USI falls to Miami 3-0, UT Chattanooga 3-0
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (0-8, 0-0 OVC) finished the first day of the Chattanooga Classic with losses to Miami University (OH) (4-4) and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (4-5) Friday night at Maclellan Gym. The Screaming Eagles watched the RedHawks come up victorious, 3-0 (20-25, 19-25, 21-25), before the Mocs stole the second match, 3-0 (25-27, 19-25, 29-31).
Â
USI vs. Miami (OH)
The Eagles provided the impressive offense, but could not prevail, as the RedHawks take the opening frame, 25-20. USI kicked off the set with kills from sophomore outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) and sophomore outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) tying it at two apiece. Miami would use a 3-0 run to regain the lead, but USI stormed right back with a 3-0 surge of its own to take a 16-13 lead. The RedHawks ended the frame scoring 12 of the final 16 points to secure a one-set advantage. The Eagles put up a match-high 16 kills along with a .222 hitting percentage and one service ace.
Â
USI led 6-5 and 19-17 before Miami took control, claiming the 25-19 second set victory. Bednar kicked off the frame with two kills before junior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) copied with two kills of her own to take a 6-5 advantage. The RedHawks charged back with a 5-0 run before four attack errors from Miami helped USI stay within striking distance. While holding a 17-15 lead, the RedHawks gave the Eagles free points after four straight offensive errors. Despite the advantage, USI watched Miami go on an impressive 8-0 match-winning surge to take a two-set lead.
Â
Back-and-forth action in the third frame leads to a RedHawks’ 25-21 victory and a sweep over the Eagles. Sophomore middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) threw down a kill to begin the set before Miami’s fiery offense went on a 6-0 surge. USI regained some ground off four attack errors and kills from Anderson and Bednar to retake a 9-8 advantage. After both sides were at 11 apiece, the match tied eight times until the RedHawks went on a 5-1 run to keep a 19-15 gap. The final set ended with a 3-0 run by Miami to complete the sweep.
Â
Junior outside/right side hitter/setter Katherine Koch (Belleville, Illinois) and Anderson each earned double-doubles to lead USI. Anderson finished with 11 kills and 11 digs while Koch completed the match with 24 assists and 10 digs. Defensively, Downing stood tall at the net, recording six blocks, while freshman libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) tallied a match-high 19 digs.
Â
As a team, the Eagles earned 32 kills and a .083 attacking percentage along with 26 assists and one ace. USI also recorded 58 digs and 16 blocks (two solo and 14 assists). Despite putting up a match-high 16 kills with six attack errors and a .222 hitting percentage in set one, the Eagles had a combined 16 kills, 16 attack errors, and a .000 attacking percentage between sets two and three.
Â
USI vs. UT Chattanooga
USI held a lead until the 20th point as Chattanooga comes back and steals set one, 27-25. The Eagles began the opening frame with an impressive 7-1 run that featured a variety of USI kills and a service ace from junior libero/defensive specialist Audrey Crowder (Avon, Indiana). It was a back-and-forth set that had a controlled Eagles’ lead until the Mocs tied it at 20 apiece. Junior outside hitter Leah Anderson struck down a kill to regain a 21-20 lead until Chattanooga scored seven of the final 11 points to take the opening frame away from the Eagles. Anderson made the biggest impact for USI, knocking down a team-high seven kills.
Â
The Mocs used an early 6-0 run to take the second set away from the Eagles, defeating USI, 25-17. It was neck-and-neck early until Chattanooga used its 6-0 surge to take an 11-6 advantage then used another impressive run to make it 14-7. The Eagles found some life after services aces from Anderson and Crowder along with a kill from sophomore outside/right side hitter Evie Duncan (Evansville, Indiana) to cut the deficit to just three. The Mocs turned around and put up a 7-2 run to complete the second-frame victory.
Â
The third frame included an 8-1 USI run but ended with a 31-29 Chattanooga victory. The Mocs started with an early 9-6 lead until the Eagles flew away with an 8-1 surge that made it a 14-10 USI advantage. Chattanooga was not phased, forming a quick 4-0 run to tie it at 14 apiece. Sophomore middle hitter Paris Downing started the Eagles’ 4-1 surge with a massive kill to give USI a three-point lead until a strategic Chattanooga timeout gave the Mocs momentum, tying the set a 21 apiece. It was back-and-forth play from both sides until Chattanooga four out of the final five points to claim its fourth win of the season. The Eagles put up an impressive 20 kills in the final set.
Â
Anderson was nothing short but impressive, securing her second double-double of the day with a team-high 15 kills and 14 digs along with one ace and a .286 attacking percentage. Crowder took the ace crown with two while sophomore middle blocker Lauren O’Neill (Covington, Indiana) nabbed three blocks. Leading the passing game was junior outside/right side hitter/setter Katherine Koch who tallied 28 assists while sophomore setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) recorded 10 assists. Defensively, freshman Keira Moore led the group with a team-leading 20 digs.
Â
As a team, the Eagles ended the match with 46 kills, 39 assists, and four aces. Defensively, USI racked up 57 digs and 10 blocks, all 10 being assisted. The Eagles also limited its turnovers to just 15 out of 138 attempts, leaving USI with a .225 hitting percentage, the second highest on the season.
Â
