TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Melanie Feliciano recorded a season-high 31 kills to help the University of Evansville volleyball team complete the season with a 3-1 road win at Indiana State on Tuesday evening at ISU Arena.
Feliciano hit .333 in the victory and tallied 10 digs. Giulia Cardona had another exceptional performance, posting a career-high 26 digs along with 24 kills, three blocks and two aces. Brooke Springer added eight kills, four block assists and a solo block. Kora Ruff tallied 28 digs and 62 assists while Ainoah Cruz finished the night with 26 digs and seven assists.
Game 1 – UE 28, Indiana State 26
Each point in the early moments was tied until the Sycamores turned a 7-7 game into a 10-7 advantage. The run for the Sycamores continued as they led by as many as six tallies when a UE error gave them a 16-10 lead.
Four in a row by the Purple Aces got them right back into the mix. Giulia Cardona picked up a pair of kills and a block assist to cut the deficit to two. Indiana State doubled the lead back to four at 20-16 before another Evansville run sent the set into extra points. Trailing 23-20, UE scored three in a row with Kora Ruff picking up an ace. Both teams had their opportunity at set point, but it was the Aces who took advantage first. With the score tied at 26-26, Emilee Schuemann had a solo block and Cardona followed with a kill to seal the win.
Game 2 – Indiana State 25, UE 21
With a come-from-behind win in the books to open the night, the Aces picked up right where the left off in the second frame. Led by three kills apiece from Melanie Feliciano and Cardona, UE jumped out to a 7-2 advantage. The Sycamores quickly countered with five in a row to tie it up.
In the late moments, ISU pushed the lead out to four points (22-18) and clinched the set by the same margin to tie the match.
Game 3 – UE 25, Indiana State 15
Evansville jumped out to a 4-0 lead with Blakeley Freeman recording an ace and Feliciano adding two more kills to her tally. Four more kills by Feliciano saw the Aces establish a 12-2 advantage. Cardona tacked on two more aces and UE retook the match lead with the 10-point win. Feliciano’s 24th kill of the night clinched the set.
Game 4 – UE 25, Indiana State 17
Set #4 of the evening started off with multiple ties, leading to a 5-5 score. Kills from Feliciano and Cardona, coupled with another ace from Freeman, put the Aces up 9-5. Indiana State reeled off the next three in a row, but Evansville responded with seven in a row to open a 16-8 lead. Feliciano added two more tallies with Ainoah Cruz picking up an ace.
From there, it was all Aces as they clinched the match with a 25-17 decision in the fourth set.
