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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Split on Opening Day at Wallace State Fall Bash

Trailblazers Split on Opening Day at Wallace State Fall Bash
Box Score Box Score
September 19, 2025

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Vincennes University Volleyball team split its opening matches Friday at the Wallace State Community College Fall Bash, sweeping No. 23 Walters State before falling in straight sets to host Wallace State. The split brings the Trailblazers' record to 15-2 on the season.

Game 1: VU Sweeps No. 23 Walters State

The Trailblazers opened the day with a 25-22, 25-23, 26-24 victory over Walters State, ranked No. 23 in the NJCAA Division II poll. Kenli Sullivan led the way with 11 kills, five digs, and three total blocks, while Taryn Thuis added eight kills on a .333 hitting percentage. Martyna Sadowska chipped in six kills and a team-best six total blocks, and Nicole De La Cruz delivered six kills and three total blocks. Paulina Krawczyk added seven kills, while setters Rylee Edwards and Scarlet Konkel combined to run the offense, with Edwards handing out 18 assists and six digs and Konkel adding 12 assists. Adaline Eisenmann steadied the back row with 12 digs.

Head Coach Gary Sien credited his team for working through an unorthodox opponent. "Walters State gave us a lot of trouble with their tips and pushes to the corners, which really slowed our game down," Sien said. "It took us too long to recover at times, but we did enough to come away with another sweep. Kenli led us in kills, Rylee ran the offense well, and Adaline kept us together in the back row with her energy. It was a good win to start the weekend."

Game 2: Host Wallace State Hands VU First Loss of Bash

In the nightcap, the Trailblazers ran into a sharp Wallace State squad that was receiving votes in the NJCAA Division II poll. The Lions used tough serving and consistent blocking to hand VU a 26-24, 25-10, 25-20 defeat. Sullivan again paced the offense with 10 kills and eight digs, while Krawczyk impressed with nine kills on a .421 hitting percentage. Sadowska contributed five kills and three blocks, while Eisenmann turned in a match-high 21 digs. Edwards directed the attack with 24 assists and also posted 10 digs for a double-double.

"Wallace State really played well against us and kept us out of rhythm with their serving," Sien said. "That made us very predictable offensively, and they blocked us extremely well. We just didn't cover and scrap the way we normally do. Rylee deserves a lot of credit for running the offense with so many new hitters, and Paulina gave us a nice lift as a converted middle. But tonight we were a step too slow, and Wallace was on top of their game. We'll regroup and start a new streak tomorrow."

What's Next

VU returns to the Omniplex in Cullman, Ala. on Saturday for day two of the Wallace State CC Fall Bash. The Trailblazers will face Itawamba Community College at 10:00 a.m. EDT before closing the event against Bevill State Community College at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Volleyball squad all year long through a number of ways: