CARTERVILLE, Ill. – The Vincennes University volleyball team captured their fourth straight Region 24 title Sunday evening at the 2024 NJCAA Division I Region 24 Championships hosted by John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill.
The No. 2 seed Trailblazers defeated No. 4 seed Southwestern Illinois College 25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21 to secure VU’s fourth consecutive Championship and earn a bye in next weekend’s NJCAA Division I Midwest District Championships.
The Trailblazers got the day started off great, breaking away in the first set with a 9-2 scoring run to take a 17-10 lead.
VU would extend their lead to 21-13 before trading side outs with the Blue Storm down the stretch before closing out the opening set of the match 25-18 and gaining the early 1-0 lead.
Vincennes continued to ride this momentum into the second set, quickly jumping out to a 15-7 lead and using a 5-1 scoring run to increase their lead to 20-11.
SWIC continued to battle but were unable to cut into the Vincennes lead as the Trailblazers took set two 25-16 and earned a 2-0 match lead.
VU looked determined to complete the match sweep in the third set, building a seemingly commanding 17-5 lead midway through the set.
Southwestern Illinois refused to fold however, chipping away at the Vincennes lead and swinging the momentum over to their side, closing out the third set on a 13-2 scoring run to take set three 25-23 and cut VU’s match lead to 2-1.
The Blue Storm carried this momentum swing into the fourth set and were able to grab the early advantage with a 15-9 lead.
Vincennes was able to respond by outscoring Southwestern Illinois 9-2 to take their first lead of the set at 18-17.
SWIC would regain the lead before the Trailblazers took their game up to another level and closed out the set on a 6-1 scoring run to take set four 25-21 and the match 3-1.
“I’m definitely very proud of this team,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “I’ve said this a couple of times this season, but what a frustrating year with the schedule and the travel. Region Championships are very good and very special, but this one means the most to me because it’s been such a hard season.”
“We just really fought and at times it really felt like we were competing against ourselves,” Sien added. “Trying to find our game and trying to find the consistency on the floor. They believed. They didn’t think it was too late to get it back. They could have just said forget it but they didn’t. They regrouped and rededicated and with all the things we’ve gone through this year, this is definitely a very special Championship.”
“Give Southwestern Illinois credit,” Sien said. “They made it here for a reason. It wasn’t like they got lucky, they had to play good teams in the first round and beating the No. 1 seed in the semifinals. They are new to the Division I level and I am always all for having good programs come into our Region. It just makes this Region stronger.”
“Volleyball is a funny sport,” Sien added. “In that third set we were ahead 15-4 but you still have to play and you still have to finish. We might have slipped back to how we were earlier this season but what’s different now is that we overcame that. Even in the fourth set, we were down six points but we responded in the end with some big plays out there. I think that’s a great example of how we are right now.”
The Trailblazer offense was led by a big game from sophomore Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) who finished the night with 19 kills and three blocks.
