HILLSBORO, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Volleyball team completed an exciting weekend of action that saw them secure the Region 16 regular season title and defeat the defending national champion.
On Thursday, Oct. 21, the No. 7 Grizzlies (23-5) downed the Mineral Area College (MAC) Cardinals 25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21 in Park Hills to take the Region 16 regular season crown.
On Friday, Oct. 22, the Grizzlies beat defending national champion and currently fifth-ranked Iowa Western Community College 25-16, 25-16, 14-25, 25-22 in their first game at the Jefferson College Invitational in Hillsboro.
The Grizzlies also downed 11th-ranked Seward County Community College 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21 Friday at the tournament, then closed out the two-day event with a 25-17, 25-12, 25-17 victory over Illinois Central College on Saturday.
“This was a big weekend for us, and we played like it,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. “Getting a win at MAC is always a good win. They are hard to play at their place, and it felt good to get that win to go undefeated in region play.
“We were very efficient offensively, and defensively, we kept the ball off the ground, which gives us a chance to take another swing. That’s a great combination,” the coach added.
As a team, the Grizzlies hit .342 on their 120 attempts and only recorded nine errors in the contest. Defensively, they recorded 65 digs for the game.
Individual statistical leaders included freshman outside hitter Ilana Assis, who had 16 kills and a .467 attacking percentage; freshman setter Doga Kutlu, who had 45 assists; sophomore libero Lauren Weber, who recorded 26 digs; and sophomore right side hitter Cecilia Westfall and sophomore middle blocker Angelina Hardison, who each had five blocks.
The win over MAC secured first seed for the Grizzlies in this weekend’s Region 16 Championship Tournament in Park Hills.
The semifinal game featuring the Cardinals and the Jefferson College Vikings will get underway at 5 p.m. Friday. The Grizzlies will face the winner of that contest in the championship game at noon Saturday.
“Region games are always big, and I’m proud of how everyone stepped up for those games all year. We put ourselves in the right position going into the region tournament.”
The Grizzlies rode the wave of their Region 16 victory into the Jefferson College Invitational Friday and a rematch with the Iowa Western Reivers, who had defeated the Grizzlies in a five-set thriller earlier this season.
“To say we were ready to play Iowa Western is an understatement,” Wiedemann said. “I love how much our team couldn’t wait to play them this weekend. We came out firing and aggressive on offense and kept getting better defensively as the game went along.”
The Grizzlies took 143 swings at the net, and while not quite as efficient as they were against MAC, they still hit .238 as a team. Defensively, they recorded 74 digs and 11 blocks.
Three Grizzlies – sophomore middle blocker Manuela Bibinbe, Westfall and freshman middle blocker Alana Moesch – recorded 11 kills in the contest. Bibinbe was most efficient at the net, hitting .360.
Kutlu again led the team in assists with 37, and Weber led the defensive charge with 22 digs. Bibinbe aided the defensive effort with a team-leading five blocks.
“There are a lot of things we did really well in this game, and it was fun to watch,” Wiedemann said. “The intensity we played with is something we can keep building on.”
After two big back-to-back wins, the Grizzlies could have suffered a let-down against the Seward County Saints later on Friday, but that wasn’t the case.
“The Seward County game could have been a trap game for us, but we handled things exceptionally well overall,” Wiedemann said. “Seward is an in-your-face kind of team that can distract you if you let them.
“This is the kind of game you have to keep your composure, keep working and control our side of the net,” she added. “We scored a lot of points and dug a lot of balls which, again, shows how much the work we’ve been putting in is paying off. It was a big win after a big win!”
The Grizzlies scored 64 total points, 53 of which came off kills. As a team, they hit .312, and defensively, they recorded 78 digs and 12 blocks.
Assis led the team offensively with 17 kills, and Bibinbe was most efficient at the net, hitting .450. Kutlu dished out 40 assists.
Weber again led the defensive charge with 25 digs, and Bibinbe contributed five blocks to the effort. Assis and Kutlu each had two service aces.
The final game of the tournament for the Grizzlies was never in doubt once the action started, as they controlled Illinois Central from start to finish.
“Illinois Central is a team that can put together a lot of good things, but we controlled the game from the beginning,” Wiedemann said. “Offensively, we made it hard for them to handle us. They have always been a good defensive team, but we were on point offensively and made it hard for them to get into rhythm defensively. It was good to finish off the weekend with a straight set win.”
The Grizzlies hit .370 as a team against Illinois Central. Assis and Moesch each recorded 9 kills, while Bibinbe hit .600 in the contest. Kutlu recorded 30 assists and three aces. Weber had 12 digs.
“Our players continue to understand how important each game is moving forward, and that’s a credit to them for the work and attitude they keep bringing to the court,” Wiedemann said.
“There are a lot of things they still have in front of them, and I’m excited for them to do all they can with it. The belief we have in them is huge, and if they keep believing in each other and giving to each other, they will continue to do great things,” she added.
The Grizzlies will close out the regular season at home tonight against Missouri Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) rival East Central College. Game time is 6:30 p.m. in Joe Paul Evans Arena at the West Plains Civic Center.
The team’s four sophomores, Bibinbe, Hardison, Weber and Westfall, will be honored for their contributions to the program at the game.
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit its website at msuwpgrizzlies.com/sports/wvball/index.
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