Record night for Sheilla Castro ends with marathon third set

Team Sheilla, which improved to 2-0 on the week, claimed the marathon verdict by set scores of 19-25, 25-19 and 39-37. Team Lowe, meanwhile, drops to 0-2 with its second loss in a row.

Opposite hitter Sheilla Castro orchestrated the victory for Team Sheilla by posting a career-high 23 kills along with 11 digs and three blocks. Middle block Ali Bastianelli posted a season-high six blocks, while outside hitter Erin Fairs and middle blocker Eri Xue each added five kills in the win. Setter Nootsara Tomkom notched another double-double with 36 assists and 13 kills.

Team Lowe, which played without captain Karsta Lowe, was paced by outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer’s career-high 17 kills, while outside hitter Madison Villines chipped in 11 kills and 14 digs. Opposite hitter Sha’Dare McNeal nearly had a double-double of her own after setting season highs with eight kills and 13 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Lowe received five kills from Stalzer and three blocks from middle blocker Jenna Rosenthal to take the early lead with a 25-19 victory in the opening set. Team Sheilla answered in the second set with a 25-19 win of its own as Sheilla notched seven kills with two blocks. The teams battled through a historic third set before Sheilla ended the match with her 23rd kill of the night to secure a 39-37 victory in the final set to claim the match victory.

MATCH NOTES

• The 164 combined points mark the most in a match in Athletes Unlimited Volleyball history, eclipsing the previous mark of 157 set between Team Edmond and Team Larson on Mar. 13, 2021.

• The 76 combined points in the third set also marked a league record … Team Edmond and Team Larson battled to a 37-35 result in the opening set of their match on Mar. 13, 2021.

• Stalzer recorded her third double-digit kill match of the season with her 17 kills … She also had 13 kills against Team De La Cruz on Mar. 18 and 12 kills against Team Drews on Mar. 25.

• Rosenthal posted three blocks for the third time this season … She also had three rejections on Mar. 16 against Team De La Cruz and Mar. 23 against Team Stivrins.

• Opposite hitter Taylor Fricano made her Athletes Unlimited debut in the second set … The former North Carolina star registered a block and a kill in two sets of action.

• Sheilla has fashioned 10 or more kills in four of her last five matches, including the last three in a row … She is averaging 15.6 kills over the five-match span.

• Sheilla also registered the seventh 20-kill effort in league history, including the fourth this season, with her 23 kills on Friday night … She is the fourth different athlete to finish a match with 20 or more kills in the league’s two seasons.

• Nootsara  has five double-doubles in her last six matches, including back-to-back double-doubles to begin Week Three … Her five double-double efforts lead the league.

• Outside hitter Kalei Mau registered a season-high 12 digs on Friday night.

• Villines set her career high with 14 digs in addition to her 11 kills, marking the second double-double of her Athletes Unlimited career.

• Libero Hana Lishman recorded her second match with 15 or more digs this season after closing play with a match-high 15 digs.

MATCH MVPS

• #1 – Sheilla Castro (Team Sheilla, +60)
• #2 – Lindsay Stalzer (Team Lowe, +40)
• #3 – Ali Bastianelli (Team Sheilla, +20)

POINT-EARNERS

After conceding the first 40 win points in the opening set, Team Sheilla secured the remaining 140 win points with the two set wins and the match victory. Sheilla, the match’s MVP 1 recipient, garnered a season-high 379 leaderboard points, including a match-high 179 stat points, to post her third straight match with 300 or more points. Lishman followed with 219 points, including 79 stat points. Stalzer led Team Lowe in the loss with 165 points after earning MVP 2 distinction.