Libero Hubl’s versatility gives LSE extra options
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BY RON POWELL / Lincoln Journal Star
Paige Hubl knows her role for the Lincoln Southeast volleyball team, but that doesn’t stop the senior libero from having a little fun with coach during practices.
Her versatility just adds to the punch line.
“Paige is always wanting to do the opposite of what we have in mind,’’ Southeast coach Lindsay Coleman-Burkey said, laughing. “Now that we’ve decided to play her strictly at libero, she tells us all the time ‘I’m hitting really good today.’ ’’
Extra Credit
- Natalie Braun and Allie Falter, Lincoln Pius X: Had 11 kills each in win over Omaha Mercy in the finals of the Pius X Invitational. Braun also served three aces and Falter put down three ace blocks.
- Shayna Schacher, Northwest: Had 12 kills in victory over Columbus Scotus in the championship match of the Northwest Invitational.
- Stasia Ott, Giltner: Had 13 kills in win over Hampton in the finals of the Hampton Invitational.
- Ariel Krolikowski, Grand Island: Collected 18 kills, five ace serves and 23 digs in four-set win over Lincoln Southwest.
- Julianne Drelicharz and Chelsea Dillon, Louisville: Combined for 13 kills in handing Johnson County Central its first loss of the season.
- Amanda Fucsher, Parkview Christian: Had seven kills, 14 digs and 14 ace serves in a win over College View.
With Hubl, Coleman-Burkey has the luxury of never making a wrong choice. The 5-foot-8 Hubl can swing with the top outside hitters in the state, but she’s even more of a standout in her defensive-specialist role where she’s caught the recruiting attention of Nebraska.
Hubl started the first seven matches of the season at outside hitter before moving to libero. It’s been a constant back-and-forth for the four-year starter, who’s never been quite sure what color jersey to wear. Hubl was strictly an outside hitter as a freshman, almost exclusively a libero as a sophomore and then filled both positions as needed last season as a junior.
With fellow seniors Casey Sorensen and Lillie Lueke providing consistent offense from the outside in recent weeks, Hubl’s move to libero appears permanent.
“We have some great outsides on the team, so this is what clicks best for us,’’ Hubl said. “It’s fun hitting the ball, but I like libero a lot better. I like that challenge of digging up the big hitters and I feel I’m more valuable to the team back there.’’
Hubl has 134 digs this season, including 15 in the seventh-ranked Knights’ 25-23, 30-28, 25-18 win last week over No. 8 Lincoln East, Southeast’s most significant victory this season. Her serve receive and defense has allowed setter Alyssa Lake to use all offensive options and get 6-foot middle blockers Haley Lake and Emily Goans more involved in quick sets and slide plays.
Hubl is currently passing serve receive at 2.4 on a 3.0 scale, a statistic her coach described as “pretty incredible.
“I’ve always thought she can play libero at a high Division I college level,” Coleman-Burkey said. “She has the best instincts of any player I’ve had. She not only can handle the hard-hit ball, she can read the hitter and get into position to make the play. She sees things before they happen.”
Hubl’s first exposure to club volleyball came in middle school playing on a squad that featured Lincoln Pius X Super-State setter Lauren Cook and East stars Natalie Ebke and Nicole Gingery. They were coached by Wendy Cook, Lauren’s mother and the wife of Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook.
Hubl later competed with the Nebraska Juniors and the Nebraska Volleyball Academy, but she put club ball to the side last winter to focus on high school basketball and soccer.
Hubl, a three-year starter in basketball, helped Southeast win the Class A girls state title last winter. Like volleyball, Hubl has played numerous positions in soccer, where the three-year starter was an all-city selection last season.
“When I was younger, I just did them all (volleyball, basketball and soccer) at the same time,’’ Hubl said. “I’m pretty serious about basketball and soccer, and it’s hard to give those sports my full effort if my body is broke down or tired from playing club (volleyball). I‘m undecided about college, so I want to give it my all during the high school seasons and leave all my options open.’’
The multiple sports has turned Hubl into one of the most competitive and self-assured athletes Coleman-Burkey has coached. That determination has helped Hubl bounce back from ailments like a concussion her sophomore year in volleyball, a broken big toe in soccer as a sophomore and having her tonsils removed during the 2007 volleyball season.
“Her confidence makes her a leader,” Coleman-Burkey said. “Paige goes out there with the attitude that ‘I can do this,’ and it spreads to the rest of the team. If someone gets a kill on her, she’s going to do everything she can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Southeast (9-6) is in the eight-team Lincoln Northeast Invitational Friday and Saturday that includes Class B, No. 1 Lincoln Pius X and Class A, No. 3 Omaha Marian, both of whom have beaten the Knights earlier this season. The Southeast homecoming dance is after the Knights’ three pool play matches Friday night, but Hubl plans to stay home and rest up for bracket play which starts at 9 a.m. Saturday morning
“This is a huge tournament for us in terms of wild-card points, it’s just too important,’’ Hubl said. “Beating East really raised our confidence. We’ve been able to compete with those top teams in the past, but we never went out and finished it until last week. We want to build off that this weekend.”
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
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