VUVB has tough start to weekend after dropping two five set thrillers

PERRYSBURG, Ohio – The Vincennes University volleyball team suffered their first set back of the 2024 season Friday morning at the 2024 Owens Community College Tournament in Ohio.

The Trailblazers dropped a pair of five set matches Friday to begin the two-day tournament, first against Mott Community College from Flint, Mich. 21-25, 25-21, 13-25, 25-22, 12-15, before later closing out the opening day of the tournament against NJCAA Division II No. 8-ranked Richard Bland College from Virginia 18-25, 25-22, 25-10, 20-25, 12-15.

Vincennes began the day in a very tight contest with an evenly matched Mott Community College.

The opening set was back and forth with each team seemingly taking advantage of long scoring runs before Mott pulled away at the end, scoring the final three points of the set to take set one 25-21.

VU looked to bounce back in set two and quickly built themselves a 12-10 advantage.

After trading side outs, the Blazers slammed the door shut in set two by scoring the final four points to even the match with a 25-21 set two victory.

Set three saw Mott get their chance to answer back and the Bears did not waste an opportunity, grabbing the momentum early and pulling away late to take set three 25-13 and earn a 2-1 match lead.

Vincennes looked to have their backs against the wall early in set four, needing a win to force a fifth set, VU found themselves behind early 8-2.

Mott continued to add pressure throughout the fourth set, getting the lead to 17-9 before Vincennes put together a big 8-0 scoring run to even the score at 17-17.

VU would ride this momentum, scoring six out of the last seven points of the set to take set four 25-22 and force a winner-take-all fifth set.

Set five really showed how evenly matched these teams were as both sides traded side outs throughout most of the fifth set, with Mott getting the advantage late with three unanswered points and would hang on to take set five and the match 15-12.

"We had some major challenges going into the weekend," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "This included being down three players. We fought hard and had our chances but it wasn't enough. We switched to a 5-1 offense to change things up."

The VU offense was led in match one by sophomore Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) who had a big game with 17 kills, two blocks and two digs.

Sophomore Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) also reached double digit kills in match one, recording a double-double with 10 kills, 14 digs, two blocks and one set assist.

Sophomores Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) and Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) were constant figures at the net for the Blazers with Czyzewski finishing with six kills, three blocks and one set assist, while Dalla Pozza added four kills, a team-high seven blocks and three digs.

Sophomore setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) matched Dalla Pozza's four kills, while also running the VU offense very efficiently on her way to her second double-double of the season with 28 set assists, 11 digs, two aces and one block.

Freshman Karen Kodi (West Carrollton, Ohio) ended match one with two kills, one block and one dig while fellow freshman Martyna Sadowska (Pila, Poland) added one kill and five blocks.

Sophomore Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) rounded out the VU offensive numbers, getting one kill to go along with eight digs and a pair of set assists.

Defensively the Blazers were led by sophomore libero Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) who matched Dias for the team lead in digs with 14, while also adding two set assists and one ace.

Freshman Ashley Earp (Mattoon, Ill.) also saw some floor time in match one, recording five digs.

The Trailblazers would then look to turn things around and close out the opening day of the tournament on a high note in game two of the day against NJCAA Division II No. 8-ranked Richard Bland College.

Richard Bland would grab the early momentum in set one, using a 10-1 scoring run to build an 18-8 advantage before closing out the first set 25-18 to take the 1-0 match lead.

Vincennes again looked to answer back in set two and were able to get ahead early with a quick 8-5 lead and later expanding the lead to 14-9.

Richard Bland would fight back and even the score at 22-22 but were unable to retake the lead as VU closed out set two 25-22 and evened the match at 1-1.

Vincennes again rode the early momentum in set three, grabbing a quick 15-7 advantage over the Statesmen closing out the set strong by scoring seven of the final eight points to take set three 25-10 and grab the 2-1 match lead.

This time it was Richard Bland's turn to try and force a fifth set and early in set four the Statesmen appeared determined to extend the match.

Richard Bland held a 12-6 lead before VU answered back to take the lead back at 15-14.

