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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Sweep Day Two at Wallace State Fall Bash

Trailblazers Sweep Day Two at Wallace State Fall Bash
Box Score Box Score
September 20, 2025

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Vincennes University Volleyball team bounced back in a big way Saturday, sweeping both of its matches on the final day of the Wallace State Community College Fall Bash. The Trailblazers opened with a four-set win over Itawamba Community College and followed with a straight-set victory against Bevill State. The two wins push VU's record to 17-2 overall, giving the Trailblazers strong momentum heading into another key stretch of the season.

Game 1: VU Rallies Past Itawamba in Four

VU dropped the opening set against Itawamba 25-20 before storming back to take the next three 25-17, 25-14, 25-20. Taryn Thuis paced the attack with 11 kills on a .391 hitting percentage, while Nicole De La Cruz and Kenli Sullivan added 10 kills apiece. De La Cruz also chipped in two aces and three total blocks, while Sullivan added two aces and nine digs. Lili Palenczat came off the bench to spark the offense, delivering nine kills on .444 hitting. Martyna Sadowska contributed eight kills, and Paulina Krawczyk had five kills and four blocks. The setting tandem of Rylee Edwards (26 assists, 11 digs, three aces) and Scarlet Konkel (15 assists, seven digs) ran the offense efficiently, while Adaline Eisenmann anchored the defense with a match-high 23 digs.

Head Coach Gary Sien noted the early struggles and the team's adjustments. "We really struggled that first set in serve-receive and didn't block well, but after making some lineup changes and going back to a 6-2, we found a rhythm," Sien said. "Lili came in and gave us a huge lift, and once we started serving tougher and blocking better, the match turned in our favor."

Game 2: Balanced Attack Powers Sweep of Bevill State

The momentum carried into the afternoon as VU swept Bevill State 25-11, 25-21, 25-15. Sullivan turned in a strong all-around effort with 10 kills, 13 digs, and four total blocks, while Thuis added 8 kills and five blocks. De La Cruz hit .615 with 8 kills, 5 digs, and 4 blocks, giving the Blazers another reliable option on the outside. Sadowska, Palenczat, and Krawczyk each chipped in 6 kills to round out a balanced attack, with Krawczyk also adding 2 blocks. Edwards dished out 18 assists with two aces, while Konkel added 20 assists and six digs. Eisenmann continued her stellar defensive play, recording 15 digs from the libero spot.

Sien praised his team's response after a challenging first day of the tournament. "We started a little slow today, but I give the team a lot of credit for rebounding with two strong performances," he said. "We served extremely well, blocked consistently, and Adaline really showed why she could be one of the top liberos in the country. This was a good trip for us—we were able to try different lineups and get contributions from a lot of players."

Looking Ahead

With the Wallace State Fall Bash in the books, the Trailblazers now turn their attention back to Region 24 play. VU will look to carry its momentum into a Monday night (September 22) road matchup at Lincoln Trail College, with first serve set for 7:00 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: