MAC volleyball goes 2-1 on Indiana trip

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Mineral Area volleyball team sandwiched a couple of dominant victories around a true road loss over the weekend in western Indiana.

Vincennes secured timely points to carry three hard-fought sets against the Cardinals on Friday evening, and triumphed 26-25, 25-23, 25-22 in the first of two scheduled meetings this season.

Mineral Area hitter Giovanna Ishii attacks during a volleyball match against St. Louis on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Park Hills. (Matt King, mking@dailyjournalonline.com)

Laura Tavares compiled 13 kills and three blocks up front, and Paige Parlanti totaled nine kills with 15 digs for the Trailblazers. Elisa Dalla also drilled nine kills, and Maecy Johnson made 26 digs.

Mariana de Carvalho served four aces and brought up a team-high 17 digs for the Cardinals. She equaled Vitoria Campos and Payton Roberts with five kills apiece.

Summer Meyer added 12 digs, and Alandry Below provided 12 assists plus six digs. Kyndal Dodd and Roberts each made four blocks while Campos and Giovanna Ishii tallied three apiece.

Mineral Area cruised past Spoon River earlier Friday in a 25-12, 25-11, 25-20 outcome as de Carvalho starred with 12 kills and 13 digs.

Campos spiked eight kills, and Roberts was efficient with six kills on just eight attacks. Below finished with 22 assists, three aces and five digs.

Ishii was lethal from the service line with six aces, and also contributed nine digs and 20 assists while matching both Layane Lima and Dodd with five kills each.

Meyer picked up 16 digs, and Katie Huster notched eight more along with two aces for the Cardinals.

Lyric Edgerle highlighted Spoon River with nine kills and eight digs. Lila Serna led with 14 digs.

Mineral Area (10-3) bounced back from the Vincennes sweep by routing Wabash Valley 25-14, 25-10, 25-13 on Saturday amid a system switch to a single setter.

Below amassed 26 assists, eight digs and two aces, and de Carvalho again spearheaded the offense with 10 kills while adding six digs. Campos was close behind with nine kills and two blocks.

Huster delivered a team-high 15 digs and Roberts had seven. Reese Gray joined the lineup with four kills. The Cardinals will next face East Central on Wednesday in Union, Mo.

Wabash Valley was limited to 18 collective kills in defeat. Alyssa White supplied four blocks and 15 assists while Grace Leonard made 13 digs.