VUVB starts tough week of Region 24 matches with road sweep over Shawnee

ULLIN, Ill. – The Vincennes University Trailblazers volleyball team has gotten off to an impressive start to their 2021 season, sitting with an 11-3 record and a perfect 3-0 mark in Region 24 play.

The Blazers got their third Region win of the season Monday night as they traveled to take on the Saints of Shawnee Community College.

VUVB came away with the three-set sweep over the host Saints, 25-5, 25-13, 25-10.

The Trailblazers showed they meant business early in the first set, taking the first 13 points of the match, behind some excellent serves from freshman setter Hannah Graber (Montgomery, Ind.)

Shawnee could not recover from this early deficit as VU cruised to a first set victory, winning 25-5 on the Saints home floor.

Shawnee looked to bounce back early in set two, holding a 4-3 lead early in the set, before Vincennes would go on to score five of the next six points.

With the Trailblazers holding a narrow 10-9 lead, Vincennes again went on a large scoring run, scoring 11 of the next 12 points to take a commanding 21-10 lead.

VU would close out the second set 25-13, giving the Blazers the 2-0 match lead and looking to complete the match sweep.

Shawnee again battled for points early in set three, before VU launched a 5-0 scoring run to jump out to a 9-3 advantage.

The teams would trade points until the Blazers went on another 5-0 scoring run, which all but sealed the game.

Vincennes took set three and the match 25-10.

"We wanted to get in, get it done and get out," VUVB head coach Gary Sien said. "Our team was on task with minimal errors, which would have extended the match."

"We also had the chance to play a majority of the roster, as we got everyone back," Sien added. "We were very efficient on offense, hitting .434 percent as a team. This is an excellent start to this week's slate of Region 24 matches."

VU was led offensively by Addison Ainscough (Cannelburg, Ind.) who led the Blazers with 10 kills, continuing her streak of four matches in a row with 10 or more kills.

Ainscough also finished with seven digs, a pair of blocks and an ace on the night.

Sophomore Emilie Cornelson (Saskatoon, Canada) and freshman Jagoda Szybinska (Poznan, Poland) each finished with eight kills and two blocks against Shawnee. With Szybinska also adding a pair of digs.

Sophomores Breanna Metzger (Dale, Ind.) and Amee Beedle (Wheaton, Ill.) each finished with six kills. Beedle added seven digs and a block, with Metzger also getting two blocks and three digs during the match.

The VU offense ran through freshman setters Hannah Graber and Josephine Mulligan (Saint John, Ind.).

Graber finished with 20 set assists, to go along with five digs, five service aces and a pair of kills.

Mulligan ended her night with 16 set assists, four digs and two aces.

Sophomore Grace Earp (Mattoon, Ill.) controlled the back row defense for Vincennes, ending with a team-high 13 digs on the night.

The Trailblazers will play on their home floor for the first time in 12 days this Wednesday, Sept. 29 when VU hosts Region 24 opponent Lake Land College at 7 p.m. eastern.

This continues a stretch of Region matches for the Blazers as Vincennes will hit the road again this weekend to face Wabash Valley in Mt. Carmel, Ill. Friday, Oct 1 at 7 p.m. eastern, followed by traveling to Mattoon, Ill. to take on Lake Land College at 2 p.m. eastern. Saturday, Oct. 2.

Shawnee – 5  13  10  x  x

VUVB (11-3, 3-0) – 25  25  25  x  x

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Kaley Roush – 2 digs

Josephine Mulligan – 2 points, 2 aces, 4 digs, 16 set assists

Amee Beedle – 6.5 points, 6 kills, 1 block assist, 7 digs

Addison Ainscough – 12 points, 1 ace, 10 kills, 2 block assists, 7 digs

Emilie Cornelson – 9 points, 8 kills, 2 block assists

Jagoda Szybinska – 9 points, 8 kills, 2 block assists, 2 digs

Breanna Metzger – 7.5 points, 6 kills, 1 solo block, 1 block assist, 3 digs

Jamie Russell – 2.5 points, 2 solo blocks, 1 block assist, 1 dig, 2 set assists

Grace Earp – 13 digs

Claudia Mendoza – 3 points, 2 aces, 1 solo block

Hannah Graber – 7 points, 5 aces, 2 kills, 5 digs, 20 set assists

Malgorzata Banasiak – 4 points, 4 kills