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HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES STATEWIDE COVID-19 CASE COUNTS
Brown clinches eventual 5-2 victory for Eagles over Quincy Saturday
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Tennis (4-2) picked up a solid road over the Quincy Hawks (1-3), 5-2 Saturday evening.
DOUBLES:
Eagles got off to a fantastic start as junior Marvin Kromer and sophomore Lucas Sakamaki teamed up to discard their opponents easily, 6-1 in the No. 2 doubles match.
Then the junior and senior duo of Parker Collignon and Yahor Bahdanonvich secured the doubles point in the No. 1 match defeating their foes, 6-3.
SINGLES:
Sakmaki kept his masterful night going with a second win coming in the No. 4 singles in straight sets.
After the Eagles dropped the No. 1 singles, Collignon fought back to win a tough battle in the No. 2 slot giving him a two-win night.
Gilliland Wins Platform National Championship Indiana Finishes 15th at NCAA Championships
The No. 15-ranked Indiana University women’s swimming and diving team closed out the 2020-21 collegiate season with a 15th place finish and 102 team points at the 2021 NCAA Championships on Saturday night at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
IU has finished inside the top-15 finish of the team standings in 13-straight seasons. A total of 10 Hoosiers claimed 20 All-American honors, including four first-team honors and a national champion.
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PLATFORM DIVING
Freshman Tarrin Gilliland won the 2021 NCAA Championship in the Platform Dive with a career-best mark of 338.40. After hitting a 45.60 on her first attempt, Gilliland locked in to rip 76.50, 67.50, 76.80, and 72.00 on her final four dives to claim the individual championship. Her performance ranks her as the 10th-best performer in the history of the event.
She is the third Hoosier woman to win the event in program history, joining Cassandra Cardinell (2005) and Jessica Parratto (2015). She also gives Indiana four medals since the 2015 championships:
2021 – Tarrin Gilliland (Gold)
2019 – Jessica Parratto (Bronze)
2017 – Jessica Parratto (Silver)
2015 – Jessica Parratto (Gold)
The Midland, Texas, native extends the Indiana’s Big Ten record with an individual title in seven-straight NCAA Championships. Lilly King claimed eight breaststroke titles from 2016-19, Jessica Parratto won the Platform in 2015, and Brooklyn Snodgrass won the 200 Backstroke in 2014.
200 BREASTSTROKE
Junior Noelle Peplowski earned First Team All-America status with a sixth-place finish in the 200 Breaststroke with a career-best time of 2:06.46. She matches her finish from the 2019 NCAA Championships and gives the Hoosiers a seventh podium in the event since the 2016 championships.
2021 – Noelle Peplowski (6th)
2019 – Lilly King (1st); Noelle Peplowski (6th)
2018 – Lilly King (1st)
2017 – Lilly King (1st)
2016 – Lilly King (1st); Miranda Tucker (2nd)
1,650 FREESTYLE
Senior Josie Grote closed out her collegiate career with a career-best time of 16:13.72 in the 1,650 Freestyle. Her mark earned her a 17th-place finish in the event, just missing out on her third All-America honor of the weekend.
In her opening 1,000 yards, Grote set a new personal best with a split of 9:52.21. Both her 1,000 split and 1,650 time rank her inside the top-15 on the all-time performer list.
Junior Maggie Wallace placed 39th in the mile with a time of 16:35.50.
400 FREESTYLE RELAY
The Hoosier relay team consisting of sophomore Ashley Turak, freshman Elizabeth Broshears, senior Abby Kirkpatrick, and senior Laurel Eiber finished 14th with a time of 3:15.20, earning Honorable Mention All-America honors for all four swimmers. The time turned in by Indiana marked the second-fastest time in program history.
The leadoff 100 from Turak was clocked at 48.56, a new career-best mark. She now holds the fifth, sixth, ninth, and 10th-fastest 100 Freestyle times in program history.
FINALS RESULTS
1,650 FREESTYLE
- Josie Grote – 16:13.72 (Career Best)
- Maggie Wallace – 16:35.50
200 BREASTSTROKE
- Noelle Peplowski – 2:06.46 (First Team All-America, Career Best)
PLATFORM DIVE
- Tarrin Gilliland – 301.85 (National Champion, First Team All-America, Career Best)
400 FREESTYLE RELAY
- Ashley Turak, Elizabeth Broshears, Abby Kirkpatrick, Laurel Eiber – 3:15.20 (Honorable Mention All-America)
2021 HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Elizabeth Broshears (2) – 200 Medley Relay (HM), 400 Freestyle Relay (HM)
Laurel Eiber (2) – 400 Freestyle Relay (HM), 800 Freestyle Relay (HM)
Anne Fowler (2) – 1-Meter Dive, 3-Meter Dive (HM)
Tarrin Gilliland (3) – 1-Meter Dive (HM), 3-Meter Dive (HM), Platform*
Josie Grote (2) – 400 IM, 800 Freestyle Relay (HM)
Abby Kirkpatrick (2) – 400 Freestyle Relay (HM), 800 Freestyle Relay (HM)
Bailey Kovac (1) – 200 Medley Relay (HM)
Noelle Peplowski (3) – 100 Breaststroke (HM), 200 Breaststroke, 800 Freestyle Relay (HM)
Ashley Turak (2) – 200 Medley Relay (HM), 400 Freestyle Relay (HM)
Emily Weiss (1) – 200 Medley Relay (HM)
*2021 NCAA Champion
Eagles post three victories, a dozen more score at outdoor season opener
University of Southern Indiana Women’s Track & Field opened its outdoor season with the Bearcat Classic Saturday, where three Screaming Eagles finished victorious and nine other posted top-five marks.
