After state tourney run, what will Mascoutah volleyball do for an encore?

During their run to the Class 3A state tournament last season, the Mascoutah High volleyball team turned themselves into local rock stars.

Young girls in the town suddenly wanted to begin playing volleyball after attending exciting matches along the way to Mascoutah’s third-place finish and 33-8 record. The Indians converted a lot of new fans of all ages, too.

“That was great to see in this community,” said Mascoutah coach Todd Gober, whose teams are 88-26 in his first three seasons. “We’ve created something at the younger level and that’s what I think success does. It gives the younger girls some athletes to look up to and a team they want to be a part of.

“We had teams before that were successful, but when you get to state that really gets the attention of everybody.”

It certainly did.

The Indians took some graduation hits, including Belleville News-Democrat Large-School Player of the Year Megan Lindsay (Murray State), Amanda Jung (Southern Indiana) and Maddie Nekola (college basketball at Faulkner University).

“We had college-caliber athletes on the team last year and that makes a huge difference,” said Gober, who coached previously at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “The big thing that last year did was establish the winning attitude that’s needed to sustain success.

“Not that we were at the bottom, but it’s hard to build that attitude. Once you create that winning mindset, that transcends through the program and the upperclassmen start to pas it down to the younger ones.”

Mascoutah is hoping for another long playoff run this season and Gober, whose team opens the season Thursday at Mater Dei, thinks the Indians have the talent to do it.

Seven seniors return, including senior right side hitter and Murray State recruit Katirah Johnson (162 kills, 134 blocks), four-year starter and middle hitter and William Jewell recruit Lacey Albers (118 kills, 67 blocks), senior outside hitter and Kentucky Wesleyan recruit Nilah Roy (239 digs) and senior setter Kamrynn Voypick (167 digs, 56 service aces). The top junior in the program is Tieghan Morio (190 kills, 164 digs, 37 service aces).

The 6-foot Johnson continues to impress Gober with her overall skills and is moving from the middle to the right side.

“She burst on the scene last year and had a terrific junior year and a nice year in club (volleyball),” Gober said. “We’re expecting big things from her.”

Gober said he is also looking at senior Gabby Moll, junior Kayla Rudolphi and sophomore Molly Cravens at the setter spot.

Morio became another valuable weapon as a sophomore last season.

“What a physical athlete, just great vertical and a very powerful hitter,” Gober said. “We’re counting on Tieghan, she needs to be one of our terminators. We needed consistency out of her and I’m hoping for six rotations out of Tieghan.

“For only being a junior, she’s got the experience of a senior already.”

Roy is moving to outside hitter after playing libero last season, with junior Sydney Waeltz at libero. Senior right side hitter Taylor Recuero is also in the mix along with Moll and senior Allie Warfield, who is vying for time at outside hitter and right side hitter.

“We’ve spent quite a bit of time letting the girls know that just because we had a nice season last year doesn’t translate to any wins this year,” Gober said. “Not a one. I don’t know how good we’re going to be. I don’t know how our chemistry is going to be together — and that was a big reason for our success last year.”

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 1:54 PM with the headline "After state tourney run, what will Mascoutah volleyball do for an encore?."