ST. CHARLES, Mo.—University of Southern Indiana Volleyball found itself in a precarious and familiar spot Saturday afternoon when it trailed 8-5 in the deciding frame of a critical Great Lakes Valley Conference match with host Lindenwood University.
Less than 24 hours earlier, the Screaming Eagles had lost a pair of one-set leads and even faced the same 8-5 deficit in a five-set road loss to Quincy University. Saturday’s match had the same feel, with USI gaining wins in sets one and three, only to see the Lions even the score each time
However, unlike the previous night, the Eagles’ comeback bid held true as USI scored four straight points and won seven of the next eight rallies to flip the three-point hole into a three-point cushion.
USI (16-11, 10-6 GLVC) eventually held on for a three-point win to secure a 25-23, 16-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12 win over Lindenwood, which is in a tightly packed group of teams fighting to secure a spot in the leagues’ post-season tournament.
Thanks to the win, USI remains in fifth-place, a half-game in front of Drury University and a half-game back of fourth-place Missouri University of Science & Technology, while Lindenwood (14-11, 7-7 GLVC) falls into a group of four seven-loss teams fighting for its post-season survival heading into the final week of the regular-season.
Sophomore outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) paced the Eagles in Saturday’s win with 18 kills, 12 digs and three blocks, while freshman outside hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) chipped in 10 kills, three aces, 14 digs and three blocks. The duo combined for 10 kills in USI’s set-one win, while Anderson had six kills and a pair of blocks in USI’s set-three victory.
Junior middle hitter Taylor Litteken (Foristell, Missouri) had a pair of kills and two blocks in USI’s win in set five, while senior middle blocker Sidney Hegg (Menasha, Wisconsin) added three kills and a .500 attacking percentage in the deciding frame. Litteken finished the match with nine kills, a .600 attacking percentage, three aces and five blocks, while Hegg had seven kills and seven blocks.
Senior setter Casey Cepicky (St. Louis, Missouri) added four kills, 40 assists, 17 digs and two blocks, while freshman right side hitter Taya Dazey (Fort Wayne, Indiana) added seven kills, 15 digs and three blocks. Senior libero Callie Gubera (Thorntown, Indiana) rounded out USI’s statistical leaders with 19 digs.
USI returns to Screaming Eagles Arena Tuesday at 7 p.m. when it hosts the University of Illinois Springfield. The Eagles conclude the regular-season when they host No. 20 Lewis University for Senior Day next Saturday. USI will honor Cepicky, Gubera and Hegg prior to the match as part of its Senior Day festivities.
