Aces complete USI Invitational
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With five service aces on Sunday against IU Indianapolis, Giulia Cardona set the University of Evansville program mark inside Screaming Eagles Arena. Cardona now has a career total of 207 and broke Kim Seib’s mark of 205, which was set in 1984.
Her effort highlighted a 3-2 defeat to the Jaguars. Cardona registered 30 kills, 11 digs, and 5 aces on the afternoon. Ainoah Cruz led the Purple Aces with 16 digs while Blakeley Freeman had 10. Angelica Gonzalez picked up 8 kills while Lexi Owen notched 38 assists. Morgan Ostrowski led the Jaguars with 17 kills.
Set 1 – IU Indy 25, UE 19
Opening the game scoring eight of the first 10 points, IU Indianapolis hung on for a 25-19 win to take the early lead. Facing the early deficit, the Purple Aces did their best to come back. After Angelica Gonzalez picked up an ace, Madisyn Steele added a kill to get within one at 14-13. Unfortunately, the Jaguars countered with a 5-0 spurt that saw them retake control.
Set 2 – UE 25, IU Indy 18
With the score tied at 4-4, Evansville scored nine of the next ten points to take a 13-5 lead. Jenna Heidbreder picked up a pair of service aces while Chloe Cline notched a kill in the run. The Jaguars never gave up and cut the deficit in half to make it a 15-11 game forcing an Evansville time out.
From there, the Aces held strong, never letting IU Indianapolis get any closer while tying the match with a 25-18 win.
Set 3 – UE 26, IU Indy 24
Two kills by Giulia Cardona highlighted a 4-0 run with the game tied at 3-3. Her third kill of the frame pushed the lead to 11-4. IU Indianapolis utilized an 8-3 stretch to make it a 14-12 game. UE regained a 4-point edge at 23-19 before the Jaguars rallied once again. Three in a row cut the Aces lead to just one before a service error gave UE set point. Two more by IU Indy tied it up at 24-24, but Cardona came through in the clutch, picking up a kill to seal a 26-24 victory.
Set 4 – IU Indy 25, UE 19
Another big start by the Jaguars saw them jump out to a 6-1 advantage. Despite the early hole, UE rallied back. A Gonzalez kill was part of a run that tied it up at 9-9 and a Cardona ace put Evansville in front at 15-14. IU Indianapolis regained control, completing the set on an 11-4 stretch to force a decisive fifth set.
Set 5 – IU Indy 15, UE 6
The Jaguars took the early momentum posting five of the first six points and would cruise to a 15-6 win to clinch the match.
MVC play opens next weekend when the Aces welcome Valparaiso and UIC to Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
