Seniors dig young Neelin squad

Elli Pomehichuk nearly faced the challenge of leading a completely new team in her Grade 12 year.

She could have been the lone senior on the Neelin Spartans varsity girls volleyball team, being joined by a Grade 11 group she hadn’t played with since she moved up to varsity as a sophomore.

Fortunately, Pomehichuk got some great news before the season: Olivia Koscielny was coming back after missing most of 2025 with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in her right arm.

“I was really excited. I missed playing with her,” Pomehichuk said after posting a team-high seven kills in a 3-0 sweep of the Crocus Plainsmen on Tuesday.

“On the court, we have a good connection, and we can hype each other up and build off each other’s energy. When we’re up, the team’s up. Especially as the role models, that’s really important this season.”

Pomehichuk is naturally Neelin’s captain, having plenty of experience and being a reliable player wherever coach Jill Martine needs her to play, whether it’s outside hitter or middle blocker.

But there’s an extra learning curve that comes with a whole bunch of new teammates. She knew a few things about them from watching the past two years as the Brandon High School Volleyball League had the JV girls play before the varsity match, instead of JV girls and boys on one night and varsity on the other.

“I’ve tried to learn every girl individually and tried to connect with them all personally, learn how they play and what benefits them,” Pomehichuk said.

“Some girls don’t like when you’re constantly telling them all the negatives … you have to bring them up, and (use) constructive criticism.”

Koscielny feels Pomehichuk’s doing a great job as the captain.

“She’s great. She’s always trying to get the girls going and always has something to say,” Koscielny said. “She’s one with the team. She isn’t just trying to get herself going; she’s trying to get everyone going, even if you’re on the bench.”

Koscielny’s in a new role as well, in part out of necessity. She had been an outside hitter and middle in the past, but plays libero now, as it doesn’t stress the injury nearly as much.

The UCL tear, commonly known as “Tommy John,” often requires surgery to repair the ligament in the elbow.

“It was almost a year of recovery. It took a lot of physio, and the little things counted. When I left halfway through the season, it was because I realized it wasn’t good for me to keep doing it,” Koscielny said.

“Here and there after practice I’ll feel it, but it’s way better.”

The Spartans are currently ranked fifth in AAA, but pushed the two-time defending AAAA champion Vincent Massey Vikings to five sets last week.

Considering they have just three seniors, including Dauphin transfer Callie Sobering, they’re on track for a strong few years.

“Those Grade 11s are all great players,” Koscielny said. “They can hit the ball, they can pass, serve; there’s nothing they can’t do really.

“They’re going to develop so much more, and their next year is going to be huge for them.”

The Neelin boys (1-1) swept Crocus (0-2) in the late match.

Lucas Gamache led the Spartans with nine kills, while Case Ashcroft added seven.

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The Vincent Massey Vikings varsity boys’ volleyball team is ranked No. 1 in Manitoba after finishing first at the VIT event at St. Paul’s High School last weekend.

Setter Sam Redekop was named tournament MVP after the Vikings beat the Dakota Lancers 2-1 in the quarterfinals, then swept the host Crusaders in the semifinals.

They beat the Selkirk Royals 2-0 in the final.

Massey’s girls are unranked for the first time in a few years, following a 1-5 weekend at the River City Classic in Winnipeg.

In junior varsity, the Vikings boys are fifth after running the table on the consolation side of the VIT to take ninth place.

The JV girls are seventh after finishing third at Sturgeon Heights, losing a narrow semifinal 2-1 to the host Huskies, who won the event.

In AAA, Neelin’s boys were second as of last week, but defeated the No. 1 Garden Valley Zodiacs at the Daniel McIntyre tournament last weekend.

All six varsity volleyball teams from Brandon are in action at the Viking Classic, beginning Friday at Massey, Neelin and the Healthy Living Centre.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com