WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team went undefeated in Region 16 play this season after posting a 25-23, 25-17, 19-25, 19-25, 15-8 win over Mineral Area College (MAC) Wednesday evening in Park Hills and a 25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 27-25 victory over Jefferson College in Hillsboro Thursday evening.
The wins up the fifth ranked Grizzlies’ region record to 4-0 and their overall season record to 22-4.
“I’m really proud of this group for finishing 4-0 in the region against two very good teams,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. “It may seem like it doesn’t mean anything moving forward, but it means everything. This is a big deal and a testament to the commitment, work and love they have put into the season. I am very happy for them for reaching a goal they set for themselves.”
The Grizzlies started the road trip at MAC where the Cardinals were gearing up for their “Midnight Madness” basketball event at the end of the volleyball game. The combination created an electric atmosphere in which to play, Wiedemann said.
“MAC came ready to play, and their crowd was ready to cheer,” the coach said. “The first time, when we played them here, they played us close. They pass and play defense well, and that’s why they’re able to stay in close games. They played very well Wednesday night, and we played good at times. In the fifth set, though, we really turned it on. We took better care of the ball and, defensively, made some really good plays to give us a chance to stay aggressive offensively. It was a really good game.”
Sophomore outside hitter Stephanie Phillips and freshman outside hitter Adriana Darthuy led the team in kills with 16 each, while sophomore setter Blanca Izquierdo recorded a team-leading 46 assists. Sophomore libero Autumn Reese led the team in passing rating with 2.46.
Defensively, the Grizzlies were led by Darthuy in blocks with two and Reese and Darthuy in digs with 25 apiece. Izquierdo and freshman outside hitter Catja Weijzen led the team in service aces with two each. Darthuy had the most points earned with 18.
“We had some struggles against MAC, but I was proud of the way our players responded going into the game against Jefferson,” Wiedemann said. “We stopped focusing on our mistakes, like we did against MAC, and we just started playing.”
Taking the first set against the Vikings, ranked 12th this week, was key to the win, Wiedemann said. “Jefferson has been a top 10 or top 15 team all year, and playing at their place is something you have to be ready for. Winning that first set was big. We knew it would be tough, but to our kids credit, they kept working hard.”
Although the Grizzlies did some nice things in the second set, Wiedemann said the Grizzlies became impatient putting their defense and transition together, which created several errors and allowed the Vikings to take the second set. In the third set, the Vikings’ setter and another player collided during a play, and the setter went to the bench with a shoulder injury. The lineup change led to inconsistent play by the Vikings, and the Grizzlies took full advantage of the opportunity to pick up the set. By the fourth set, however, the Vikings settled down and kept pace with the Grizzlies.
“They made good adjustments in the fourth set to their new setter, and their hitters started playing better,” Wiedemann said. “But we did some things at the end of the set that made the difference. We served key areas of the court, we stayed aggressive at the net and made some big plays to end the game. Playing region games on the road is tough, and when you can take both games when you’re feeling like you’re not playing your best consistently, it is something to be happy about. Any region win is a big win.”
Offensively, the Grizzlies were led by Weijzen with 17 kills, Izquierdo with 47 assists, and sophomore defensive specialist Maja Petronijevic with a 2.66 passing rating. Defensively, sophomore middle attacker Greer Rogers led the Grizzlies in blocks with two, and Reese led the team in digs with 21. Weijzen also led the team in points earned with 19.5
The Grizzlies will travel to Council Bluffs, Iowa, Monday to face No. 4 Iowa Western Community College before returning home to face St. Louis Community College at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the West Plains Civic Center in a Missouri Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) contest.
“We have not gone through a week this season where we haven’t played at least one ranked team, and the mental grind of that type of schedule can be tougher than the physical,” Wiedemann said. “We had two really tough region games on the road and will now have another ranked opponent on the road. I can’t say enough about this group of girls, how they’ve responded throughout the season. I want them to continue to do the things that will keep them playing for each other and to play together. It takes every player to make us better, and they have made each other better, even through the difficult times. We talk about better together and together is the key.”
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit its website.