Mineral Area setter Belen Ferrufino stops an Iowa Western attack during game two of the NJCAA Midwest B district volleyball championship match on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Park Hills. (Matt King, Daily Journal)
PARK HILLS – The Mineral Area volleyball team defeated five opponents that were ranked at the time of competition this season.
An emphatic straight-set rout over Iowa Western on Sunday avenged an earlier loss, and clinched an automatic bid to the NJCAA tournament.
Those achievements, plus a 27-2 record, apparently did not impress the selection committee when the 16-team bracket was released on Wednesday.
The Cardinals were assigned the No. 14 seed, and will meet three-time defending national champion Florida Southwestern in the first round Wednesday at Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tenn.
Miami-Dade (25-2) headlines the field on the No. 1 line, and five Texas schools are seeded within the top 11. MAC defeated No. 6 seed Trinity Valley in four games last month.
Florida Southwestern (24-3) features outside hitter Sara Gamboa, at 3.79 kills per set, and right side Letizia Okonofua at 3.11 kills per set.
Mineral Area, the Region 16 and Central B District champion is making its sixth all-time NJCAA tournament appearance.
Lara Gilardi paces the Cardinals at 3.40 k/s from the right side, and Gabrielle Damborowiski knocks down 3.25 k/s along the left side.
Sara Pjevic has totaled 112 blocks this fall, including 17 solo, and fellow middle Olivia Shaw compiled 103 more. Setter Belen Ferrufino needs five assists to surpass 1,000 for the season.
Fredericktown graduate Ava Penuel provides 4.00 digs per set at libero, and Duda Passos ranks third on the Mineral Area roster in kills.
No. 2 seed Weatherford (Texas) is riding a 20-match victory streak. No. 4 seed Northeastern (Colo.) has won 28 in a row.
