Aces home to face SIU and Missouri State
CHICAGO – A quick start saw the University of Evansville volleyball team saw them earn a win in the first set before Chicago State rallied to take the final three games to take a 3-1 win over the Purple Aces on Monday evening.
Melanie Feliciano added nine kills while Madisyn Steele finished the evening with six. Lexi Owen paced the team with 25 assists while Ainoah Cruz tallied 19 digs. Yanlis Feliz was one of three Cougars to post double-digit kills, finishing with 11.
Game 1 – UE 25, CSU 21
Blakely Freeman got the night started with an ace before Giulia Cardona added two of her own to give Evansville an 11-7 lead. Luana Gazda Kuhn recorded a kill to give the Aces a game-high 20-13 lead. Chloe Cline, Melanie Feliciano and Madisyn Steele all picked up late kills to seal the set and give UE a 1-0 lead.
Game 2 – CSU 25, UE 21
Chicago State had a quick start, scoring the opening three points before extending the advantage to 9-4. Another kill by the Cougars saw them double up on UE, taking a 14-7 lead. Led by a Feliciano kill and a Lexi Owen ace, Evansville stormed back to make it a 15-12 game.
Following a time out, the Cougars pushed the lead back up to six points (21-15), but the Aces clawed their way back once again. Two Feliciano kills, another ace from Freeman and a block by Steele and Cline comprised a 6-0 run that knotted the set at 21-21. CSU overcame the rally and scored the final four points to tie the match.
Game 3 – CSU 25, UE 20
Freeman’s third ace of the night helped Evansville take a 2-0 lead. Chicago State came back with an 8-2 run to hold an 8-4 edge, but the Aces went on the attack once again. Madisyn Steele’s solo block capped off a an 11-6 run that put the Aces on top at 15-14.
Things turned the Cougar’s way as a 3-0 run turned a 17-17 tie into a 20-17 lead and they would complete the set with a 25-20 win to open a 2-1 match lead.
Game 4 – CSU 25, UE 16
After scoring the first five points of the set, the Cougars opened a 19-5 lead. While Evansville would significantly cut into the deficit, Chicago State clinched the match with a 25-16 win.
Evansville returns to Meeks Family Fieldhouse this weekend to face Missouri State and Southern Illinois.
