No doubt Katia Nikolic had a better ending in mind for Lake Central’s regular-season finale.
But the ambitious Indians’ five-set loss to LaPorte on Oct. 6 did leave the senior outside hitter and her teammates with something to think about.
“We wanted to get that edge back,” she said. “The mood in practice has been more competitive, especially after that loss.”
Lake Central certainly looked ready for the postseason on Tuesday, when Nikolic recorded four kills in a 25-9, 25-11, 25-17 win against Hammond Central in the first round of the Class 4A Munster Sectional.
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Brianne Salinas had a team-high nine kills for the Indians (24-9), who will play Merrillville in the sectional semifinals on Saturday morning after sweeping the Wolves (10-9).
Lake Central hasn’t won a sectional title since 2015 or a regional title since 2012, but Nikolic said this team can end those droughts.
“We’ve had that same goal since the beginning of the season, to win sectionals, make it to regionals and hopefully get past that,” she said. “It’s all about being on the same page and working together because that’s when we’re at our best.”
Nikolic, who leads Lake Central with 258 kills this season, gives coach Naveed Nizam some flexibility in the front row. Nikolic plays on the right side at times and played middle as a freshman.
“We can utilize her in any capacity because she does some really good stuff for us,” Nizam said. “She can give outside hitters a lot of grief and the libero too. She’s hit some balls at liberos that have just ricocheted off of bodies.”
From Nikolic’s perspective, her ultimate task has remained the same regardless of position.
“You just have to adjust to different sets,” she said. “But it’s all pretty similar in the way that you just have to put the ball down.”
As Nizam noted, Nikolic puts some power into her hits. She said that’s always been the case.
“I’ve been in the weight room more often recently, but that’s still always come naturally to me,” she said. “I just go up and swing.”
Mila Petkovic, who leads Lake Central with 24 blocks, confirmed that. She has been playing with Nikolic since middle school, but they have known each other even longer.
“She’s always been powerful, ever since we were little,” Petkovic said. “She’s just naturally strong. But since we’ve been hitting the weight room, it’s amped up even more.”
Nikolic has been playing on the varsity team since her freshman season. Her most prominent memories from that time revolve around the guidance she received from her older teammates.
“They showed me how to act and the right way to play, and we had so much fun on all those bus rides,” Nikolic said. “Being a younger kid then, it was fun being included with all of those older kids around me.”
One of those “older kids” now, Nikolic doesn’t want the fun to stop.
“I don’t think it’ll hit me until it’s after the last game we play and we’re all crying, that we’ll never have a chance to go back and do all that stuff again,” she said. “I’m trying not to think about it.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.