MAC volleyball settles for 2-2 split in Kansas

Mineral Area sophomore Summer Meyer receives a serve during game three volleyball action against East Central on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, in Union, Mo. (Matt King, mking@dailyjournalonline.com)

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Mineral Area volleyball team defeated its first two opponents during a four-match weekend at the Hutchinson Tournament.

The Cardinals posted a collective .444 hitting percentage in the pivotal third set, and earned a 25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 25-22 victory over Butler (Kan.) on Friday.

Mariana de Carvalho compiled 17 kills, 12 digs and three blocks, and Vitoria Campos totaled 14 kills with four blocks to power Mineral Area.

Alandry Below amassed 39 assists with eight digs, and Kyndal Dodd led the net defense as part of six double blocks. Giovanna Mye knocked down six kills.

Katie Huster picked up 11 digs while Payton Roberts added nine, Summer Meyer made eight and Grace Duncan finished with seven.

Maria Motta and Sydney Lentz paced a balanced attack for Butler with nine kills each. Anja Milosevic made 32 assists, Laynee Brown totaled 18 digs, and Motta delivered five blocks.

Another superb third game helped MAC claim a second victory on Friday, as de Carvalho thrived with 18 kills, 19 digs and two solo blocks in a 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-13 triumph over Iowa Western.

Campos ended with 13 digs, four blocks and six digs, and the Cardinals hit a punishing .562 with 18 kills and zero errors on 32 attacks during the third stanza.

Roberts knocked down eight kills, and Dodd tallied five kills plus two blocks. Huster provided 17 digs and two service aces, and Meyer contributed 14 digs.

Below totaled 38 assists with 13 digs as the setter in six rotations. Duncan made 10 digs, and Mye chipped in eight more for the Cardinals.

Mineral Area faced a daunting Saturday with a ranked opponent followed by a true road contest.

Kinga Michalska posted 14 kills, 10 digs and three blocks, Fernanda Izar spiked 11 kills on 16 attacks while making six blocks, an No. 17 Indian Hills secured a 25-22, 25-19, 26-24 sweep.

Ana Carolina Westerich generated 39 assists, eight digs and two aces while Sabrina Nogueira led the Warriors defensively with 15 digs, and served two aces.

Mineral Area featured de Carvalho again as the primary hitter with 15 kills, along with seven digs and two aces. Below finished with 32 assists and 10 digs.

Campos added eight kills, and Roberts sent down six more. Dodd had a team-high three blocks. Huster totaled 13 digs while Meyer and Duncan brought up 10 apiece.

The tournament concluded with Hutchinson rolling past Mineral Area 25-21, 25-19, 25-18.

The Cardinals were led by de Carvalho with 13 kills, 10 digs and two aces. Campos sprinkled in five kills, and Below made 21 assists. Meyer provided eight digs, and Huster tallied seven.

Mineral Area (14-5) continues a lengthy stretch of matches away from home with a Region 16 clash at MSU-West Plains on Wednesday.