Eagles finish 2022 campaign with three-game roadtrip

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (1-25, 1-14 OVC) completes its inaugural NCAA DI era this weekend as the Screaming Eagles are set to face Eastern Illinois University (14-14, 8-7 OVC) in Charleston, Illinois on Wednesday at 6 p.m. before tackling Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (11-16, 6-10 OVC) Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. in Edwardsville, Illinois.
 
Game Coverage
Information about USI Volleyball, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available on USIScreamingEagles.com. 
 
Tickets
For more information about ticket prices for Eastern Illinois and SIUE, click the links.
 
Screaming Eagles Headlines:
Eagles Come Up Short Against TSU. The Screaming Eagles were just shy of breaking their winless streak after falling to Tennessee State 3-1 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday. USI has now lost 11-straight matches.
 
You Have To #OVCit. The Eagles complete their first season as an NCAA Division I program this week when they face Eastern Illinois on Wednesday and SIU Edwardsville on Friday and Saturday.
 
Season Leaders. Junior Leah Anderson leads the group with 307 kills, 278 digs, and 27 aces as sophomore Carly Sobieralski holds a team-high 404 assists and sophomore Paris Downing has earned 80 blocks.
 
OVC Leaders. There are four Eagles who sit atop the best in five different categories within the OVC individual standings. Anderson ranks fourth in points per set (3.79), sixth in kills per set (3.23), and 10th in digs per set (2.93). Sobieralski holds the seventh-most assists per set (5.86) while freshman Keira Moore has recorded 3.87 digs per set, putting her at seventh, and Downing is seventh with 0.99 blocks per set.
 
Digging Out. The Eagles’ defense is third in the conference with 15.29 digs per set and eighth with 1,453 digs.
 
Three Times the Fun. Anderson has reached 300 kills in a season for the third time in her career. She recorded 334 kills in 2019 and 301 kills in 2021.
 
Level 400. Sobieralski has reached the 400-assists plateau for the first time in her collegiate career. She has accumulated over 500 assists in her career as an Eagle.
 
Double-Doubles. There have been six Eagles who have reached the double-double mark this season. Anderson leads the team with 12 while Sobieralski has earned nine. Junior Katherine Koch and sophomore Abby Weber have tallied four each while sophomore Abby Bednar has nabbed three and sophomore Evie Duncan has earned one.
 
About Eastern Illinois. The Panthers come into the week 14-14 overall and 8-7 within the conference. EIU has produced a solid offensive stat line, earning the second-most assists per set (11.85), third-most kills per set (12.85), and third-most service aces (149). The Panthers have punched their ticket to the OVC tournament but are fighting to earn a higher seed.
 
Leading the Panthers. Sophomore Kaitlynn Flynn has been doing damage on offense for EIU, producing the most kills per set (4.25) and points per set (4.73) in the league. Junior Giovana Larregui Lopez has also been dynamic, recording the second-most kills per set (3.83), service aces per set (.44), and points per set (4.34) in the OVC. Junior Christina Martinez Mundo is leading the charge on defense with 5.05 digs per set, the third-most in the conference. Flynn has earned OVC Offensive Player of the Week twice while Larregui Lopez was given the OVC Offensive and Newcomer Player of the Week honors once each. Freshman Catalina Rochaix recorded the lone OVC Setter of the Week award.
 
About SIUE. The Cougars come into the weekend 11-16 overall and 6-10 in conference play. SIUE sits in the middle of the pack in all categories but has earned key OVC wins against EIU and Morehead State. The Cougars are in need of a win and a Little Rock loss to clinch the OVC tournament.
 
Leading the Cougars. Junior Nicole Kijowski has been the key piece to SIUE’s defense, earning the fourth-most digs per set (4.41) in the conference. Graduate student Caroline Waite has also produced big numbers for the Cougars by adding an eighth-most assists per set (5.54) and ninth-most service aces (31). Kijowski earned OVC Defensive Player of the Week on 10/31 after sophomore Sydney Hummert was named OVC Offensive Player of the Week on 9/19.