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Mystery Mustangs create a logjam in the Wamac Conference East Division
High school volleyball: Mount Vernon’s four-set win at Center Point-Urbana makes it a four-way tie for first place
Sep. 23, 2025 11:24 pm
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CENTER POINT — If you asked Maggie Willems before the season what this team would be, here’s what you’d have gotten:
“Truth is, to be transparent ... I had no idea,” said Willems, volleyball coach at Mount Vernon High School.
Ask her now what this team could become.
“I don’t know,” she said. “All I can do is keep them believing that they can have great success in October.”
Call it a transition year. Or a mystery trip. Where this ride ends, who knows?
The Class 3A 11th-ranked Mustangs forged a four-way tie for first place in the Wamac Conference East Division on Tuesday, pushing past No. 8 Center Point-Urbana in four sets (25-22, 25-27, 26-24, 27-25) at Center Point-Urbana High School.
“We have a lot of room to grow,” said junior Sophia Meester, who led the Mustangs (11-7 overall, 2-1 division) with 17 kills. “We had a lot of perseverance. We really pushed that. We did (last week) against West Delaware, too.”
Last year’s 3A state champion, Mount Vernon was hit heavily by graduation, losing five senior starters. That included 2024 state player of the year Chloe Meester, as well as all-staters Sydney Maue, Sydney Huber and Paige Schurbon.
The program hasn’t tanked in their absence.
“This is a completely different team, but we’re going to play our hearts out every night to give ourselves a chance,” libero Mavrik Schweer said.
Mount Vernon had plenty of opportunities to fold Tuesday.
Down a set, CPU (16-8, 2-1) erased five set points to capture Game 2, coming back from a 24-19 deficit.
The Stormin’ Pointers rallied from a 22-17 disadvantage in Game 3, achieving set point at 24-23.
But Meester slammed back-to-back kills, then Madeline Boren served an ace to give the Mustangs a 2-1 set advantage.
In Game 4, Mount Vernon saw the finish line at 22-16, but CPU scored seven in a row for a 23-22 lead. Meester had three kills down the stretch to send the Mustangs home happy.
“One thing we talk about, the team that wins is the team that stays present in the moment the longest,” Willems said.
Willems was asked if she considered the tempered outside expectations refreshing.
“What’s refreshing is that this team knows that teamwork is the control to success,” she said. “They truly play for one another.
“Mav, she really has a high IQ and high energy. She’s a fabulous teammate. Cali (Whitaker), she has stepped into a leadership role.”
Whitaker added 15 kills. Madison Hoffert provided 36 assists.
Brynley Havel led CPU with 19 kills. Sophomore Adelyn Stien dished out 27 assists, surpassing 500 for her career.
Tuesday’s result, combined with Solon’s five-set win over Marion and West Delaware’s sweep of Independence, made it a four-way tie for first place.
Mount Vernon, CPU, Solon and West Delaware all are 2-1 in divisional play with two rounds of matches to go.
Mount Vernon 3, Center Point-Urbana 1
(25-22, 25-27, 26-24, 27-25)
AT CENTER POINT
Serving: Mount Vernon 94-101 (.931), CPU 92-100 (.920)
Aces: Mount Vernon 12 (Mavrik Schweer 5), CPU 7 (Brielle Trout 3)
Kills: Mount Vernon 55 (Sophia Meester 17), CPU 55 (Brynley Havel 19)
Assists: Mount Vernon 43 (Madison Hoffert 36), CPU 49 (Adelyn Stien 27)
Blocks: Mount Vernon 7 (Cali Whitaker 3), CPU 4 (Avery Schueller 2)
Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com
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