CARTERVILLE, Ill. – The Vincennes University volleyball started their spring 2021 season by winning their first six Region 24 matches, but recently the Trailblazers have slid a little. Falling to 6-2 after a 3-2 road loss to John A. Logan.
Set one set the tone for the entire match as the two evenly matched teams traded side outs back-and-forth with neither team really able to gain a strong lead.
Vincennes took set one 25-23 after falling behind 15-12 midway through the set.
Set two started like a continuation of set one, with the Trailblazers holding a narrow 12-10 advantage, before VU went on a 5-0 scoring run to hold a 17-10 lead.
Logan answered back on their home floor, cutting the lead down to 20-19, but the Trailblazers continued to fight to take set two 25-22 and hold a 2-0 match lead.
The Volunteers came out in set three determined to not get swept on their home floor, jumping out to a 7-1 lead.
Vincennes tried to battle back, but were unable to complete the match sweep, falling in set three 25-14.
Set four was more like one and two, with the teams trading side outs. Vincennes held a 17-13 lead late in the set, before Logan responded to score 11 of the next 14 points to take set four and force a fifth set 25-22.
Set five continued the back-and-forth trend of the match, with Logan holding a 10-9 lead.
The Volunteers scored five of the final six points to complete the comeback and take set five 15-10.
"This was a tough one, we simply did not finish the job," VUVB head coach Gary Sien said. "It places us in a difficult position in the Region standings, we will have to win out decisively to maintain one of the top seeds."
"We have to fully realize that we will get everyone's best shot at every game," Sien added. "It does not matter if we had beaten them previously."
VU was led offensively by Breanna Metzger, who finished with a team-high 15 kills, as well as five block assists and 10 digs on the night.
Jamie Russell also reached double-figures in kills with 10 to go along with one solo block, two block assists and seven digs.
Amee Beedle finished with nine kills, 21 digs and an ace. Beedle tied Grace Earp for the team lead in digs at 21, with Earp adding two set assists.
Earp and Beedle helped feed Savannah Grimes who set up the Trailblazer offense, finishing with 36 set assists to go along with her 16 digs, one block assist, one kill and one ace.
Emile Cornelson finished with six kills, five block assists and one dig, along with Anna Johnsey who ended her night with five kills, two solo blocks, two block assists, three digs and three set assists.
The Trailblazers will look to get back in the win column next week as VU hits the road Wednesday, March 17 to take on Frontier. Start time is set for 6 p.m. eastern.
John A. Logan 23 22 25 25 15
VUVB (11-8) 25 25 14 22 10
VINCENNES STATS
Kacee Nicholson – 1 dig
Savannah Grimes – 2.5 points, 1 ace, 1 kill, 1 block assist, 16 digs, 36 set assists
Amee Beedle – 10 points, 1 ace, 9 kills, 21 digs
Emile Cornelson – 8.5 points, 6 kills, 5 block assists, 1 dig
Anna Johnsey – 8 points, 5 kills, 2 solo blocks, 2 block assists, 3 digs, 3 set assists
Breanna Metzger – 17.5 points, 15 kills, 5 block assists, 10 digs
Jamie Russell – 12 points, 10 kills, 1 solo block, 2 block assists, 7 digs
Grace Earp – 21 digs, 2 set assists
Olga Vasovic – 1 ace, 13 digs