VU volleyball closes out weekend with split at Cardinal Classic

PARK HILLS, Mo. – The Vincennes University volleyball team closed out their final weekend classic of the 2023 regular season Saturday afternoon, taking a split against Hutchinson Community College and host Mineral Area College.

The Blazers defeated Hutchinson in the morning game in comeback fashion in five sets 17-25, 11-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-9 and falling to host Mineral Area College 19-25, 21-25, 21-25.

VU got off to a slow start against Hutchinson, falling behind by seven after the Blue Dragons outscored Vincennes 9-1 to take a 17-10 lead.

Vincennes would cut the deficit down to five but were unable to erase the Hutch lead as VU dropped set one 25-17.

Set two began as more of the same, with Hutchinson quickly building a 7-2 advantage and riding that momentum to a 25-11 set two victory over the Blazers, giving them a 2-0 match lead.

Vincennes looked to start another big comeback in set three, jumping out 11-4 early in the third set and later growing the lead to 10 at 23-13.

Hutchinson was not going to make it easy however as the Blue Dragons out scored the Blazers 8-1 to get back within three, but VU held on to take set three 25-21.

Set four was more of a back-and-forth battle, with the two teams trading scoring runs with VU holding a late 22-21 lead.

The Trailblazers would close out the fourth set with three unanswered to take set four 25-21 and force a winner-take-all fifth set.

Vincennes continued to ride the momentum of set four into set five, jumping out to an 8-3 lead as the teams traded sides of the floor.

Hutchinson would later cut the deficit down to just two points, but were unable to completely erase the VU lead as the Trailblazers took set five 15-9 and earned the 3-2 match victory over Hutchinson C.C.

"We made some line up changes as we were trying to find the right chemistry on the court," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "Sometimes it is as simple as that. Our blocking was also much better as we took away a couple of options from Hutchinson that we didn't earlier in the match."

"Our offense also found holes in their defense, which allowed us to score," Sien added. "Hutchinson was the hottest team coming in on Saturday, having knocked off Indian Hills and Mineral Area on Friday."

The VU offense was led by sophomore Paige Parlanti (Las Vegas, Nev.) who finished with 16 kills and 17 digs for another double-double. Parlanti also added two blocks, two set assists and one ace.

Freshman Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) had another big game at the net, finishing with 13 kills and a team-high eight blocks. Dalla Pozza also finished with six digs and one ace.

Sophomore Audrey Buis (Franklin, Ind.) was the third VU hitter in double-figures, ending with 10 kills, nine digs and two aces.

Sophomore Kennedy Sowell (Effingham, Ill.) added three kills and one dig to her totals, while freshmen Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) and Laura Tavares (Merida Venezuela) also recorded three kills.

Tavares added seven digs and five blocks, while Dias finished the game with four digs and two blocks.

The VU offense was run by sophomore setter Maecy Johnson (Chrisman, Ill.) who finished with 31 set assists, three digs, three blocks and one ace.

Freshman setter Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) also helped run the offense, finishing the game with four set assists.

Sophomore libero Morgan Netcott (Montague, Mich.) helped run the back row defense with a team-high 27 digs and one set assist, while freshman Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) added five digs.

Vincennes then had to turn around immediately and face off against Mineral Area College on the Cardinal's home floor.

The Blazers again got off to a slow start, falling behind 16-8 before rallying back to get within four.

This would be as close as VU would get however as Mineral Area took set one 25-19 to take the early 1-0 match lead.

The Cardinals again jumped out to a lead in set two, using a 4-0 scoring run to take a 16-11 advantage.

Vincennes would again slowly chip away at the deficit, evening the score at 21-21 before Mineral Area closed out the second set with four unanswered to take set two 25-21 and gain a 2-0 match lead.

Set three was more of a back-and-forth battle, with the teams trading side outs with the score locked at 11-11.

