Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Vincennes University

Trailblazers Push No. 19 Indian Hills in National Matchup

Trailblazers Push No. 19 Indian Hills in National Matchup
Box Score
October 10, 2025

PALOS HILLS, Mo. – The Vincennes University Women's Volleyball team, currently receiving votes in the latest NJCAA Division I National Poll, went toe-to-toe with nationally ranked No. 19 Indian Hills Community College Friday afternoon in its opening match of the Mineral Area College Cardinal Classic, falling 3–0 (26–28, 16–25, 17–25). The loss moves the Trailblazers to 23–4 overall on the season.

VU came out strong against one of the top programs in the country, pushing Indian Hills to the brink in a competitive opening set that featured multiple set-point opportunities for the Trailblazers. Vincennes served aggressively and blocked effectively to keep the Warriors' high-powered attack off balance early, but the nationally ranked opponent managed to hold off VU's first-set surge before settling into rhythm.

Taryn Thuis led the Trailblazers with 6 kills and 3 solo blocks, while Nicole De La Cruz turned in another strong all-around performance with 6 kills, 3 aces, and 3 total blocks. Lili Palenczat added 4 kills, 6 digs, and 2 total blocks, and Martyna Sadowska contributed 4 kills and a block in limited action. Rylee Edwards paced the offense with 8 assists and 3 digs, while Adaline Eisenmann collected 10 digs in the back row.

Head Coach Gary Sien said he was encouraged by his team's start and their ability to compete against one of the top-ranked programs in the nation. "We hung right with them for most of that first set," Sien said. "We actually had one, maybe even two set-point chances, and we served very tough to keep them off their offense early. Our blocking was solid, and we forced them into a lot of adjustments."

The Trailblazers battled through lineup adjustments and continued developing chemistry in new rotations, playing their second straight contest without star outside hitter Kenli Sullivan. Sien noted that once Indian Hills settled into its system, the Warriors' offensive efficiency proved to be the difference. "After that first set, we had a harder time keeping them out of system," Sien said. "They started passing better and were able to run their offense more effectively, while we had trouble finding holes to put the ball away. We didn't make a lot of errors, but we just couldn't generate enough kills to stay even."

Still, Sien praised his team's defensive effort and competitive consistency throughout the match. "I thought we were right there with them in terms of blocking and defense," he said. "Playing a team like this shows us exactly where we need to keep improving. We're learning to adjust to a slightly different lineup and getting more comfortable with it every match."

The Trailblazers will continue play on Saturday, October 11, in day two of the Mineral Area College Cardinal Classic, facing another nationally ranked opponent in No. 19 Iowa Western Community College at 10 a.m. EST, before closing out the Cardinal Classic with a matchup with Missouri State University–West Plains at 2 p.m. EST.

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Volleyball squad all year long through a number of ways: