As the Bobcat offense glides into motion, the ball is dug out of the back row into the waiting hands of setter Michelle Jantsch. With a quick flick of her wrists, Jantsch skies the ball inches behind the net where a hitter sends the ball flying toward the ground.
Unlike her teammate Sue Jacobi, Jantsch's game-changing plays rarely make the highlight reel. It is usually outside hitter Jacobi whose line drive kills smash opponents.
It's Jantsch's sets, however, that allow those breathtaking moments to become possible.
She puts me in great positions to get kills
Jacobi said. It's a great asset for the team to have a player like her on the team. She's like our quarterback; she has to be focused at all times and she does that for us.
Coach Ryan Theis often says that when Jacobi or hitter Mandy Nichols play well, it's because Jantsch does her job effectively.
When Mij (Jantsch) is on over 90 percent of the balls she hits are 'killable ' Theis said. A lot of times
we lead the league in hitting efficiency. That means that Michelle is playing very well. To have your team be the most efficient offensively
that means your setter is great.
Many Bobcat practices consist of drills Theis turns into competitions for his players. The punishment for a loss is usually a set of sit-ups or sprints.
When her teammates win these competitions, they cheer. Their joy is visible and audible. When Jantsch wins, though, a flash of a smile, a high-five and a quiet nice work to her teammates suffice.
Situations such as that often happen on the court too. After big plays, it is not uncommon to see Jacobi or libero Meryl Bender scream and pump their fists with enthusiasm.
Jantsch's quick smiles and high-fives are usually the most emotion you will get out of her, though.
Maybe she's not as vocal out there as the rest of us
Jacobi says, But she's out there
focused
ready to put the other team in bad positions.
At the end of practice Jantsch, a senior from Mission Hills, Kansas, tears down each of the nets, an assignment seemingly designed for underclassmen. She does the task without complaint - another testament to her role as a team player.
She bases her mood on if she helped the team win
Theis said. She isn't really 'ra-ra
' she isn't going to scream and yell
she isn't going to go crazy