VU broke away with four unanswered and later built an 18-13 lead before Mineral Area again came battling back to take the lead at 20-19.

Vincennes took the lead back at 21-20 before the Cardinal closed out the set and the match with a 5-0 scoring run to take set three and the match 25-21.

"(Mineral Area) and everyone else all weekend served us tough and we were not in system for most of the match," Sien said. "That made it very hard to score and their defense covered everything. It is not an excuse, but having played a long, emotional and mentally taxing match against Hutchinson and then to turn and play a good Mineral Area team on their home floor would challenge any team at any level."

The VU offense was again led by Paige Parlanti who, along with Isadora Dias, finished with nine kills each. Parlanti also added nine digs, one block and one ace, while Dias finished with four digs and three blocks.

Laura Tavares finished her day with five kills and two digs, while Elisa Dalla Pozza finished with three kills, three blocks and three digs.

Audrey Buis finished the weekend with two kills, a team-high 14 digs, one ace and one block while Kennedy Sowell rounds out the VU offense with one kill and three blocks.

Maecy Johnson again ran the VU offense, ending with 26 set assists, seven digs and one block.

Morgan Netcott matched Buis for the team-high in digs with 14, along with one set assist and an ace.

Dylan DeCoursey also came in and added some big help defensively along with freshman Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) with DeCoursey ending with three digs and a team-high two aces and Flexter recording four digs and one set assist.

The Trailblazers will now turn their attention to next week where the Blazers will close out the 2023 regular season with three straight Region 24 matches.

VU will travel to Mattoon, Ill. to face-off against Lake Land College Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. eastern, before returning home for the final two matches against John A. Logan Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. eastern and Saturday, Oct. 21 against Kaskaskia College at 12 p.m. eastern for Sophomore Recognition Day.

"We have to maintain the high level of play we saw this weekend," Sien said. "These were the best teams we have played all year, none of them were just there. It had an atmosphere of the postseason, which will serve us well in two weeks. We want to finish the regular season strong and we want the results of these last matches to have a definitive ending."

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

Hutchinson – 25   25   21   21   9

VUVB (26-5, 9-0) – 17   11   25   25   15

VINCENNES STATS

Audrey Buis – 12 points, 2 aces, 10 kills, 9 digs

Dylan DeCoursey – 5 digs

Morgan Netcott – 27 digs, 1 set assist

Paige Parlanti – 18 points, 1 ace, 16 kills, 2 block assists, 17 digs, 2 set assists

Isadora Dias – 4 points, 3 kills, 2 block assists, 4 digs

Maecy Johnson – 2.5 points, 1 ace, 3 block assists, 3 digs, 31 set assists

Kennedy Sowell – 3 points, 3 kills, 1 dig

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 18 points, 1 ace, 13 kills, 8 block assists, 6 digs

Laura Tavares – 5.5 points, 3 kills, 5 block assists, 7 digs

Libby Mehringer – 4 set assists

GAME TWO

Mineral Area – 25   25   25   x   x

VUVB (26-6, 9-0) – 19   21   21   x   x

VINCENNES STATS

Grace Flexter – 4 digs, 1 set assist

Audrey Buis – 3.5 points, 1 ace, 2 kills, 1 block assist, 14 digs

Dylan DeCoursey – 2 points, 2 aces, 3 digs, 1 set assist

Morgan Netcott – 1 point, 1 ace, 14 digs, 1 set assist

Paige Parlanti – 10.5 points, 1 ace, 9 kills, 1 block assist, 9 digs

Isadora Dias – 11 points, 9 kills, 1 solo block, 2 block assists, 4 digs

Maecy Johnson 0.5 points, 1 block assist, 7 digs, 26 set assists

Kennedy Sowell – 2.5 points, 1 kill, 3 block assists

Elisa Dalla Pozza – 5 points, 3 kills, 1 solo block, 2 block assists, 3 digs

Laura Tavares – 5 points, 5 kills, 2 digs