NTL VOLLEYBALL: SENIORS LEAD THE WAY TO NEB'S SUCCESS (2023-10-23)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
This has been a year of firsts for NEB. The first time they’ve won the Williamson Tournament, the first time they’ve won 18 matches, and now the first time they’ve won an NTL title in volleyball.

“I know that as a team we all earned it together,” said senior Gabby Susanj. “It was a team effort, and I’m really happy.”

Once upon a time NEB volleyball was known more for their futility than their efficiency, having winless seasons.

Then, in 2018 things began to change. They made districts that year, even taking a set from eventual champions Canton. 

In 2019 they made the finals, eventually losing to Canton. After that they were firmly on the map, battling for the NTL Division-II title and qualifying for districts each season since.

And their three seniors - Susanj, Emma Neuber, and Adrian Chobot - have been along for the ride.

“We’ve all been working really hard since freshman year on,” Chobot remarked. “I remember how hard preseason was freshman year, and it’s all paying off.”

After watching much of 2020 they started seeing regular action in 2021, before taking over the reigns of the team in 2022 - especially with no seniors above them.

For Susanj, she was watching her older sisters pave the way for them.

“It was an inspiration,” Susanj said. “I’m so excited to get to their level and be like them. I feel like I made myself a name, and not just my sisters, and I was really happy I was able to achieve it.”

Last year started off rough but they rallied to make districts, and showed what they could do. During that run they always Canton, Wyalusing, or Williamson ahead of them. The Warriors and Rams graduated much of their varsity teams from the past couple years, so it was down to just NEB and Williamson.

“We really focused on defense, because I feel like you can have a strong offense, but if you don’t have a strong defense, it’s hard to put it down,” Neuber said. 

Whatever they did it worked, as 17 of their 18 matches they won 3-0. Williamson is the only match that went four sets, and their lone blemish was a 3-0 loss to NP-Liberty when they were missing Neuber.

“It’s crazy,” Chobot said. “I’ve watched us get better each game. At the beginning of the season I would have told you absolutely not, and some games it’s crazy to think about that we won - like our comeback against Wellsboro that kicked off the season - and it’s just a very surreal feeling.”

“Going into the next game I’m not nervous until we play a team that’s really going to show our skill,” added Neuber. 

That team will likely be NP-Liberty, the defending district champions and the 2023 Large School winners. They’ve tried to learn as much as they can from that loss, and the one thing they learned was that they need a better block.

“We’re going to focus on blocking a lot,” Neuber said. “If we can have a good block, and then we can put it down because I think we have a really good defense to go against them.”

No matter what, though, nobody will take this year away them.

Walking into their gym the girls’ basketball league titles banner is there - now there will be a volleyball one next to it.

“It’s pretty barren here, so adding some more color is going to be nice,” remarked Neuber.

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING