MAC volleyball powers through debut weekend
The Mineral Area volleyball team poses after sweeping four opponents from Alabama in straight sets to begin the season on Saturday in Chattanooga, Tenn. (Submitted Photo)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Mineral Area officially opened its volleyball season in Tennessee against four opponents from Alabama, and handled each of them without dropping a set.
Returning outside hitter Mariana de Carvalho totaled seven kills, 13 digs and three service aces on Friday to help the Cardinals beat Snead State 25-14, 25-13, 25-22.
Another standout from last year’s squad, setter Alandry Below, notched four aces plus 13 digs and 13 assists while sophomore libero Summer Meyer picked up 21 digs.
Payton Roberts had five kills, eight digs and two blocks. Giovanna Ishii compiled three blocks, nine digs, seven assists and two aces while equaling Layane Lima with four kills.
Also back for a second MAC season are Katie Huster, who provided nine digs and two aces, and Valle Catholic graduate Ella Bertram with three kills and three blocks.
Alena Godwin highlighted Snead State with seven kills and 17 digs.
The second match on Friday proved more dominant, as Roberts supplied a team-high seven kills on just nine attacks plus three blocks in a 25-10, 25-10, 25-11 rout of Bevill State.
Below dished out 27 assists while adding 10 digs and three aces. De Carvalho sent down five kills on eight swings, and Huster served three aces.
Former Fredericktown star Kyndal Dodd, who switched from the Mineral Area basketball program last season, matched Amiyah Saxton and Lima with four kills apiece. Meyer totaled 13 digs.
Olivia Marcu knocked down nine kills for Bevill State to lead all players.
Saturday action began with a 25-18, 25-15, 25-17 sweep of Calhoun as de Carvalho posted team highs with nine kills and four aces.
Vitoria Campos joined the rotation for an efficient outing with eight kills on a .615 hitting percentage plus seven digs. Ishii also had eight kills with 13 assists, two aces and five digs.
Roberts was versatile defensively with 10 digs and three blocks while chipping in two aces. Dodd made two blocks, and equaled both Lima and Roberts with four kills each.
Meyer executed 22 digs, and Below amassed 18 assists with 10 digs for the Cardinals.
The Chattanooga State tournament finale saw MAC put Wallace State-Hanceville away 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 behind 11 kills, nine digs and two blocks from de Carvalho.
Campos shined with seven kills and three solo blocks, and an active Ishii registered six kills, 12 digs, 10 assists and three combined blocks.
Dodd capped her tourney in strong fashion with three solo blocks plus five kills on six attacks. Roberts also landed five kills along with four blocks and eight digs as the Cardinals controlled the net.
Below generated 22 assists, seven digs and two aces. Meyer served three aces while making nine digs, and Huster bolstered the back row with 11 digs.
Chloe Jackson paced Wallace State offensively with eight kills.
Mineral Area finished with a 22-9 record last fall, and will face St. Louis in the home opener Wednesday before heading to SE Iowa for another full weekend.
