Strong middles lead Legacy to sweep of Saints

Playing a game on Saturday evening felt unusual to senior Brooklynn Felchle.

With nothing but an empty day before the game, it was a change from what the Sabers are used to. It was a good opportunity for Felchle, a middle blocker who is known for the high-intensity energy she brings on the court, to prepare for the contest against St. Mary's, a team that took Legacy to five sets earlier in the season.

Led by a more energized Felchle, who finished with a team-high nine kills and three blocks, the Sabers swept the Saints, 25-17, 25-23, 25-21.

"I definitely felt a lot more rested than I usually do," Felchle said. "I'm one of those players who get super exhausted from just constant playing. So today I felt really comfortable and really energized."

Felchle may have led the team in kills and blocks during Saturday night's match, but she was not alone in good production among Legacy's middles.

Sophomore middle Marlee Falcon had 7 kills and 1.5 blocks, with Felchle and Falcon combining for 41 percent of Legacy's kills and 75 percent of their blocks.

"We definitely mixed our ball around a little bit more. We were able to get our middles more chances to be active in our offense," Legacy head coach Jennifer Astle said. "I think that opened up the net for everybody."

Felchle gave credit to setter Jenny Celley, who led the team with 31 assists and 12 digs, for the team's ability to "mix around the ball".

"Jenny was able to mix up shots, and when we needed me, I felt like I finally stayed behind the ball," Felchle said.

Felchle felt her kills were a sign that the team, as a whole, was performing well.

"When I get good kills, I know that our whole team did well, including defense," Felchle said. "Getting our block set made it so we could funnel to our defense, and they got the ball up to Jenny."

That block was another key for the Sabers in their win over the Saints, with the Sabers posting six blocks through three sets.

Blocking has been a big point of emphasis in practice for the Sabers, and in the win over St. Mary's that practice seems to have worked.

"We've been really working hard on getting our blocking more consistent," Astle said. "It definitely showed."

To put up her team-leading-three blocks, Felchle said she worked on being aware of everything going on around the net, including keeping track of opposing players so she had an idea of where they would be when the time came.

"We have a really tall and good blocking team," Felchle said. "It's just knowing and setting your block where you need to be."

Beyond her blocks and kills, Felchle brings an intangible to the team, positive energy and fire.

"Brooklyn brings so much fire and intensity to our court that I love, she was able to do that tonight," Astle said. "She doesn't just do it when she does well. She definitely does it for everybody."

When that intensity wasn't present on the court, the impacts were felt on the scoreboard. St. Mary's managed to claw back and even gain the lead multiple times in every set. Astle attributes a bit of that to the loss of Felchle, who is only a three-rotation player, and her energy.

"If you ever noticed most of the time when they caught back up, it was because she was not on the floor," Astle said. "That voice is so important out there. So we're still trying to find that person to step up those three rotations and kind of be that emotional person (when Brooklynn is off the floor)."

While the team may have been missing Felchle's intensity, sophomore Falcon did a good job of holding down the fort at middle while Felche waited to be subbed back in. Falcon's ability to compete at that high level often makes Astle forget she is just a sophomore.

"Where Felchle is like fire, Marlee is cool as ice," Astle said. "You never can tell if she's feeling frustrated or not. Her demeanor doesn't change. She's just such a competitor that way and so it's really fun to see her be able to be more involved and active."

Falcon is working on being more vocal on the court and felt that being louder tonight helped her and Celley connect and generate more kills.

"Just being super loud for Jenny, because she always says that she couldn't hear me," Falcon said. "I get set more when I'm louder."

Felchle selected that ability to get loud and bring the energy, as her favorite part of her own game on Saturday.

"I was really proud of just myself being super loud, being there for the team," Felchle said. "Whenever I got on the court, I was making sure I was cheering. Sometimes that can get into the head of other teams. I don't know if it got in theirs, but I felt like it helped us stay comfortable and know where we needed to be."

As the lone returning varsity volleyball player for the Sabers, Felchle has used her ability to be vocal as part of her leadership.

"As a middle you are one of those people that is kind of the rock of the team," Felchle said. "I know what it's like with the hills and valleys, and if you let yourself get in those valleys, that can be a really dangerous place where you start getting into fourth and fifth sets. So my job, whether I'm on the court or on the bench, is I just need to be as loud as possible."

While Felchle leads the team with her experience and play, her ability to speak up has just begun to grow. Astle said the Felchle, who is committed to South Dakota State for basketball, sometimes will hold back out of fear of misspeaking when it comes to her "second sport" but has started to get more comfortable taking control.

"Volleyball is not her first sport, so sometimes she's afraid to say some things, because she's like, 'Oh, should I or should I not?'," Astle said. "And I feel like that is something that she's really blossoming into. She's taking control and reminding people what's open and where to put the ball."

Legacy will play twice next week, facing off against Minot North and Turtle Mountain, and Felchle says the way they come to practice will shape how they play in those matches and any more going into the future.

"We need to keep coming to practice every single day, wanting to attack the ball and just getting better," Felchle said. "We're a really young team. Even though we're full seniors, we just haven't played with each other as much, and I think it's important getting to know each other and knowing our capabilities and just trusting one another."

Reach sports reporter Maeve Hushman at 701-250 8244 or .