The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team scored its third-straight victory in Great Lakes Valley Conference play Friday night with a five-set victory over the Missouri University of Science and Technology, 25-18, 15-25, 21-25, 25-22 and 15-6.
The Screaming Eagles (14-13, 6-6 GLVC) forced a tie in the coveted eighth spot in the conference standings with the victory and a road loss by the University of Illinois Springfield at Drury University, also on Friday night. The Miners (20-7, 7-5 GLVC) entered the evening in a tie for sixth with Bellarmine University, falling into seventh with Friday’s defeat.
Senior middle blocker Amanda Jung led the Eagles’ comeback-effort with seven of her career-high 10 blocks in the fourth frame, forcing the fifth set where USI dominated their way to a 15-6 score and sealed the victory. Jung’s total fell one block short of tying USI’s record (since 2000) of 11 set by Abbey Winter ’16 against Bellarmine during the 2013 campaign.
Junior setter Casey Cepicky and freshman Leah Anderson each notched another double-double in the contest. Cepicky assisted on 40 of USI’s 46 kills and added 12 digs, while Anderson scooped up 15 digs and dropped 11 kills on the Miners.
Freshman right side hitter Katherine Koch paced the Eagles with 14 kills, while Anderson and senior middle hitter each posted the USI high-marks in a set with four kills each, in the first and second sets, respectively.
USI stuffed 17 Missouri S&T attacks on the night, eight coming in the all-important fourth set on the back of Jung’s seven. Four different Eagles posted at least four blocks in the contest: Jung (10), Anderson (5), sophomore right side hitter Sidney Hegg (5) and Coleman (4).
The Eagles also kept the ball off the court with 87 digs, led by freshman setter Kelsie Vanitvelt with 19, followed by senior libero/outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey with 17 digs. Five Eagles posted at least 12 digs in the contest: Vanitvelt, Humphrey, Anderson, Cepicky and freshman libero Audrey Crowder.
