EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team wrapped up the USI Invitational Saturday night with a three-set (25-12, 25-11, 25-14) defeat of Kentucky State University at the Screaming Eagles Arena.

The Screaming Eagles (6-5) stifled the Thorobreds’ offense, allowing just 18 kills for the entire match while countering with 47 of their own. USI also posted a team hitting percentage of .356; the second-highest rate of the season.

A pair of seniors led the way at the net, with outside hitter Lindsey Stose (Elkhart, Indiana) and middle hitter Elexis Coleman (Joliet, Illinois) team up for 24 kills and a whopping .622 attack rate.

1st Set: USI 25, KSU 12

The Eagles dropped a 9-2 run on Kentucky State to grab a decisive lead at 14-8. Stose landed three kills during this run, while freshman setter Bella Mitchell (Moline, Illinois) capped the stretch with a pair of service aces.

USI posted 19 kills in the frame for a .395 attack percentage. Coleman and Stose posted five and four kills, respectively. Junior setter Casey Cepicky (St. Louis, Missouri) dumped three kills of her own on the Thorobreds while assisting 14 of the other sixteen.

2nd Set: USI 25, KSU 11

The second frame was handled by an 18-5 stretch. Six different Eagles added kills in within that window: Coleman, Stose, Cepicky, senior middle blocker Amanda Jung (Belleville, Illinois), freshman outside hitter Katherine Koch (Belleville, Illinois) and freshman outside hitter Jordan Martin (Huntertown, Indiana).

Cepicky reached her total of 20 assists through two frames. Freshman setter Kelsie Vanitvelt (Grand Blanc, Michigan) took over setting duties for 12 assists in the third.

3rd Set: USI 25, KSU 14

Yet another run by the Eagles, this time a 12-2 streak, put the Thorobreds away for USI’s sixth victory of the season, third of the USI Invitational.

Koch blasted six kills in the third, reaching her final total of 10 for the match; the third Eagle in double-digits in that category.

Freshman libero/defensive specialist Audrey Crowder (Avon, Indiana) led the Eagles with eight digs as the libero in the second and third frames.

Up Next

USI Volleyball heads to Nashville, Tennessee to face Trevecca Nazarene University on Tuesday before opening up the Great Lakes Valley Conference slate with the long trip west for William Jewell College (Friday, 7 p.m.) and Rockhurst University (Saturday, 3 p.m.).

The Eagles return to Screaming Eagles Arena to host Drury University on Friday, October 4 at 7 p.m.