Blazers get pair of sweeps to close out unbeaten weekend at Wallace State Fall Bash

HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Vincennes University volleyball team improved their winning streak to eight matches Saturday afternoon after closing out the final day of the 2024 Wallace State C.C. Fall Bash in Alabama.

Vincennes opened the day against host Wallace State, winning over the Lions 25-21, 25-21, 25-19 before closing out the weekend with a big sweep over Lawson State Community College 25-4, 25-14, 25-15 to finish with a 4-0 record over the weekend.

The Trailblazers began the day with a tough challenge against host Wallace State Community College, taking the court around 12 hours after their last match Friday night ended.

VU got off to a slow start in the opening set Saturday morning but were able to rebound and grab a 16-12 lead midway through the set.

The Trailblazers would increase the lead to 21-15 before the Lions came climbing back to narrow the margin to 21-20.

Vincennes again answered back, closing out the set strong and taking set one of the day 25-21 to take an early 1-0 match lead.

Set two was another back-and-forth battle, with VU holding a narrow 17-15 lead after a 4-0 scoring run.

The two teams traded points down the stretch of set two, with Vincennes ultimately coming out on top 25-21 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Set three continued the trend of close sets in this match, with the two teams even at 16-16, before VU used a 6-1 scoring run to break away late and close out the match 25-19 to complete the sweep.

The Trailblazers were again led offensively by the sophomore duo of Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) and Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil), with Tavares leading the way with 16 kills and one dig, while Dias added 13 kills, six digs and three aces.

Sophomore Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) and Martyna Sadowska (Pila, Poland) each finished with four kills, with Dalla Pozza recording two blocks, three digs and one ace, while Sadowska added three blocks and one dig.

Sophomores Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) and Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) each finished the first match of the day with three kills, with Czyzewski adding a pair of blocks and one dig, while DeCoursey finished with four digs and 10 set assists.

DeCoursey helped run the Trailblazer offense along with fellow sophomore setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) who recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 22 set assists, 10 digs, one kill and one ace.

Sophomore libero Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) controlled the back row defense for Vincennes, finishing the match with a team-high 13 digs and seven set assists.

Freshman Paulina Fister (Tuszyn, Poland) rounds out the VU box score with 10 digs, one set assist and one block for the match.

"Our offense picked up where we left off last night against Snead State," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "We hit over .340 percent and prevented Wallace State from making any sustained runs. We did well in winning many of the rallies that took place as well as sustained runs in points."

The Trailblazers would then return to the floor Saturday afternoon to finish out the four-game weekend slate against Lawson State Community College from Birmingham, Ala.

VU wasted little time getting the early advantage over the Cougars, quickly gaining a 2-0 match lead by taking set one 25-4 and set two 25-14.

Vincennes got the opportunity to show off the team depth in the third set, getting everyone involved in a set that began as a back-and-forth struggle with VU trailing 13-12 before closing out the set on a 13-2 scoring run to take set three 25-15 and close out the weekend with another three set sweep.

Sophomores Laura Tavares and Isadora Dias once again led the way for Vincennes offensively, each again recording double-digit kills.

Tavares led the Blazers with 14 kills and one set assist to close out the weekend, while Dias added 11 kills.

Elisa Dalla Pozza finished with three kills, three aces, two blocks and one dig, while Paulina Fister and Martyna Sadowska each recorded two kills.

Fister would fill up the stats sheet, recording two set assists, two digs, one block and one ace against Lawson State.

Libby Mehringer again ran the VU offense, finishing her weekend with 10 set assists, two aces and one kill.

Freshman Rylee Edwards (Fairfield, Ill.) matched Mehringer's team-high 10 set assists, while also recording one dig and one ace in the match.

Dylan DeCoursey ended her weekend with five set assists and two aces, while Allison Czyzewski recorded one set assist and one dig.

Grace Flexter led the VU defense against Lawson State, ending with a team-high seven digs, three set assists and three aces, while freshman Ashley Earp (Mattoon, Ill.) recorded one dig and an ace.

The Trailblazers used all 14 players available in their match against Lawson State, including the Trailblazer debut of freshman Julianna Rettig (Antioch, Ill.).

"We wanted to get it done and show what we did this weekend was not luck or happenstance," Sien added. "If we lose today, everything that was yesterday doesn't mean a thing. Hitting over .700 percent in this match is a clear indication of how serious we took it. What a great moment of growth for us this weekend."

The Trailblazers will be on the road again to begin their next week of games, heading to Centralia, Ill. Tuesday, Sept. 24 for a Region 24 showdown with Kaskaskia College at 7 p.m. eastern.

VU will then return to the Physical Education Complex Friday, Sept. 27 to face-off against John A. Logan College at 7 p.m. eastern before closing out the week Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Parkland College Fall Challenge.

The Blazers will head to Champaign, Ill. Saturday to take on NJCAA D-II No. 6-ranked Heartland Community College at 4 p.m. eastern and Lincoln Land Community College at 6 p.m. eastern.

"This weekend is great preparation for this week's upcoming Region matches," Sien said. "It gives us such great confidence."

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Wallace State – 21   21   19   x   x

VUVB (13-4, 6-0) – 25   25   25   x   x

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 13 digs, 7 set assists

Paulina Fister – 0.5 points, 1 block assist, 10 digs, 1 set assist

Dylan DeCoursey – 3 points, 3 kills, 4 digs, 10 set assists

Laura Tavares – 16 points, 16 kills, 1 dig

Isadora Dias – 16 points, 3 aces, 13 kills, 6 digs

Allison Czyzewski – 4 points, 3 kills, 2 block assists, 1 dig

Martyna Sadowska – 5.5 points, 4 kills, 3 block assists, 1 dig

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 6 points, 1 ace, 4 kills, 2 block assists, 3 digs

Libby Mehringer – 2 points, 1 ace, 1 kill, 10 digs, 22 set assists

GAME TWO

Lawson State – 4   14   15   x   x

VUVB (14-4, 6-0) – 25   25   25   x   x

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 3 points, 3 aces, 7 digs, 3 set assists

Paulina Fister – 3.5 points, 1 ace, 2 kills, 1 block assist, 2 digs, 2 set assists

Rylee Edwards – 1 point, 1 ace, 1 dig, 10 set assists

Dylan DeCoursey – 2 points, 2 aces, 5 set assists

Laura Tavares – 14 points, 14 kills, 1 set assist

Isadora Dias – 11 points, 11 kills

Allison Czyzewski – 1 dig, 1 set assist

Ashley Earp – 1 point, 1 ace, 1 dig

Martyna Sadowska – 2 points, 2 kills

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 7.5 points, 3 aces, 3 kills, 1 solo block, 1 block assist, 1 dig

Libby Mehringer – 3 points, 2 aces, 1 kill, 10 set assists