Volleyball Headed Back To National Tournament After Convincing Wins In District
The MAC volleyball team is heading back to the NJCAA D1 Women's Volleyball Tournament. Behind two emphatic victories over Vincennes University and Iowa Western Community College, the Cardinals claimed the NJCAA Midwest B District Championship and secured their berth in the NJCAA Division I National Volleyball Tournament.
Mineral Area, ranked in the top 20 for a majority of the season, gave the fans plenty of excitement inside the Bob Sechrest Field House.
Semifinal: Cardinals Down Vincennes 3–1
In Saturday's semifinal matchup, the Cardinals downed Vincennes University in four sets (25–10, 25–9, 25–27, 25–16). After cruising through the first two sets with dominant attacking efficiency (.433 and .348 hitting percentages), Mineral Area weathered a third-set surge from the Trailblazers before closing out the match in convincing fashion.
Olivia Shaw led the offensive onslaught with 13 kills on a blistering .600 hitting percentage, while Lara Gilardi de Souza added 12 kills at a .321 clip. Gabrielle Damborowiski and Maria Eduarda chipped in with 12 and 8 kills, respectively, giving the Cardinals a balanced, multi-pronged attack.
Setter Belen Ferrufino once again orchestrated the offense masterfully, dishing out 39 assists and contributing 10 digs, while Kate Nichols served up five aces to keep Vincennes on its heels. Defensively, the Cardinals out-blocked the Trailblazers 18–8, with Sara Pjevic and Shaw combining for eight total blocks.
Championship: Cardinals Sweep Iowa Western to Clinch District Crown
Riding that momentum into Sunday's championship, Mineral Area delivered one of its most complete performances of the season, sweeping perennial powerhouse Iowa Western Community College in straight sets (25–14, 25–20, 25–12).
The Cardinals' attack was nearly flawless, posting a .420 team hitting percentage and committing just six errors in the match. Lara Gilardi de Souza led all hitters with 14 kills on .520 hitting, while Gabrielle Damborowiski dominated from the right side with 13 kills at a .462 clip. Maria Eduarda added 7 kills and 2 blocks, continuing her strong postseason play.
Ferrufino was again the catalyst, spreading 28 assists and steadying the defense with nine digs. Ava Penuel anchored the back row with 15 digs and a pair of aces, while Nichols and Sara Pjevic contributed from the service line and at the net.
A Statement Performance and a Ticket to Nationals
Across the two matches, the Cardinals combined for 93 kills on .337 hitting, outdug both opponents, and racked up 24 service aces. MAC received the #14 seed and will take on #3 Florida Southwestern CC in the tournament's opening round at 10:00am on Wednesday, November 19 at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. More information about the national tournament, including the bracket can be found at https://njcaachampionship.prestosports.com/sports/wvball/div1/index