NWAC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Home cooking .. Cardinals' bid for conference title fueled largely by local players

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

The success started at home in more ways than one for the North Idaho College volleyball team this year.

Last week, the Cardinals advanced to the Elite 8 of the Northwest Athletic Conference tournament, winning twice in the friendly confines of Christianson Gymnasium.

And, with three first-team All-East Region All-Stars, all from the surrounding area, the fun hasn’t stopped — home or away.

Taylin Rowley, a 5-foot-10 sophomore outside hitter/setter and 2020 graduate of Coeur d’Alene High, was named the region’s Most Valuable Player on Wednesday night. Rowley originally signed with NAIA Southern Oregon out of high school before transferring after the pandemic.

As NIC began its fall season in 2021, 5-9 middle blocker Kayla Freed (Lake City) and 5-7 setter Abigail Neff (Lakeland) joined the program. This fall, the addition of two Post Falls freshmen — Brooklyn Minden, a 5-3 libero, and 5-11 middle blocker Rylee Hartwig — has just added to the local flavor within the program.

“It’s been a great experience here because I’ve been able to be around my family again,” Rowley said. “Being with the local girls and back in the community has been great for me individually as well because I’ve grown a lot as a person being around them.”

That also includes being a team leader, which kind of fell on her upon arriving at NIC.

“I’m the oldest on the team, so I definitely took a leadership role from the beginning,” Rowley said. “I’m kind of like the mom on the team. Several of them played club volleyball with my sister (Marin) because I’m three years older than them. But I’ve watched them play and kind of coached them a bit before they got here.”

Likewise, Freed has stepped into her role as a middle blocker.

“It was cool to be on the same college team together with them,” Freed said. “It was kind of a surprise at first that we all ended up here together, but fun to play together after all these years. It’s a great group of girls and we play well together. It’s been a great experience.”

And for Neff, who has split seconds to decide where the ball will go in a given moment, it’s no problem finding a player for her.

“I’ve been a setter my entire life, so I’ve been trained to know what my hitters want and when,” Neff said. “My mind is set to who am I going to go to when we need to put it away. With this team, I can get it to anyone and know they’re going to put it away. I haven’t had to make those hard decisions this year, because they’re all amazing.”

NIC also has 5-8 sophomore outside hitter Paige Dreschel of Coeur d'Alene, Lakeland freshman Addie Kiefer, a 5-10 outside hitter, and 6-1 sophomore right side hitter Kaily DeGraw of Post Falls on its roster.

“They’ve all got a competitiveness that drove me to them more than anything,” said NIC coach Kelsey Stanley, in her 10th year as coach. “I love the small-town kid that works hard and gets after it. A lot of these girls came from really good programs, so they know how to win, which is a huge plus.”

As for Minden and Hartwig, it’s just been adding to what was in place in 2021.

“I’ve always just felt more at home at NIC,” Hartwig said. “When Kelsey called and told me to come to a game as a senior, that’s when I knew where I wanted to be. The energy, competitiveness and the crowd, that’s where I wanted to be.”

Neff and Hartwig were named to the East Region first team, freshman Jessica Stires (from Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls, Wash.) to the second team. Neff, Freed and Rowley were named sophomore All-Stars by the conference.

NIC finished 12-13 in 2021, 8-8 in conference play and missed the NWAC Championships. All eight losses were caused by forfeits related to the COVID-19 pandemic. NIC lost only two sets in its eight conference wins.

“I think last year, we were equally as talented,” Rowley said. “We just had to deal with a lot of losses last year. This year, it’s just different all around. We’ve got a lot of talented girls on this team. Even our practices are more competitive than some of the games other teams might play.”

The level of competition was apparent to Hartwig when she first arrived on campus.

“When I first walked in, we all knew the first week was going to be hard for us,” Hartwig said. “There were a lot of workouts, but you’re surrounded by people that love you and want to push you to be better. When I walked in, I knew this was the place for me.”

Same goes for Minden.

“I’ve been in between setting and the libero roles this year,” Minden said. “Where I play is where the team needs me. Wherever that is, I’ll go and play that spot.”

Where things clicked for Minden was during a three-game stretch where the Cardinals played at Yakima Valley, Blue Mountain and Columbia Basin within a span of a week. NIC won all three matches.

“We were just pushing through that stretch,” Minden said. “But it definitely made us a lot closer as a team. Traveling and staying in the same rooms. That whole experience really helped us get closer as a group.”

NIC swept Tacoma in the opening round of the NWAC East Region tournament last Saturday, then beat Lane in four sets to advance to this weekend's Elite 8 at Pierce College in Lakewood, Wash. The Cardinals (26-4) will face Lower Columbia (27-5) of Longview, Wash., tonight at 5 in a quarterfinal match.

Last year, the conference changed the format of the tournament with the Elite 8 being single-elimination. Those teams that lose in Saturday’s semifinal round will play for third/fourth place on Sunday at noon.

“I told our girls it’s a two-game season,” Stanley said. “Win, and we’re in the top four. Win again Saturday, we’re in the championship. But we’re not looking past Lower Columbia. Our eyes are on them and it’s going to take two (wins) to get to the championship.”

Previously, the tournament was double-elimination, with the tournament being played entirely at the host site. This year, the four regional champions hosted the first two rounds, with the top two teams from each advancing to the final rounds starting today.

"I love the way they’re doing it,” Stanley said. “If you get to the top eight and lose, you should be out. The ones that are prepared and ready will win. There’s not going to be an easy game and we’ve got to battle.”

“We need to focus on pushing each other,” Hartwig said. “We know that when we play as a team, we’re better. We’re cheerful and energy is a big thing for us.”

To Neff, a part of Lakeland’s state 4A championship in 2020 along with Kiefer, winning is just an attitude at this point.

“I definitely think that winning is a mindset that you develop over time,” Neff said. “Once you know how to win, you can carry that onto anything in your life. After winning state, I’ve learned what it takes to win and the work you need to put in to win. I feel like I’m contributing some of that mindset to this team.”

And wanting the same thing.

“They’ve been saying all week that they’re sad because it’s going to be over, which is awesome because they’ve grown so close,” Stanley said. “I think that’s so important that you love who you play with.”

And finishing things the right way this season.