Aces defeat Sycamores in opener
Alondra Vazquez recorded 13 kills and Melanie Feliciano added 11 to lead the University of Evansville volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Indiana State in Monday’s season opener.
Evansville (1-0, 1-0 MVC) hit .236 in the win while holding Indiana State (0-1, 0-1 MVC) to .142. Vazquez balanced her offensive numbers with 15 digs while Feliciano added 14 of her own. Laura Ruiz paced UE with 17 digs. Allana McInnis tallied 23 assists with Cecilia Thon notching 16. Picking up where she left off last season on the defensive side of the net – Hannah Watkins posted two solo blocks and three block assists. Indiana State was led by a 13-kill performance from Madeline Williams.
Set #1
Evansville got off to a blazing start, opening up an 11-3 lead. Allana McInnis and Cecilia Thon posted service aces in the early run. A 5-0 stretch saw Elise Moeller and Chloe Bontrager record kills that opened up the advantage. Three kills in a row by the Sycamores cut UE’s lead to five points – 13-8 – and they would continue to cut into the deficit. With UE up by a 22-17 score, ISU reeled off the next two points to get within three, but that is as close as they would get with the Aces taking the opening frame by a score of 25-20
Set #2
Indiana State had the upper hand to begin the second game, posting the first five points before a Chloe Bontrager kill got Evansville on the board. Thon’s second service ace of the match helped the Aces cut the gap to 7-4 before a kill from Feliciano made it a 2-point game – 15-13. ISU continued to hold the advantage until late in the set. UE trailed 23-21, but made a furious rally to pick up the win. Feliciano got it started with one of her six kills in the set before adding another as the Aces came back for the 25-23 decision to take a 2-0 match lead.
Set #3
A back-and-forth battle ensued in the third set with the Sycamores going up at the start by a 3-0 tally. An 11-4 run by Evansville saw them jump out in front by a score of 11-7. With the Sycamores holding a 7-5 edge, Thon’s precise serving, coupled with a pair of Feliciano kills, saw UE score six in a row to take their first lead. The Aces remained in front until Indiana State tied it up at 18-18 before taking a 19-18 lead. Hoping to earn the sweep, the Aces jumped back in front by a 24-22 margin on a Bontrager kill. With the match hanging in the balance, ISU posted the next two tallies to tie it up. With the score knotted at 25-25, Evansville wrestled the lead away before clinching the match with a Vazquez kill.
On Friday, the Aces and Sycamores will meet up inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse at 5 p.m.
