VU ends regular season with sweep on Sophomore Recognition Day

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University volleyball team celebrated the careers of VU's seven sophomores in Saturday afternoon's 2024 regular season finale against Region 24 opponent Kaskaskia College.

The Blazers continued the celebration on the court during the match as VU closed out the regular season with a strong 25-11, 25-15, 25-18 sweep over the Blue Angels.

Vincennes got off to a fast start over Kaskaskia, breaking away with the help of a 7-0 scoring run in set one to take an early 11-5 lead.

VU would carry this momentum throughout the opening set of the match, closing out the set by outscoring the Blue Angels 10-1 to take set one 25-11 and gain the early 1-0 match lead.

The Trailblazers continued to roll into set two, opening up a quick 7-2 advantage before the Blue Angels answered back to even the score at 7-7.

The score would remain close before the Trailblazers broke the set open again with a 7-0 scoring run to take a 21-11 lead and go on to finish out the set 25-15 and take a 2-0 match lead.

Kaskaskia looked determined early in set three to avoid the sweep, holding an early 9-6 lead before VU came storming back with five straight points to regain the lead at 11-9.

The two teams would trade points with Kaskaskia cutting the lead down to one at 17-16 but were unable to completely erase the deficit as VU pulled away late to take set three and the match 25-18.

"We have been reenergized this past week, we were going to learn from the past setbacks but put them in the past," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "I just think that if we follow the game plan to a tee, we will win. I like our response today in the third set when Kaskaskia made a run and how we refocused and got back out there and finished the set and the match. Not sure if we could have done that a couple of weeks ago."

The VU offense was led by sophomore Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) who finished her sophomore day with 12 kills and six digs.

Sophomore Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) added seven kills, six blocks, four digs and one set assist.

Freshman Paulina Fister (Tuszyn, Poland) had another big game for the Blazers, finishing with six kills, six digs and one block, while sophomore Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) filled up the stats sheet in her final home regular season game with five kills, four aces, four blocks, three digs and one set assist.

Sophomore Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) finished out her final regular season home game with three kills, four blocks and one dig.

Freshman Martyna Sadowska (Pila, Poland) rounded out the VU offensive stats on the day with one kill.

Sophomore setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) ran the VU offense to the tune of 21 set assists, five digs and four aces.

Fellow sophomore setter Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) also chipped in with 12 set assists and one dig on the day.

Sophomore libero Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) controlled the VU back row defense all game with a team-high 18 digs and five set assists.

Freshman Julianna Rettig (Antioch, Ill.) closed out the Vincennes box score on the day with 13 digs and one set assist.

"Allison, Isadora, Elisa and Laura took over the front row with good numbers for kills and blocks," Sien added. "Libby and Elisa had big serving runs. Grace covered her half of the court to lead us in digs, while Dylan and Libby ran a very good offense today, especially in the middle. They played some inspired volleyball out there."

"What an awesome group of players, who are better as people," Sien said about his sophomore class. "Great students disciplined and goal oriented. We are privileged to have a small part in helping them grow in all these areas of their lives."

The Vincennes University volleyball team will now head into postseason action next week, beginning with the 2024 NJCAA Division I Region 24 tournament.

The Trailblazers have earned the No. 2 seed in next week's tournament and will host a Quarterfinal match Wednesday, Oct. 30 inside the Physical Education Complex against the winner of the No. 7 seed and No. 10 seed, who will play on Monday, Oct. 28.

VU will then hope to advance to the Semi-final round Saturday, Nov. 2 which will be held at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill, with the tournament finals scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 3 also at John A. Logan College.

"We just have to be on task when the ball is on our side of the net," Sien said. "We know what to do with it and to control it to run the offense."

"We need to trust each other unconditionally when we are out there," Sien added. "I thought I saw a lot of it this week. How fantastic to see this despite all the tough circumstances they have gone through this year."

BOX SCORE

Kaskaskia – 11   15   18   x   x

VUVB (27-12, 15-3) – 25   25   25   x   x

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 18 digs, 5 set assists

Paulina Fister – 6.5 points, 6 kills, 1 block assist, 6 digs

Dylan DeCoursey – 1 dig, 12 set assists

Julianna Rettig – 13 digs, 1 set assist

Laura Tavares – 10 points, 7 kills, 6 block assists, 4 digs, 1 set assists

Isadora Dias – 12 points, 12 kills, 6 digs

Allison Czyzewski – 5 points, 3 kills, 4 block assists, 1 dig

Martyna Sadowska – 1 point, 1 kill

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 11.5 points, 4 aces, 5 kills, 1 solo block, 3 block assists, 3 digs, 1 set assist

Libby Mehringer – 4 points, 4 aces, 5 digs, 21 set assists