Written by Jack Hart
The Shelbyville Rams traveled to Nokomis Thursday night looking to continue their winning ways, but they were met by one of the area’s toughest teams.
The Nokomis Redskins came out strong and took control of the match, earning a 25-18 victory in the opening set before dominating the second set 25-10 to complete the sweep.
For Nokomis, the victory was about more than just the final score. The Redskins played with energy, confidence and, perhaps most importantly, a strong sense of togetherness.
After the match, Mackenzie Mehochko spoke with ILSportsWire’s Ryan Talbert about the performance.
“I think it went really well. That’s the most fun that we’ve had, and collectively played all together as a team. It was really amazing, and it felt amazing.”
That team chemistry was evident throughout the night. Shelbyville battled back at times in the opening set, but Nokomis continued to respond and eventually closed out the 25-18 win.
Mehochko pointed to the Redskins’ ability to stay positive and move on from mistakes as one of the biggest keys to their success.
“I think just continuing to encourage each other. Like, hey, next ball… everything ends on an air. You gotta forget it. You gotta move on.”
That mentality carried over into the second set, where Nokomis separated itself from the Rams and cruised to a 25-10 victory.
Rams Get Contributions Across the Floor
Despite the loss, Shelbyville had several individual performances worth noting.
Brynly Rice-Delgado led the Rams with 10 points, 3 kills, 1 assist, 1 block and 8 digs. Ava Corley recorded a team-high 10 assists while adding 2 kills and 3 digs.
Brielle Ko contributed 1 ace, 1 point, 3 kills and 2 blocks, while Meiya Thompson added 3 kills and a dig.
Avery Bland finished with 2 kills, 1 point and a team-high 8 digs, while Taya Wiley recorded 2 points, 2 assists and 2 digs. Debra Jones added 3 digs.
The loss moves Shelbyville to 1-2 on the season, while the Rams remain 0-0 in conference play.
For Nokomis, Thursday’s performance was a statement of what this team can look like when everyone is locked in and playing together.
As Mehochko put it, the key is simple: encourage each other, forget the last ball and move on to the next one.
The Rams will look to bounce back on September 8 against Kansas (Tri-County).
