UE falls to SEMO on Friday
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Taking on preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorite Southeast Missouri State, the University of Evansville volleyball team put forth a strong effort but dropped a 3-0 decision on Friday morning at Houck Field House.
Each set was decided by two points with two frames going to extra points. Giulia Cardona led the way for the Purple Aces, finishing with 14 points, 8 digs and 4 blocks. Melanie Feliciano added 13 kills and 5 digs. Brooke Springer registered a game-high eight blocks. Marsia Guisti and Lucy Arndt paced SEMO with 12 and 11 kills, respectively.
Game 1 – SEMO 26, UE 24
In the early portion of the opening set, the lead changed hands on multiple occasions before Evansville turned an 8-8 tie into an 11-8 lead. Giulia Cardona and Melanie Feliciano recorded kills. Feliciano registered another kill to push the lead to 13-10. Southeast Missouri State stormed back, scoring five in a row to take their first multipoint lead at 15-13.
Continuing to fight back, the Aces jumped back in front when a Madisyn Steele kill gave her squad a 20-19 advantage. SEMO countered with a 5-2 stretch to force set point at 24-22. Feliciano got her team back on track to tie it up at 24-24 before the Redhawks scored the final two points to take a 26-24 decision.
Game 2 – SEMO 26, UE 24
Carrying the momentum from a strong finish to the first set, SEMO stormed out to a 7-1 lead with two service aces contributing to the rally. Kora Ruff contributed an ace to cut the deficit to a pair (7-5), but the Redhawks scored five of the next six to match their largest lead at 12-6.
Things continued to go the way of Southeast Missouri State as they held a 16-10 lead. Steele and Feliciano posted kills to begin an 8-1 run that gave UE its first advantage of the set. Feliciano totaled three kills during the run while combining with Brooke Springer on the block that put Evansville in front. Springer added a solo block to give UE set point at 24-23, however, it was another late rally that would be the difference. The final three points belonged to SEMO as they took another 26-24 win.
Game 3 – SEMO 25, UE 23
Evansville had the upper hand in the early moments of the set. After Southeast Missouri State took a 6-4 edge, the Aces stormed back with eight in a row to open a 12-6 advantage. Cardona and Springer combined for a pair of blocks during the stretch. A pair of aces from the Redhawks helped them cut the lead in half before a kill made it a 14-12 game in favor of UE.
Steele had a solo block to push the lead back to four points (16-12), but the complexion of the game changed once again as the Redhawks scored six in a row before extending the lead to 24-20. The Aces rallied with three in a row but it was not enough as SEMO clinched the 25-23 win to take the match.
