Freshman defensive specialist and Bennington native Olivia Mauch shared that her family’s home at Bennington Lake was destroyed by the tornado last Friday.
Mauch drove out to Bennington to see the damage firsthand the following day.
“You don’t really realize how bad it is until you’re there,” Mauch said.
Due to the damage, it’s estimated that her family won’t live in their house for 9 to 10 months while it’s being rebuilt. Mauch added that her neighbor’s homes were hit even harder and it might be a year until theirs are rebuilt.
While there’s devastation at home, Mauch finds comfort on the court in just her first semester with the Nebraska volleyball team.
“I feel like when I step onto the volleyball court I can just forget about that kind of stuff,” Mauch said. “The girls have been so comforting to me… I think volleyball helps trying to get it off my mind.”
Mauch says plenty of family members will be in attendance at the spring match in Kearney on Saturday and it will offer an escape for the heartache at hand.
Friday will mark Mauch’s indoor volleyball debut with the team after participating in the beach season. The freshman says the transition from high school has been easy and she’s been improving due to the competitiveness in the gym. Head coach John Cook agrees.
“Here’s somebody whose family just lost their house, they’re trying to figure out where to live,” Cook said. “She’s coming in here and performing really, really well.”
It’s no secret the Huskers have a chip on their shoulder after a 3-0 loss in the national championship to Texas. Mauch and fellow freshman Skyler Pierce have embraced it already.
“Even though we weren’t here, we’re still fighting for them, fighting for our teammates,” Mauch said.
