LISLE, Ill. (Nov. 9, 2024) – The NCC women’s volleyball team closes the regular season with a win. They picked up a 3-1 victory over Benedictine University on Saturday. NCC will now enter the postseason with a 21-7 record.
Strong team performance
It was a strong collective effort to get the job done for NCC. They saw a balance of contribution from a number of their players this past weekend.
Three of NCC’s players were able to gather double digit kills. Riley Clark, ’25, had 13, with Abby Buban, ’27, with 12 and Danni Moser, ’26, with 10. Bailey Houlihan, ’26, had a strong day as well as she had 25 digs in the match. Sarah Harvey, ’28, and Aleesa Zebold, ’26, each had three aces in the match. Maddi Barickman, ’25, closed it out with 49 assists.
Powerful message
Although the players are performing on the court Abbi Barickman, ’25, credits the coaches for having a very big impact on her game.
“As a young player I would easily get frustrated with myself if I made a mistake or was having a hard time implementing a new technique or skill. I was reminded by my coaches that nothing is ever perfect the first time you try it and to focus more on how these new skills will benefit me in the future instead of the immediate result,” said Barickman.
As well as that, Barickman also talked about how the lessons that she has took from her coaches go beyond just winning and losing. They have a deeper meaning to her.
“Some of the most important lessons I have learned from my college coaches apply to life and to volleyball. The one that has stuck with me the most is success isn’t linear,” said Barickman.
Importance of vocal leadership
In addition, now that she is a senior, Barickman knew that it was going to be very important for both her and her team that she makes sure that she took a big step as a vocal leader on the team this season.
“My college coaches have all encouraged me to be more confident in myself and pushed me to be more vocal on and off the court,” said Barickman.
Furthermore, according to an article from hbr.org, the power of your voice has the ability to influence and motivate others to come together. Our voices allow us to convey our emotions and let everyone know what it is that they are thinking and need in that moment.
What’s next?
Next up, the NCC women’s volleyball team will host North Park University on Tuesday for the quarterfinals of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Tournament. The match will start at 7 pm inside Gregory Arena.
