Trailblazer volleyball falls in District Semifinals to Mineral Area

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – VUVB's run at a Midwest District A Championship came to an end Friday afternoon after the Blazers fell 3-0 to the Mineral Area Cardinals in the second semifinal match of the day.

Set one did not start the way Vincennes had hoped, with the Cardinals jumping out to a 15-2 lead midway through the opening set.

The Blazers continued to fight, trying to cut into the large lead, but ultimately fell 25-10, giving Mineral Area the 1-0 match lead.

The Cardinals again took the early lead in set two, opening an 11-4 lead before the Blazers came back to cut the lead to 14-10.

Mineral Area responded back by growing their lead back to 21-11 and carried that momentum to the set two win 25-15 to take a 2-0 match lead.

VU looked determined to not get swept as set three began. Vincennes scored four of the first five points before Mineral Area took the next five points unanswered.

MAC would grow their lead to 12-6 before the Blazers responded to cut the lead to 15-12.

The Cardinal lead again grew to seven points, before Vincennes went on a 6-1 scoring run to make the score 22-20 late in the third set.

Mineral Area then took the last three points to close out the set and the match, taking set three 25-20 and winning the match 3 set to 0.

"We started slow and had to play catch up all match," VUVB head coach Gary Sien said. "You obviously cannot do that against a team like Mineral Area. By the time we started making some plays, it was too late."

The Trailblazers were led offensively by Anna Johnsey and Amee Beedle, who finished with seven kills each. Johnsey added a solo block and four block assists and Beedle would add 11 digs.

Jamie Russell had a good day hitting the ball as well, finishing with six kills on the match, while also being a presence at the net with a solo block and three block assists.

Savannah Grimes continued to run the Blazer offense, ending her day with 18 set assists, as well as six digs and a pair of block assists and kills.

Allyson Kuhl and Elizabeth Combs stepped into the rotation and held their own on the floor, finishing with four kills each.

Kuhl would add two block assists and one dig and Combs would also add two block assists, one dig and one ace.

Grace Earp patrolled the back row, finishing her day with a team-high 11 digs, while also adding a set assist for VU.

"Anna Johnsey, who has been quietly efficient all year, had a good match hitting over .400-percent," Sien added. "Amee Beedle had a well-rounded performance in both the front and back row."

The Trailblazers fall to 15-11 on the season and now hope to be one of two teams selected as an At-Large bid to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in West Plains, Mo., April 15-17.

Mineral Area – 25 25 25 x x

VU (15-11) – 10 15 20 x x

VINCENNES STATS

Savannah Grimes – 3 points, 2 kills, 18 set assists, 6 digs, 2 block assists

Amee Beedle – 7 points, 7 kills, 11 digs

Anna Johnsey – 10 points, 7 kills, 1 solo block, 4 block assists

Allyson Kuhl – 5 points, 4 kills, 1 dig, 2 block assists

Jamie Russell – 7.5 points, 6 kills, 1 dig, 3 block assists

Grace Earp – 11 digs, 1 set assists

Elizabeth Combs – 6 points, 4 kills, 1 ace, 1 dig, 2 block assists

Olga Vasovic – 1 dig