Copeland surpasses 500 wins with MAC volleyball

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – Tim Copeland achieved his 500th career coaching victory at Mineral Area after the volleyball Cardinals split a pair of five-set thrillers on Friday.

The milestone was secured in a 25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 25-27, 17-15 road triumph over Southeastern Iowa after a two-game advantage had slipped away.

Layane Lima recorded 14 kills with eight digs, ad Mariana de Carvalho totaled 13 kills with 14 digs in the win. Vitoria Campos knocked down 12 kills while making four blocks.

Mineral Area head coach Tim Copeland talks with setter Alandry Below during a timeout in volleyball action against St. Louis on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Park Hills. Copeland surpassed 500 career wins with the Cardinals against Southeastern Iowa on Friday (Matt King, mking@dailyjournalonline.com)

Giovanna Mye served nine massive aces while adding five kills, 16 digs and 29 assists. Alandry Below set the other three rotations for 25 assists and 13 digs.

Summer Meyer had 22 digs with three aces, and Katie Huster tallied three aces and 14 digs on the back row. Payton Roberts bolstered the attack with seven kills, and Berkli Benefield had five more.

Lillian Simpson powered SE Iowa with 22 kills, six blocks and 14 digs. Brianna Hernandez spiked 17 kills, and McKenna Marlow added 16 kills with 23 digs. Lamecia Schaerrer amassed 48 assists and 21 digs.

History was put on hold for a few hours earlier Friday after the Cardinals dropped a tight 25-23, 20-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-13 battle with eighth-ranked Division II opponent Heartland.

Olivia Pippin shined with 12 kills, 24 assists, seven digs and seven blocks for Heartland. Mairen Mannon delivered nine blocks with 11 kills while Emma Harper and Gracie Sanderson landed 10 kills each.

De Carvalho notched 13 kills with 16 digs, and Roberts totaled 10 kills, seven digs and three blocks for Mineral Area. Campos ended with nine kills and three blocks.

Below had team highs of 19 digs and 27 assists. Reese Gray saw increased playing time with eight kills and 10 digs, and Mye accumulated seven kills, 23 assists and 10 digs.

Meyer picked up 15 digs, and Huster contributed 13 more to lead the Cardinals defensively. Ella Bertram chipped in four kills.

Copeland was hired by Mineral Area in 2005 to revive a program that struggled to compete in Region 16, and has since guided the Cardinals to four top-10 finishes at the NJCAA Tournament.

The busy tournament weekend continued Saturday with Mineral Area rolling toward two straight-set victories. No. 501 for Copeland was a 25-22, 25-17, 25-11 result over Marshalltown.

Roberts was an efficient attacker with eight kills on 16 attempts. Campos and Mye spiked seven kills each, and Benefield sent down five. Below served three aces and made 21 assists.

De Carvalho collected 11 digs while playing exclusively on the back row. Meyer totaled eight digs, and Kyndal Dodd provided two solo blocks to help the defense. Huster picked up two aces.

Yafriel Pavano highlighted Marshalltown with eight kills, and Yanelis Pena finished with 17 assists, six kills and six kills. Isneydy de la Rosa made a team-high 13 digs.

Below amassed 15 assists, seven digs and four service aces in the Saturday finale as the Cardinals put Sauk Valley away 25-20, 25-18, 25-16.

Mye matched Lima with eight kills while tallying 15 assists and nine digs. Campos produced three blocks and equaled Roberts with seven kills each.

Dodd secured four blocks while Meyer bagged 13 digs and Huster added seven digs. Gray had four kills for the Cardinals, who will open the region schedule Wednesday at Jefferson.

Sauk Valley was paced by Maya Gartin with eight kills and Ava Wright with 21 digs. Lacey Eissens ended with six kills and 11 digs, and Kara Stoecker had four blocks plus five kills.