Bella Kuechenberg didn’t let being a freshman on Bishop Noll team dominated by upperclassmen get in her head last season.
She played against older, more experienced players on her club and sand volleyball teams, so the 5-foot-8 right-side hitter was ready for the challenge.
“Age doesn’t mean anything to me,” Kuechenberg said. “With high school, you just worry about playing your game. You can’t look at one person and say, ‘Well she’s a senior and I’m a freshman.’ You just go out there and show what you can do.”
And show she did, recording 262 kills and an area-high 152 aces as Bishop Noll won its second straight sectional title. The Warriors were the last area team standing in the state tournament, losing a heartbreaking five-game match in the semistate championship.
Now, it’s Kuechenberg’s turn to take a step at leading the way. With the departure of 2014 Post-Tribune Player of the Year Carly Cappello, who finished with 650 kills, 408 digs and 74 aces in her senior season, Kuechenberg will be asked to be a bigger force at the net for the Warriors.
Coach Dave Rodriguez is confident she can handle the added responsibility and demands.
“She came in as a freshman at what was considered a weak position for her and moved right in and surprised a lot of people,” Rodriguez said. “After a year at that position, she’s a lights-out passer. She’s jumping higher and she is a little taller, and we’re expecting big things from her.”
However, she won’t be asked to the carry the entire workload.
“Captains Brittany Anderson and Delaney Soto will be our vocal leaders,” Rodriguez said. “Bella will be our leader by example. She can get a kill from almost anywhere on the court, and she’s going to be just as dangerous again with her serve.”
The Warriors crushed Marquette Catholic in the first match of the season. A win Thursday over Hanover Central would put Bishop Noll in better position to win its first conference title in more than 20 years.
“We want to win every match, but that one will be a big one,” Kuechenberg said. “We lost to Hanover last year and it was a close game. Savanna Zakman is gone, though, and I think we have more balance and Brittany can set all three hitters.
“We’re going to go in and play aggressive and we have home advantage this time.”
Zakman, who has graduated, recorded 14 kills and 23 digs in the Wildcats’ win over Noll last season. Cappello tallied 19 kills and 19 digs.
Rodriguez said Kuechenberg’s drive to succeed is what makes her stand out from most athletes. That will again make the Warriors a force to be reckoned with in conference and during the postseason.
“That kid hates to lose,” he said. “I saw that even when she came in as a 14 year old. On the sand circuit, she’s around a lot of more-seasoned players and she’s picked up on that competitiveness and drive, and she wants to win.
“She puts a lot of that on herself and she has a drive that is unmatched.”
Ryan Haskell is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.
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