Andrean seniors Hannah Maurer and Mackenzie Rice might as well be twin sisters.
They’ve known each other since preschool and have played sports together since grade school. They’re just about the same height — the 5-foot-10 Rice is an inch taller — and both play right-side hitter.
Andrean coach Grant Bell even described them jointly as the team’s “X-factor,” even if they may not be the most well-known names on the roster.
“In some other programs, they may have been three-year varsity starters,” Bell said. “But they’ve always been competitive, always taken volleyball seriously and always trained hard, waiting for this year — and no one knows who they are.”
That could change this weekend, however. Maurer and Rice will be key to defending Class 2A state champion Andrean’s rotations in the Frankfort Semistate against Wapahani on Saturday.
Neither player is at the top of any statistical categories for the 59ers (29-5), which is by design. Junior outside hitter Marin Sanchez leads the team with 340 kills, and senior outside hitter Annelise Allegretti is second with 240. Senior middle blocker Audrey Nohos leads Andrean with 59 blocks.
Maurer and Rice are the off-speed pitch to those fastballs, the players who are meant to contribute a kill or a block when called upon to keep opponents honest, Bell said.
“Everyone knows about Marin and Audrey and Annelise and that we have good defense,” he said. “But when you have players that you can trust to put the ball away, it really helps all of our other hitters. That’s something most teams don’t have, especially in 2A.”
Maurer said she and Rice are aware of how important it is to be successful when an opportunity comes their way.
“When you get a set on the right side, it’s your job to put it down right away,” Maurer said.
Rice is fourth on the team with 104 kills, and Maurer is fifth with 93. Maurer is tied for second in blocks with 29, and Rice is fifth with 19.
Bell said there have been matches when one of them would have been worthy of MVP honors. Rice had seven kills and three blocks in a sectional semifinal against North Newton on Oct. 15, and Maurer had eight kills and five blocks in the regional final against South Central last week.
They have been inseparable for more than a decade. They played basketball and volleyball together at St. John the Evangelist grade school before they nearly ended up at different high schools. Maurer knew she’d be following her three older brothers, who all attended Andrean, but Rice said she almost went to Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights, Illinois.
“Until the last second, I didn’t think I was going to be on the same team as her,” Rice said. “But I visited here and really liked it, so I just came here instead. It’s kind of cool that it worked out like this.”
Maurer said she may have had some influence on that decision, too, offering a wry smile before saying, “Maybe a little bit.”
Maurer and Rice stayed with Andrean’s junior varsity team as freshmen and sophomores before seeing some varsity action on the state championship team last season.
They’ve been part of every match this season. Because they play the same position, when one is on the bench, the other’s eyes are usually focused on her.
“Whenever I watch Hannah play, I’m doing it to see how I can be better when I play,” Rice said. “I’m not trying to beat her, but we have it as a friendly competition to try and make ourselves better.”
Maurer nodded in agreement, adding, “I do that too.”
There’s an extra source of motivation for them this postseason. Neither played in the state championship match a year ago. A chance to be on the court at Ball State while playing for another state title is keeping them — and every Andrean player — going.
“As a team, we all want to go back to state because we know what it’s like now,” Rice said. “We all want to get to that point because it’s such a fun time.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
