Trailblazers fall to pair of Top 20 teams at Cardinal Classic

PARK HILLS, Mo. – The Vincennes University volleyball team faced a very tough test Saturday afternoon on the final day of the 2024 Mineral Area College Cardinal Classic, facing two Top 15 ranked teams back to back.

VU began their day against No. 15 Indian Hills Community College from Iowa, falling 19-25, 25-27, 18-25 and closed out the weekend tournament against No. 13 Missouri State University-West Plains falling 23-25, 15-25, 14-25.

The Trailblazers returned to the court Saturday afternoon at Mineral Area College and began their day with a rematch of last year's District Championship game against No. 15-ranked Indian Hills Community College.

The match began as a back-and-forth battle, with Indian Hills being the first to break way to take a 17-9 advantage.

VU would cut the deficit down to three before the Warriors pulled away late to close out set one 25-19 and take an early 1-0 match lead.

Set two was another hard fought, tight set with the largest lead for either team being just two points.

The two teams traded runs and side outs all the way to sending the set into overtime where Indian Hills again came out on top, taking the set 27-25 and gaining a 2-0 match lead.

VU began the third set by again trading points with Indian Hills, with the Warriors seemingly breaking away with a 15-11 lead, which VU immediately cut back down to one at 16-15.

Indian Hills would gain full control of the match with a late 6-0 scoring run to pull away and finish the third set and the match 25-18.

The VU offense was led by sophomore Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) who came away with six kills, four blocks and one dig.

Sophomores Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) and Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) each finished with four kills, with Dias adding two digs and one block and Dalla Pozza finishing with four blocks.

Freshman Martyna Sadowska (Pila, Poland) rounded out the VU offensive numbers with two kills, one block and one set assist.

Sophomore setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) ran the VU offense on her way to a team-high 18 set assists, while filling up the box score with three digs, two blocks, two kills and an ace.

Freshman setter Rylee Edwards (Fairfield, Ill.) finished the match with 15 set assists, three digs and a pair of aces.

Sophomore libero Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) led the VU back row defense, finishing the match with six digs, while freshmen Paulina Fister (Tuszyn, Poland) and Julianna Rettig (Antioch, Ill.) matched her with six digs each.

Sophomore blocker Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) rounded out the Vincennes box score, coming away with four blocks in the match.

"It is a different level and we have to have confidence that we can play at that level," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "Everything is faster. The ball is hit harder. The serve will float faster. But it's still volleyball, something we've done our whole lives."

The Blazers then looked to close out the weekend on a strong note, facing their second Top 15 team in back-to-back matches by taking on No. 13 ranked Missouri State-West Plains.

Vincennes got off to a great start in their second match of the day, going back and forth with West Plains before falling behind late 23-18.

VU would continue to battle, cutting the deficit to one point before West Plains closed out the opening set going the distance 25-23.

The Blazers carried this momentum into the early stages of set two, pulling even at 8-8 before West Plains took the game up a level with a series of small scoring runs to pull away and take set two 25-15 to gain a 2-0 match lead.

Set three got off to a tough start for the Trailblazers, quickly falling behind 9-0.

VU would continue to battle and held the deficit at 19-10 before trading points down the stretch as West Plains grabbed set three and the match 25-14.

The VU offense was led by Isadora Dias who finished with nine kills, two digs, one block and one set assist.

Martyna Sadowska closed out the weekend with five kills, two digs and two set assists, while Laura Tavares ended the match with four kills, six digs, two blocks and a pair of aces.

Elisa Dalla Pozza came away with two blocks and two kills, while Allison Czyzewski closed out the weekend with two blocks, one kill, one ace and one set assist.

Libby Mehringer again filled up the stats sheet, finishing with 11 set assists, eight digs, three kills, two blocks and a pair of aces.

Sophomore Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) closed out the weekend with six set assists and a dig, while Grace Flexter matched her with six set assists and six digs.

Rylee Edwards ended the match with a pair of set assists and Paulina Fister closed out the Vincennes box score with two digs.

"I mean, what team anywhere at any level would face these circumstances that we did today?" Sien added. "Probably none and I thought we handled it pretty well overall. I know most of us were disappointed in the results and are looking forward to the competition in the District Tournament."

The Trailblazers are headed into the final stretch of the 2024 regular season as they head into the final seven games of the regular season, all against Region 24 opponents.

VU will begin another busy week on the road, Tuesday, Oct. 15 when Vincennes takes on Wabash Valley College at 7 p.m. eastern in Mt. Carmel, Ill.

The Blazers will then return home to the Physical Education Complex for a series of Region games next weekend, starting Friday, Oct. 18 against Frontier Community College at 7 p.m. before hosting Lake Land College and Southeastern Illinois College Saturday, Oct. 19 in tri-match action at the P.E. Complex.

VU will take on Lake Land College at 10 a.m. eastern on Saturday and face Southeastern Illinois at 2 p.m. eastern.

"It's always going to be tough place to play at Wabash Valley," Sien said. "They will bring a big crowd since it's Vincennes. We have to have a quick start and early momentum to take control of the match right away."

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Indian Hills – 25   27   25   x   x

VUVB (21-10, 9-2) – 19   25   18   x   x

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 6 digs

Paulina Fister – 6 digs

Rylee Edwards – 2 points, 2 aces, 3 digs, 15 set assists

Julianna Rettig – 6 digs

Laura Tavares – 8 points, 6 kills, 4 block assists, 1 dig

Isadora Dias – 4.5 points, 4 kills, 1 block assist, 2 digs

Allison Czyzewski – 2 points, 4 block assists

Martyna Sadowska – 2.5 points, 2 kills, 1 block assist, 1 set assist

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 6 points, 4 kills, 4 block assists

Libby Mehringer – 4 points, 1 ace, 2 kills, 2 block assists, 3 digs, 18 set assists

GAME TWO

MSU-West Plains – 25   25   25   x   x

VUVB (21-11, 9-2) – 23   15   14   x   x

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 6 digs, 6 set assists

Paulina Fister – 2 digs

Rylee Edwards – 2 set assists

Dylan DeCoursey – 1 dig, 6 set assists

Laura Tavares – 7 points, 2 aces, 4 kills, 2 block assists, 6 digs

Isadora Dias – 9.5 points, 9 kills, 1 block assist, 2 digs, 1 set assist

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

Martyna Sadowska – 5 points, 5 kills, 2 digs, 2 set assists

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 3 points, 2 kills, 2 block assists

Libby Mehringer – 6 points, 2 aces, 3 kills, 2 block assists, 8 digs, 11 set assists