Bearcat spikers to lean on returning experience in 2021

SPENCERVILLE – Coming off a 2-20 season in 2020 the Bearcat volleyball program is seeking big things this season as they lean on their experienced squad which will return every player from a season ago.

Varsity head coach Amy Hoback will also regain senior Isabelle Murray to the program after playing last during her freshman campaign. Joining Murray who Hoback says is “meshing very well with the team” will be Kait Keller, a freshman that Hoback says “has a great skill set for an incoming freshman. We are looking forward to having her on the court this season.”

Though the Bearcats have had a rough go against the Northwest Conference, last picking up a league victory in 2014, this years experienced group will work hard to take early leads in matches and rack up wins.

Led by a five member senior class consisting of Lydia Falke, Sierra Baumgartner, Kirsten Voice, Isabelle Murray, and Samara Norbeck the Bearcats will look to put a stop to a 20 match losing streak early and regain the form that helped them to open last season with consecutive victories over Ridgemont and Lima Senior.

Norbeck led the Spencerville spikers in kills last season with 123 as a junior while Falke topped the offense with 44 of the teams 149 service aces. Falke, the lone returner to nab NWC honors with an Honorable Mention selection also paced the Bearcats in assists as she handed out 184 in 59 sets played.

“Juniors Claire Hoback and Bethany Monroe can lead our team to some victories this season but it will take some patience and persistence from each of the players to be able to accomplish that goal” Hoback remarked on the outlook for the year. Defensively Hoback led the team in digs with 137 and was part of a group of five that ended the year with 100+ digs.

Spencerville will open the 2021 season with four straight home matches at the Walk-In Closet when they welcome Ridgemont to town on August 21st for a 10:00 A.M. start to the season before matching up with Lima Senior (8/23), Cory Rawson (8/24), and Lima Central Catholic (8/26).

The Bearcats first road trip of the campaign will see a short trip north up 66 to Delphos where they will battle St. Johns on August 31st before opening up Northwest Conference action a couple of matches later on September 14th against Delphos Jefferson.

Last season the NWC was won by Lincolnview as they posted an 8-0 record to finish just ahead of Paulding (7-1) and Crestview (6-2) on their way to a district semifinals appearance.

Hoback enters this season optimistic and said of her teams focus “My goal for the team is to believe in themselves and really work on the mental aspect of volleyball to achieve some wins.”