The lead changed hands several times down the stretch of set four before Richard Bland took firm control and closed out set four 25-20 to send this match to a fifth set.

The Statesmen clearly had the early momentum in set five, opening the winner-take-all set by scoring the first five points, which were immediately answered by the Trailblazers to even the score at 5-5.

The score would remain tied at 9-9 before Richard Bland closed out the match with a pair of two-for-one rallies and take set five and the match 15-12.

"In both matches today, we did well in the front row with hitting and blocking," Sien added. "But both teams out passed us and won points in crucial moments. It is hard to stay in a match when you have big problems with serve reception."

"I thought Libby had a good match in running the offense and being an offensive force herself," Sien said. "Isadora also had a good all-around match. Brooklyn came in and had double digit digs for us in the back row as well."

The VU offense was again led by the sophomore hitting duo of Isadora Dias and Laura Tavares in match two of the day.

Dias led the Blazers with 14 kills, six digs, two blocks, two set assists and one ace, while Tavares also reached double-figures with 12 kills, three blocks and three digs.

Sophomore setter Libby Mehringer was just short of another double-double on the day, finishing match two with nine kills to go along with a team-high 27 set assists, four digs and two aces.

Elisa Dalla Pozza and Martyna Sadowska each finished the second match of the day with five kills, while Dalla Pozza again led the Blazers with four blocks, two aces, one dig and one set assist and Sadowska added two blocks, two digs and one set assist.

The VU offense was rounded out by Allison Czyzewski, who finished with two kills, two blocks and one set assist.

Freshman Brooklyn Summers (Loogootee, Ind.) led the way for VU defensively, ending match two with a team-high 15 digs, while sophomore libero Grace Flexter added 11 digs and six set assists.

Dylan DeCoursey rounds out the VU box score with two digs, one set assist and one ace on the match.

The Trailblazers will look to bounce back again when VU returns for day two of the 2024 Owens Community College tournament Saturday, Aug. 31.

Vincennes will begin the final day of the tournament by taking on Southwestern Michigan Community College at 9 a.m. eastern, before closing out the four-game trip against Danville Area Community College at 12:30 p.m. eastern.

"We don't have a choice, we need to have the confidence to get these two matches tomorrow and end the weekend strong," Sien added.

BOX SCORE

MATCH ONE

Mott – 25   21   25   22   15

VUVB (3-1, 3-0) – 21   25   13   25   12

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 1 point, 1 ace, 14 digs, 2 set assists

Dylan DeCoursey – 1 point, 1 kill, 8 digs, 2 set assists

Laura Tavares – 18 points, 17 kills, 2 block assists, 2 digs

Isadora Dias – 11 points, 10 kills, 2 block assists, 14 digs, 1 set assist

Allison Czyzewski – 7.5 points, 6 kills, 3 block assists, 1 set assist

Ashley Earp – 5 digs

Martyna Sadowska – 4 points, 1 kill, 1 solo block, 4 block assists

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 8 points, 4 kills, 1 solo block, 6 block assists, 3 digs

Karen Kodi – 2.5 points, 2 kills, 1 block assist, 1 dig

Libby Mehringer – 6.5 points, 2 aces, 4 kills, 1 block assist, 11 digs, 28 set assists

MATCH TWO

Richard Bland – 25   22   10   25   15

VUVB (3-2, 3-0) – 18   25   25   20   12

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 11 digs, 6 set assists

Dylan DeCoursey – 1 point, 1 ace, 2 digs, 1 set assist

Brooklyn Summers – 15 digs

Laura Tavares – 13.5 points, 12 kills, 3 block assists, 3 digs

Isadora Dias – 16.5 points, 1 ace, 14 kills, 1 solo block, 1 block assist, 6 digs, 2 set assists

Allison Czyzewski – 3 points, 2 kills, 2 block assists, 1 set assist

Martyna Sadowska – 6 points, 5 kills, 2 block assists, 2 digs, 1 set assist

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 9 points, 2 aces, 5 kills, 4 block assists, 1 dig, 1 set assist

Libby Mehringer – 11 points, 2 aces, 9 kills, 4 digs, 27 set assists