Recap: Team Sheilla bounces back in dominant fashion over Team Drews
DALLAS — Team Sheilla used a balanced attack, including three players registering eight or more kills, to close Friday night’s Athletes Unlimited Volleyball doubleheader in winning fashion with a 75-56 victory over Team Drews inside Fair Park Coliseum.
Team Sheilla, which evened its Week Four record at 1-1, claimed the fourth three-set sweep of the season with set scores of 25-19, 25-20 and 25-16. Team Drews, meanwhile, suffered its second consecutive loss to begin the week.
Outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer continued her stellar play in Friday night matches by logging 12 kills with 13 digs in the victory for Team Sheilla, while outside hitter Aury Cruz contributed nine kills and 15 digs. Team captain Sheilla Castro notched eight kills to go along with six kills from middle blocker Eri Xue.
Team Drews was led by outside hitter Dani Drews as the team captain fashioned a match-high 13 kills in addition to 10 digs. Setter Carli Lloyd authored a double-double of 27 assists and 18 digs, while libero Morgan Hentz set a season high with 20 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Team Sheilla held Team Drews to a .025 hitting percentage and used four kills from Cruz and Stalzer in the opening set to build a 25-19 lead. The squad extended its advantage by claiming a 25-20 verdict in the second set before sealing the sweep with a 25-17 triumph in the final frame.
MATCH NOTES
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Team Sheilla became the fourth squad to post a three-set sweep this season, including the second team this week … Team De La Cruz handed Team Sheilla a 75-60 sweep loss on Wednesday night in the Week Four opener.
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Team Sheilla’s 19-point margin of victory was the largest in any match this season … In addition, it is tied for the third-largest margin of victory in the league’s two-year history.
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Lloyd fashioned her fifth double-double of the season after closing the evening with a season-high 18 digs.
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Hentz owns 10 double-digit dig performances this season after notching 20 digs in Friday night’s loss … She also became the fourth player in league history to record 20 or more digs in a match, including the second this season … Opposite hitter Karsta Lowe had 21 digs against Team Drews on Mar. 30.
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Cruz set a career high with her 15 digs in Friday night’s win … She also has double-digit digs in five matches this season, including both outings in Week Four.
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Libero Hana Lishman posted her third match with 15 or more digs this season … She also has double-digit digs in seven contests, including the last four in a row.
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Drews remains the only player to notch 10 or more kills in all 11 matches this season after ending the night with 13 kills on 52 attempts … She also registered her fourth double-double of the season.
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Stalzer earned the first double-double of her Athletes Unlimited career after posting 12 kills and 13 digs … The 13 digs matched her career high, which she set against Team Lowe on Mar. 29, 2021.
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Outside hitter Madison Villines finished with 12 digs in the loss, marking her third double-digit dig performance of the season.
MATCH MVPS
- #1 – Sheilla Castro (Team Sheilla, +60)
- #2 – Lindsay Stalzer (Team Sheilla, +40)
- #3 – Ali Bastianelli (Team Sheilla, +20)
POINT-EARNERS
Team Sheilla secured all 180 win points as a result of its three-set sweep. Stalzer set a career high with 353 leaderboard points after taking home MVP 1 honors, while Sheilla followed with 317 points to register the sixth 300-point outing of her career. Lloyd led Team Drews in the loss with 153 points.
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