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.
