MATTOON, Ill. – The Vincennes University volleyball team has entered the final week of the 2023 regular season and began with the first of three Region 24 matches in five days.
The Trailblazers traveled to Mattoon, Ill. to face-off against Lake Land College in VU's final road game of the regular season Tuesday night and came away with a very solid three-set sweep over the host Lakers.
Vincennes got off to a bit of a slow start in set one, quickly falling behind to Lake Land 6-3 before battling back to take their first lead of the match at 9-8.
VU would keep their foot on the gas in the first set, building a 17-13 advantage, before Lake Land got back within one of the Blazers.
This would be as close as the Lakers would get to retaking the lead however as VU pulled away late to take the opening set 25-20 and earn a 1-0 match lead.
Set two began as another back-and-forth battle in what could potentially be a preview of the Region 24 semi-finals, with Lake Land again holding an early lead at 11-10.
VU would again answer back and this time the Blazers completely shifted the momentum of the game, outscoring the Lakers 11-1 to build a commanding 21-12 lead.
Lake Land could attempt to battle back into the set but were unable to put together a scoring run of their own as VU grabbed set two 25-15 and earned a 2-0 match lead.
Riding the momentum from set two and looking to finish off another Region 24 sweep, Vincennes came out of the gates firing in set three, jumping out to an early 8-1 advantage.
Lake Land would attempt to battle back once more on their home floor but were only able to cut the VU lead down to four.
Vincennes would again pull away late, scoring the final four points of the match to take set three 25-13 and complete the three-set sweep over the Lakers.
"We had a somewhat long break since Saturday, so it took that first set to get us acclimated back to playing after the weekend," VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. "Yes, we had a slow start, but we made up for it with quickly finished sets in two and three."
The VU offense was led by sophomore Paige Parlanti (Las Vegas, Nev.) who recorded her 17th double-double of the season and sixth double-double in the last seven matches with 18 kills, 18 digs, three blocks and one ace.
Freshman Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) was next on the kills list, just missing out on double-digits with nine kills, four blocks and one dig.
Freshman Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) ended her night with five kills, six digs, four blocks and one set assist.
Sophomore Audrey Buis (Franklin, Ind.) added four blocks, seven digs and one block to her totals and sophomore Kennedy Sowell (Effingham, Ill.) and freshman Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) rounded out the VU offense with two kills each.
Sowell also led the Blazers with five blocks and one dig on the night.
The Vincennes offense was run by sophomore setter Maecy Johnson (Chrisman, Ill.) who finished the match with 29 set assists, two digs and two blocks.
Sophomore libero Morgan Netcott (Montague, Mich.) controlled the VU back row defense with 14 digs, while freshmen Dylan DeCoursey (Montgomery, Ind.) and Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) entered the game in the third set to record three digs for DeCoursey and two digs for Flexter.
Fellow freshmen Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) and Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) also checked into the game in the third set, with Czyzewski recording one dig and Mehringer ending with one block.
Freshman Ellie Reed (Washington, Ind.) also checked into the match in the third set, heading to the service line to close out the final four points of the match, but did not record a stat in the game.
"We always try to get everybody into as many matches as possible, but it is very difficult," Sien added. "The sets are medium length at 25 points per set. I preferred when the sets were 30 points per set when rally scoring first began. I think everyone wants more, not less volleyball."
"It is difficult, we cannot practice every situation that can occur when people are out," Sien said. "We just put them out there and tell them to play this position and while they might not have played it at VU, I know they have in the past."
The Trailblazers will return home to the Physical Education Complex floor for the final two games of the 2023 regular season, beginning Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. eastern when VU hosts John A. Logan College.
VU will then close out the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 21 when the Blazers host Kaskaskia College at 12 p.m. eastern on Sophomore Recognition Day.
"We have to get back to our total game since we have everyone back now," Sien said. "There's not much time left in the season and careers are nearing an end. We have to sense the urgency and these last couple of matches will let us know how much more we need to do to get there."
BOX SCORE
VUVB (27-6, 10-0) – 25 25 25 x x
Lake Land – 20 15 13 x x
VINCENNES STATS
Grace Flexter – 2 digs
Audrey Buis – 5 points, 4 kills, 1 solo block, 7 digs
Dylan DeCoursey – 3 digs
Morgan Netcott – 14 digs
Paige Parlanti – 20.5 points, 1 ace, 18 kills, 3 block assists, 18 digs
Isadora Dias – 2 points, 2 kills
Allison Czyzewski – 1 dig
Maecy Johnson – 1 points, 2 block assists, 2 digs, 29 set assists
Kennedy Sowell – 4.5 points, 2 kills, 5 block assists, 1 dig
Elisa Dalla Pozza – 7 points, 5 kills, 4 block assists, 6 digs, 1 set assist
Laura Tavares – 11 points, 9 kills, 4 block assists, 1 dig
Libby Mehringer – 0.5 points, 1 block assist