Sheilla Castro

Recap: Sheilla Castro closes legendary career with a sweep

Sheilla Castro © Athletes Unlimited, LLC 2022 / Credit: Jade Hewitt Media
Eric Rhew
Apr 09, 2022

DALLAS — If there were any questions about whether opposite hitter Sheilla Castro was going to end her professional career victorious, her teammates quickly provided the answers.

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.

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