trying to, like, work around the block, be smart with what I place.”
Winning traditions
Incarnate Word and Mater Dei have a combined 21 state championships between the two programs.
Incarnate Word has 12 state titles in Missouri, with the last coming in 2023. Mater Dei, the two-time defending Class 2A champion in Illinois, has nine state titles.
Up next
Incarnate Word: Hosts St. Joseph’s Academy at 6 p.m. Monday.
Mater Dei: Hosts Breese Central at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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