NMMI Sports Press

The 10th-seeded Bronco Volleyball team went 3-1 at the NJCAA Division 1 Championships last week in West Plains, Missouri, dropping their opening round matchup before winning three-straight to claim ninth place in the nation.

Despite a quick start, nerves may have gotten the best of the Broncos during the first match Thursday against No. 7 Trinity Valley, as the Cardinals did not play particularly well while NMMI was error-prone and only managed a team hitting percentage of .177.

"We started fast, but we turned right around and gave them four points," said NMMI head coach Shelby Forchtner. "From that point on we just never really got into a rhythm. We struggled with the game plan and never had a hot server."

Sophomore hitter Allyah Tokelau was the most consistent offensive threat for the Broncos, killing eight balls on 21 attempts with one error. Sophomore libero Mio Yamamoto dug 29 balls and served up an ace, but was frustrated throughout the match as the Cardinals limited her range with their block attack.

"They would run inside, go outside, then run inside and our two pin blockers just did not adjust to that well at all," Forchtner said. "Mio usually gets to take a lot of space, serve receive and defend a lot of balls and she didn't get to do that."

Now in the eight-team consolation bracket, the Broncos had to win two games on Friday in order to play on championship Saturday.

The Broncos defeated the No. 15 Monroe Mustangs 3-1 in the morning bout, then dispatched the No. 11 Seward Saints 3-1 in the afternoon.

In the first set against Monroe, NMMI looked flat again, falling into a 8-3 hole, but a string of Mustang errors and big Bronco swings tied the game at 8-all. From there, the Broncos kept it close and used a run of four-straight kills to take a 22-21 lead. But Monroe answered with their own run and took the first set 26-24.

During the break, Forchtner challenged her team, especially her most consistent players like Yamamoto and outside hitter Baby Moleni.

"After losing on the first day, we asked our kids to focus on the new goal; playing for ninth place on Championship Saturday. You don't come here to just lose two and go home," Forchtner said. "Kids like Mio and Baby respond to challenges. They are fiercely competitive."

For the next three sets the Broncos shut down the Mustang attack. The Broncos hit just .212 in the second set, but only allowed seven kills in a 25-15 win. NMMI hit a monster .533 in the third on the way to an easy 25-9 tally. The Broncos stayed hot in the final set with 13 kills and just two errors, winning 25-13.

"We knew that if we got that team out of system, they weren't going to be able to bang on us like they did in the first set," said Forchtner. "Once we started doing what we talked about in film study, we served super aggressive and it was really hard for them to pass effectively. And then our offense started popping."

Tokelau and Moleni lead the way offensively for the Broncos with 13 kills apiece and just five errors between them. Freshman middle blocker Vitoria Oliveira racked up 11 kills with two errors and had two big solo blocks. Yamamoto dug 29 balls and served up four aces.

Against the Saints, NMMI dropped the opening set 25-14 with an abysmal hitting percentage of .034 and it looked like the Broncos had run out of steam, but the switch was flipped after the Broncos won a tight second set 30-28.

The Broncos had match point four times before freshman setter Kekililani Helekahi set two good balls for the final kills, first for sophomore outside hitter Laila Bernardino and the second for Moleni.

"Seward is a very aggressive team. They talk through the net, they banter, they try to get to you," Forchtner said. "We told our kids to just not engage. It's not our game. Once we refocused on our side, it was a very competitive second set and once we won that, Seward was never in the match again and we took control.

The Broncos took the third set 25-22 and ran away with the fourth 25-16. Bernardino amassed 15 kills on 30 tries with five errors. Oliveira was the most efficient offensive weapon going 13-for-20 with just three errors for a even .500 percentage. Helekahi had 27 set assists and aced four serves.

The battle for ninth-place was the first match on Championship Saturday and featured a fun storyline as Moleni faced her old team in the No. 8 Utah State Eastern Eagles.

"We wondered how she'd react. Would she be a little bit nervous or frustrated because she knows a lot of people on the other side of the net," said Forchtner. "She talked to a few of them and had some hugs and smiles. She started off a bit hesitant. She wasn't making errors, but she could have been more dominant."

The Broncos took the first set easily, 25-13, with freshman opposite Leah Linares leading the way with five kills. The two teams hit at a nearly identical rate in the second period, but the Broncos were twice as error prone, leading to a 25-21 Eagle win.

"At the start of the third, we asked them to try to give Baby one of the first balls," Forchtner said. "And she just crushed it. I think she just needed a good set."

Moleni had nine of her 11 kills in the final two sets as the Broncos won 25-19 and 25-20. Tokelau led the offense with 15 kills on 35 swings with four errors. Linares and Bernardino each had 10 kills. Yamamoto dug 31 balls and had two aces.

After the tournament, Forchtner reflected on a season that she felt could have gone in a number of directions.

"This group was really, really stubborn," she said. "None of them were trying to hurt the group, but they were. The second game against New Mexico Junior College was really the defining moment for this team. They had the game won and didn't win. So we started asking players directly, why didn't you win the game."

The Broncos rattled off eight-straight victories after the loss at NMJC on Oct. 8, including a 3-0 sweep over NMJC to win the conference title and earn the trip to nationals.

One thing you could never say is that the 2022 Broncos weren't a blast to watch. They were a favorite among the tournament staff with an entertaining bench, rowdy celebrations and a few smile-inducing reactions from the coaches.

"This group has always been fun," Forchtner said. "That's why it was so hard to watch them go through some growing pains. They are very easygoing, no real drama. And they were close. A couple of the girls told their stories from other teams and how they felt accepted and wanted on our team. We didn't have the best athletes in the country. We had to do it as a team."

The Broncos finish the season 28-9, 11-3 in conference play. Forchtner improved her career win-loss record to 431-229, all at NMMI. Her postseason mark is 33-18.

"This school exemplifies everything that we need and want in sports," she said. "Leadership, teamwork, execution, integrity, trust. That is NMMI on a daily basis. That's our advantage. We instill those qualities in our kids every day, in every aspect of their lives."