Freshman setter Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) racked up 39 assists, nine digs, and three blocks as the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team defeated the University of Indianapolis 25-20, 25-21, 25-17 in a Great Lakes Valley Conference match Friday night at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (15-7, 5-5 GLVC) used an 8-0 run in the opening set to turn a two-point deficit into a commanding 20-14 lead. The Screaming Eagles increased their lead to as much as seven points before settling on the five-point win.
Sophomore outside hitter Shelbi Morris (Brazil, Indiana) had four kills and a .667 attacking percentage in the opening frame to lead the Eagles, while senior middle blocker Abbey Winter (Germantown, Illinois) added three kills and two aces.
Morris continued her strong play into the second set, where she had four kills and seven digs. Sophomore libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) had 13 of her match-high 18 digs in the second set, while sophomore middle hitter Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) had five kills and a .500 attacking percentage.
Whitfield had a pair of kills in USI’s 5-1 run that turned a 20-20 stalemate into the four-point, game-two win and two-set advantage.
USI carried that late momentum into the third set, where it won the first five points. Freshman outside hitter Mary Kate Byrnes (Chicago, Illinois), who came off the bench in the second set, had six kills and a .750 attacking percentage in the third stanza as USI cruised to the eight-point win.
Morris had a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs to lead the Eagles, who defeated the Greyhounds (9-14, 5-5 GLVC) for the first time since October 22, 2011. Winter added nine kills, a .421 attacking percentage, and three blocks.
Peoples did a nice job of spreading the ball around throughout the match as five different players finished with at least six kills. Byrnes finished with seven kills and a .778 attacking percentage, while senior right side hitter Erika Oberbroeckling (Westfield, Indiana) had seven kills and eight digs. Whitefield chipped in six kills and a team-high four blocks.
As a team, the Eagles hit .231, with 42 of their 44 kills coming off of a set; while Indianapolis was held to a .106 attacking percentage.
USI will attempt to give Head Coach Leah Mercer her 200th career win Saturday at 3 p.m. when it hosts Saint Joseph’s College at the PAC. Mercer, USI’s all-time winningest volleyball coach, is 199-133 (.599) during her 11-year career with the Eagles.
The Pumas (7-14, 2-8 GLVC) enter Saturday’s match with USI on the heels of a five-set win over Bellarmine University Friday night in Louisville, Kentucky.
