Recap: Sheilla Castro closes legendary career with a sweep

Sheilla, who was honored after the match, authored 10 kills and added two digs with two assists as Team Sheilla blasted Team Valentin-Anderson, 75-54, to open Saturday’s Week Four finale doubleheader in Athletes Unlimited Volleyball action at Fair Park Coliseum.

Team Sheilla, which authored its second consecutive three-set sweep, finished Week Four with a 2-1 record, while Team Valentin-Anderson suffered its first blemish of the week to end with an identical 2-1 mark.

Sheilla was one of two Team Sheilla players to register a double-digit kill effort as outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer registered a match-high 12 kills in addition to seven digs. Setter Nootsara Tomkom fashioned a double-double with 22 assists and 10 digs as Team Sheilla hit .272 in the victory.

Outside hitter Leah Edmond led Team Valentin-Anderson in the loss with 12 kills and nine digs, while middle blockers Jenna Rosenthal and Lianna Sybeldon each contributed seven kills apiece. Setter and team captain Natalia Valentin-Anderson dished out 31 assists with 15 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Castro used four service aces and a .375 hitting percentage in the opening set to build an early 25-15 advantage. The squad extended the margin to 50-37 after taking the second set on the strength of five Stalzer kills. Team Castro polished off the sweep with a 25-17 verdict.

#SHEILLASTATS

• Castro earned the ninth match MVP award of her Athletes Unlimited career with a MVP 1 honor on Saturday, moving her into a tie for third on the league’s all-time list with opposite hitter Karsta Lowe.

• Castro finished her career by posting six double-digit kill performances this season, including an Athletes Unlimited career-high 23 kills against Team Lowe on Apr. 1 … In 12 matches this season, she fashioned 137 kills with 103 digs.

• Castro ends her Athletes Unlimited career with 11 double-digit kill performances and 11 matches with 200 or more leaderboard points, including a career-high 406 points against Team Hunter on Mar. 21, 2021.

• Castro’s six career 300-point efforts rank second in league history.

• Castro finished her Athletes Unlimited career with 45 set wins in 27 career matches while playing with 41 different teammates.

• Castro’s 5,149 career leaderboard points currently sit fourth on the Athletes Unlimited Volleyball all-time list … She became the fourth athlete in league history to amass 5,000 leaderboard points, joining Lowe and outside hitters Bethania De La Cruz and Aury Cruz.

MATCH NOTES

• Team Sheilla’s 21-point victory matches the largest margin in league history … On Mar. 14, 2021, Team De La Cruz surged to a 75-54 victory over Team Edmond.

• In addition, Team Sheilla becomes the second team to author back-to-back three-set sweeps in league history, joining Team De La Cruz, which authored consecutive sweeps over Team Nwanebu and Team Edmond on Mar. 13-14, 2021.

• Stalzer reached double figures in kills for the sixth time this season, including the fourth time in the last five matches.

• Libero Hana Lishman posted her seventh match with 10 or more digs after tallying 13 digs in the victory.

• Cruz set her Athletes Unlimited career high with three service aces in addition to posting five kills and 10 digs … She owns five matches with 10 or more digs this season.

• Valentin-Anderson authored her league-leading eighth double-double of the season, including her fifth in the last six matches … Valentin-Anderson has also reached the 30-assist mark for the 11th time in 12 matches.

• Libero Amanda Benson notched a match-high 17 digs, marking her seventh outing with 15 or more digs … She has also reached double figures in digs in nine consecutive matches.

• Edmond has three straight double-digit kill performances after closing Week Four with 12 kills … Edmond, who has eight double-digit kill efforts in the last nine outings, tallied 40 kills in her three matches this week.

• Nootsara posted her seventh double-double of the season after her 22-assist, 10-dig performance … Nootsara also reached the 20-assist mark for the 12th consecutive match in addition to hitting double digits in digs for the seventh time.

MATCH MVPS

• #1 – Sheilla Castro (Team Sheilla, +60)
• #2 – Lindsay Stalzer (Team Sheilla, +40)
• #3 – Liana Sybeldon (Team Valentin-Anderson, +20)

POINT-EARNERS

Stalzer led all players with a career-high 372 leaderboard points after being named the MVP 2 selection and registering a match-high 152 stat points. Castro, the No. 1 MVP honoree, chipped in 292 points while Tomkom followed with 284 points. Valentin-Anderson paced her team in the loss with 130 leaderboard points. Sybeldon added 87 points, including 20 points as the MVP 3 pick.