Sophomore setter Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) had 46 assists and 14 digs as University of Southern Indiana Volleyball earned a 25-16, 19-25, 25-21, 26-24 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Friday night in its annual Dig for the Cure match at the Physical Activities Center.
After seeing its early momentum slip away in a six-point set-two loss, USI bounced back with a solid effort in the third stanza to regain control of the match. Junior outside hitterShelbi Morris (Brazil, Indiana) and freshman outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) each had five kills in the frame as USI earned the four-point win to build a 2-1 lead in the match.
In the fourth set, the Screaming Eagles (8-9, 3-5 GLVC) rallied from a late two-point deficit to take a 21-20 advantage. USI eventually earned a match-point opportunity with a kill by junior middle hitter Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana), but the Rangers won back-to-back point to tie the score at 24-24.
USI got a huge kill from freshman right side hitter Amanda Jung (Belleville, Illinois) to stop the Rangers’ push and give the Eagles another shot at match-point. Following an overpass off the ensuing serve, both Whitfield and Jung went up for the decisive attack, with Whitfield getting the kill for the match-ending point.
In the opening set, the Eagles used an 8-1 run to break a 12-12 tie and build a commanding seven-point lead. The Eagles held the Rangers to a .094 attacking percentage in the opening frame as they earned the nine-point win.
UW-Parkside (6-12, 4-4 GLVC), which saw a two-match winning streak versus USI come to a close, hit .325 in the second stanza as it evened the match at a set apiece with the six-point win. The Eagles were able to rebound in the third set, partly because they were able to hold the Rangers’ attack to a .087 clip.
In addition to Peoples’ double-double, the Eagles also benefitted from a 13-kill, 13-dig effort by Morris as well as a 10-kill, six-block performance from Whitfield. Humphrey added a team-best 14 kills, while junior libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) and sophomore defensive specialist Haley Limper (Springfield, Illinois) finished with 19 and 12 digs, respectively.
Freshman left side hitter Kasey Davis and senior outside hitter Rebecca Roembke had 17 and 14 kills, respectively, to lead the Rangers.
USI returns to action Saturday at 3 p.m. when it hosts No. 13 Lewis University at the PAC. The Flyers (14-3, 8-0 GLVC) have won nine straight matches following their five-set victory over Bellarmine Friday night in Louisville, Kentucky.
Short Box Score (Match)
Univ. of Southern Indiana Volleyball
Wisconsin-Parkside vs Southern Indiana (Oct 07, 2016 at Evansville, IN)
Southern Indiana def. Wisconsin-Parkside 25-16,19-25,25-21,26-2
Wisconsin-Parkside (6-12, 4-4 GLVC)
(Kills-aces-blocks) – Davis, Kasey 17-0-2; Roembke, Rebecca 14-1-2; Turek, Lexi 8-0-8; Fenske, Leah 4-1-4; Adams, Katie 3-0-3; Mavis, Elizabeth 3-0-7; Hickson, Lauren 2-1-2; Leo, Annie 0-2-0; Totals 51-5-15.0. (Assists) – Hickson, Lauren 44. (Dig leaders) – Leo, Annie 26; Roembke, Rebecca 13; Davis, Kasey 11; Fenske, Leah 10
Southern Indiana (8-9, 3-5 GLVC)
(Kills-aces-blocks) – Humphrey, Mikaila 14-0-3; Morris, Shelbi 13-1-1; Whitfield, Te’Ayla 10-0-6; Zwissler, Amy 8-1-2; Jung, Amanda 7-0-4; Peoples, Erika 3-0-0; Lee, Jessica 0-3-0; Totals 55-5-8.0. (Assists) – Peoples, Erika 46. (Dig leaders) – Farrell, Shannon 19; Peoples, Erika 14; Morris, Shelbi 13; Limper, Haley 12
