Eagles grounded by Grizzlies, Flashes

USI falls to Oakland 3-0, Kent State 3-0

KENT, Ohio – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (0-5, 0-0 OVC) completed its first day of the Kent State Invitational Friday night, suffering a 3-0 (23-25, 14-25, 20-25) loss to Oakland University (2-2, 0-0 HL) before stumbling against Kent State University (3-1, 0-0 MAC), 3-0 (18-25, 15-25, 22-25).
 
USI vs. Oakland
The opening set saw a lot of positives for the Eagles despite falling 25-23 to the Golden Grizzlies. USI threw down a set-high 14 kills and one ace. Sophomore outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) led the team with five kills and a .250 hitting percentage.
 
Oakland kept the momentum and gained a 2-0 lead after a 25-14 prominent set two victory over USI. The Grizzlies played an error-free set, tallying 13 kills off 20 attempts with no attack errors. However, the Eagles were able to secure eight kills and two aces in the frame. Junior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) recorded four kills and one ace in the second set.
 
USI drew an early 7-5 lead before watching Oakland take it away, falling 25-20 in the final frame. Sophomore middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) knocked down one of her four kills to give the Eagles a two-point advantage before the Grizzlies stormed back to steal the lead and never look back. USI put up its best numbers in the third frame, nabbing 13 kills with a team-low three attack errors.
 
The Eagles were led offensively by Bednar, who tallied a match-high 10 kills and marked her second double-figure match of the 2022 campaign. Anderson was one kill away from securing her first double-double of the season, finishing with nine kills and 14 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) also provided significant numbers for USI, recording six kills and 11 digs. Leading the passing game was junior outside/right side hitter/setter Katherine Koch (Belleville, Illinois) who had 23 assists. Downing led the group on the front lines with three blocks.
 
As a team, the Eagles finished the match with 35 kills and a .187 attacking percentage along with 33 assists, three blocks, and 46 digs. USI also tallied a season-high five service aces. The Grizzlies completed the match with 40 kills and a .293 hitting percentage while tallying 40 assists, six blocks, and 53 digs. Oakland also recorded seven service aces, most given up by the Eagles this season.
 
USI vs. Kent State
Three 4-0 runs put together by Kent State leads to a 25-18 opening frame loss for USI. The Eagles started off the set with a 2-1 lead before the Golden Flashes struck, going on three 4-0 runs to hoist itself to victory. USI struggled on the offensive end, collecting just eight kills and a .025 hitting percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Abby Weber finished the set with three kills and four digs.
 
Continued offensive struggles burdened the Eagles in set two, leading to a 25-15 loss. USI took the opening point off a sophomore outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar kill before Kent State went on a 13-3 surge to put itself in control, 13-4. The Eagles managed to get key points from a pair of Flashes’ errors and an ace from junior outside/right side hitter/setter Katherine Koch, but it was not enough as Kent State finished the set on a 5-1 run. USI had a negative .174 attacking percentage in the second set with three kills and seven attacking errors. The Flashes took advantage of the Eagles’ offensive woes, nabbing 13 kills and a .267.
 
The third and final frame began with a 3-0 Kent State stint and ended with a 25-22 Flashes’ victory as the Eagles lose its twelfth straight set this season. Weber was able to get three early kills for USI to tie it at four apiece before Kent State stormed back with another 3-0 run to retake the lead. The Eagles fired back with back-to-back kills from freshman middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) and Weber to pull within a couple. With the help of a trio of Flashes’ errors and a Bednar ace, USI regained the lead, 12-11. After two impactful 5-0 surges, Kent State controlled the lead before the Eagles’ made a final threat, going on a 4-0 run before the Flashes’ sealed it.
 
Weber was two kills shy of a double-double, finishing the match with eight kills and 15 digs to lead USI. Koch, Weber, and junior libero/defensive specialist Audrey Crowder (Avon, Indiana) each served one ace while Downing threw down a team-high five blocks. Koch was the leading passer for the Eagles’, dishing out 15 assists.
 
As a team, USI ended the match with a season-low 21 kills and .030 hitting percentage. The Eagles finished with only 20, but nabbed four aces, 53 digs, and eight blocks.