CARTERVILLE, Ill. – The Vincennes University volleyball team captured their fourth straight Region 24 title Sunday evening at the 2024 NJCAA Division I Region 24 Championships hosted by John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill.
The No. 2 seed Trailblazers defeated No. 4 seed Southwestern Illinois College 25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21 to secure VU's fourth consecutive Championship and earn a bye in next weekend's NJCAA Division I Midwest District Championships.
The Trailblazers got the day started off great, breaking away in the first set with a 9-2 scoring run to take a 17-10 lead.
VU would extend their lead to 21-13 before trading side outs with the Blue Storm down the stretch before closing out the opening set of the match 25-18 and gaining the early 1-0 lead.
Vincennes continued to ride this momentum into the second set, quickly jumping out to a 15-7 lead and using a 5-1 scoring run to increase their lead to 20-11.
SWIC continued to battle but were unable to cut into the Vincennes lead as the Trailblazers took set two 25-16 and earned a 2-0 match lead.
VU looked determined to complete the match sweep in the third set, building a seemingly commanding 17-5 lead midway through the set.
Southwestern Illinois refused to fold however, chipping away at the Vincennes lead and swinging the momentum over to their side, closing out the third set on a 13-2 scoring run to take set three 25-23 and cut VU's match lead to 2-1.
The Blue Storm carried this momentum swing into the fourth set and were able to grab the early advantage with a 15-9 lead.
Vincennes was able to respond by outscoring Southwestern Illinois 9-2 to take their first lead of the set at 18-17.
SWIC would regain the lead before the Trailblazers took their game up to another level and closed out the set on a 6-1 scoring run to take set four 25-21 and the match 3-1.
"I'm definitely very proud of this team," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "I've said this a couple of times this season, but what a frustrating year with the schedule and the travel. Region Championships are very good and very special, but this one means the most to me because it's been such a hard season."
"We just really fought and at times it really felt like we were competing against ourselves," Sien added. "Trying to find our game and trying to find the consistency on the floor. They believed. They didn't think it was too late to get it back. They could have just said forget it but they didn't. They regrouped and rededicated and with all the things we've gone through this year, this is definitely a very special Championship."
"Give Southwestern Illinois credit," Sien said. "They made it here for a reason. It wasn't like they got lucky, they had to play good teams in the first round and beating the No. 1 seed in the semifinals. They are new to the Division I level and I am always all for having good programs come into our Region. It just makes this Region stronger."
"Volleyball is a funny sport," Sien added. "In that third set we were ahead 15-4 but you still have to play and you still have to finish. We might have slipped back to how we were earlier this season but what's different now is that we overcame that. Even in the fourth set, we were down six points but we responded in the end with some big plays out there. I think that's a great example of how we are right now."
The Trailblazer offense was led by a big game from sophomore Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) who finished the night with 19 kills and three blocks.
Sophomore Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) also recorded double digits kills, finishing the match with 14 kills, two digs and one set assist.
Sophomore Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) filled up the stats sheet with 11 kill, five digs, four blocks, two set assists and one ace.
Sophomore Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) and freshman Martyna Sadowska (Pila, Poland) each recorded five kills in the match, with Czyzewski adding four blocks and two set assists and Sadowska adding two blocks and one dig.
Freshman Paulina Fister (Tuszyn, Poland) closed out the VU offensive numbers with two kills, 13 digs, two blocks and two aces.
Sophomore setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) helped distribute the ball to the Trailblazer hitters, leading Vincennes with 22 set assists, seven digs, two aces and one kill.
Freshman setter Rylee Edwards (Fairfield, Ill.) closed out her night with a double-double with 13 set assists and 10 digs.
Sophomore libero Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) controlled the VU back row defense, finishing the night with a team-high 13 digs and five set assists.
Freshman Julianna Rettig (Antioch, Ill.) rounded out the Vincennes box score with eight digs and two set assists.
Sophomore setter Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) entered the match in the fourth set and did not record a stat.
"The first two sets and the first half of set three tonight we were nearly flawless," Sien said. "Our execution was right there and we were scoring. Definitely it was good that we didn't quit after SWIC made their run."
"Laura had some clutch kills out there tonight," Sien added. "She didn't have her best total game, there were times where she was just bombing shots and almost hitting the back wall but there were several clutch kills that she had. She and Isadora really came through at different times in being able to get us points in key moments. Making that comeback in the fourth set, those two were very key for us during that run."
"I thought our setters set extremely well," Sien added. "If we pass our setters have done an awesome job. Dylan, Rylee and Libby, all three of them are so consistent and have a good mindset. You have to have a certain mindset and a certain mentality to be a setter."
"We ran our middles with Allison and Elisa," Sien said. "I thought we were pretty efficient there. But in the end of that third set we just didn't have the passing to be able to run the ball through them."
The Trailblazers advance to the 2024 NJCAA Division I Midwest District A Championships which will by hosted at Vincennes University Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9.
VU earned a bye in the District tournament with Sunday's victory and will play Friday, Nov. 8 against the winner of game one of the day at 1 p.m. eastern inside the Physical Education Complex.
"I've said it for the last few years that the next major step is to win the District and go to Nationals," Sien said. "It seems like the last few years we've had the talent to do it. This group comes in with the experience of having two Region Championships and experience in just about every position. It's almost like we have a similar experience level to last year's team and that team was really just a step away from making it to Nationals. So can we find another gear, can we find another mindset to be able to get that done."
"That's really the next step," Sien added. "I feel like we've done pretty much everything else. If we do that, that's a program changer. That will get us more notoriety with four-year schools. It helps with recruiting. That would really just change the whole face of the program. We've done well as a program, but only a certain number of teams can make Nationals. We want to be part of that group and take that next step as a program. Why not? Why shouldn't we have that opportunity? Is this the group? I've recruited every year with the goal of going to Nationals or at least be able to compete for a chance to go."
BOX SCORE
Southwestern Illinois – 18 16 25 21 x
VUVB (30-12, 18-3) – 25 25 23 25 x
VINCENNES STATS
Grace Flexter – 13 digs, 5 set assists
Paulina Fister – 5 points, 2 aces, 2 kills, 2 block assists, 13 digs
Rylee Edwards – 10 digs, 13 set assists
Julianna Rettig – 8 digs, 2 set assists
Laura Tavares – 20.5 points, 19 kills, 3 block assists
Isadora Dias – 14 points, 14 kills, 2 digs, 1 set assist
Allison Czyzewski – 7 points, 5 kills, 4 block assists
Martyna Sadowska – 6 points, 5 kills, 2 block assists, 1 dig
Elisa Dalla Pozza – 14.5 points, 1 ace, 11 kills, 1 solo block, 3 block assists, 5 digs, 2 set assists
Libby Mehringer – 3 points, 2 aces, 1 kill, 7 digs, 22 set assists