USI as a team amassed 51 points for the meet after 12 different Eagles went on to score in their respective events.
Three Eagle Victories
The first winner of the day was freshman Audrey Comastri. Comastri made her track & field debut by taking over the 1,500 meters in a time of 5 minutes, 8.42 seconds, outpacing a couple of Lewis University Flyers to secure the victory by nearly three seconds.
Next, another new face freshman Mallory Wittmer kicked off her USI Track & Field career holding onto a wire-to-wire win in the 800m with a time of 2:29.16. Wittmer fought off a charge from two runners, both within eight-tenths of a second at the line.
Freshman Mckenna Cavanaugh in her outdoor debut, grabbed the third victory on the day for the Eagles in the 5000m with an honest 17:32.91, leaving second place five-and-a-half seconds behind.
Other Top-Five Finishes
Freshman Katelyn Grell scored for the Eagles with her fourth-place showing in the 400m recording a 1:03.39.
Freshmen Hadley Fisher (17:54.69) and Allison Morphew (18:02.67) both turned in noteworthy performances in the 5000m as they crossed the line fourth and fifth, respectively.
In the field, sophomore Georgianna Roeder got the outdoor season started on the right foot with a top-five scoring performance in the shot put. Roeder had a toss of 10.76m (35’3.75â€).
Then freshmen Gabrielle McGregor (31.22m – 102’5â€) and teammate Daphanie Ehrmann (30.98m – 101’8â€) took home third and fourth place, respectively for the Eagles
Up Next: USI is scheduled to compete in the Margaret Simmons Invite hosted by Murray State University next Friday and Saturday March 26-27.
Volleyball Drops Back-To-Back Matches at Quincy Triangular
University of Southern Illinois Volleyball dropped its last two GLVC divisional crossover matches of the regular season on Saturday afternoon. The Screaming Eagles were swept by hosting Quincy in the morning match and also lost in three sets to Drury in the afternoon match.
The 13-ranked Eagles only lost two matches prior to the Quincy-hosted triangular, but struggled to grasp a lead in the sets against both the Hawks and Panthers. On the day, USI was unable to attack effectively during each contest, hitting at a clip of .150 in the matchup versus Quincy and only .036 against Drury. Leading the Eagles’ offensive effort was freshman Abby Weber, who posted 25 kills with 28.0 points over six sets. Weber flew around on defensive throughout the matchups as well, laying out for 19 digs (second most for USI). Callie Gubera led the USI defensive effort along with Sidney Hegg. Gubera went for 20 digs over the six sets while Hegg thwarted eight opposing attacks with four being solo blocks. In addition to her eight blocks, the junior middle blocker Hegg added 7.5 points with two kills, four digs, and one assist. The offensive efforts of Weber were followed by Leah Anderson with 20 total kills while fellow sophomore Katherine Koch had 15 kills.
In the six-set, two-match weekend, senior Casey Cepicky moved up in the USI record books again with her 59-assist weekend. Cepicky’s 59 assists took her well above the necessary 12 to push her into fourth all-time in career assists over Carly Messman (2,669). The senior setter now has 2,716 assists in her time as a Screaming Eagle.
NOTES:
Senior setter Casey Cepicky dished out 59 assists on the day to elevate herself to fourth all-time for career assists in the USI record book. Cepicky has 2,716 assists in her career.
Freshman outside hitter Abby Weber set career-highs in both kills and points against the Quincy Hawks with 14 kills and 16.0 points. Her previous highs came against William Jewell in both categories with 12 kills and 14.5 points against the Cardinals on (2/27/2021).
This was the first back-to-back loss for USI on the season as the Eagles only lost two matches prior to March 20. The 13th-ranked Screaming Eagles now own a record of 10-4 on the season as the return to GLVC East Division play.
UP NEXT:
USI Volleyball will be back on the court for its final home match of the season next Friday, March 27 against divisional rival McKendree. The Eagles will close out the remainder of the regular season in the GLVC East Division, playing away against Indianapolis, Illinois Springfield, finishing against top-ranked Lewis after the contest against the Bearcats.
Eagles drop both halves of GLVC DH in return to play
University of Southern Indiana Softball dropped both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader to host Lewis University Saturday afternoon following a near month-long hiatus.
The Screaming Eagles (2-7, 0-2 GLVC) dropped game one, 7-2, before falling, 9-1, in six innings in the nightcap.
Game One: Lewis 7, USI 2
After surrendering a pair of runs in the last half of the first inning, the Eagles responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to tie the score. Freshman centerfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) pushed across the first run with a bases-loaded walk, while sophomore second baseman Rachel Martinez(Chicago, Illinois) drove in a run with an RBI-single.
Lewis (10-7, 3-3 GLVC), however, scored in the bottom of the second to retake the lead before benefitting from its second two-run home run of the contest in the last half of the third inning to extend its cushion to 5-2. The Flyers tacked on solo tallies in the fifth and sixth innings to complete the victory.
Junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) was pinned with the loss after giving up six runs off nine hits in 4.2 innings of work. Back (1-2) had four strikeouts and three walks in the contest.
Game Two: Lewis 9, USI 1 (6 inn.)
Lewis scored a run in the home half of the first inning and took advantage of a pair of errors in the second inning to score six unearned runs and take a commanding 7-0 lead.
USI answered with a tally in the top of the third frame as Bedrick drove in a run with a bunt-single. However, that would be the only offense the Eagles would be able to muster as Lewis pitcher Sara Serena limited USI to just three hits.
After being forced into the pitcher’s circle for the first time in her collegiate career in the opening game, senior outfielder Jessica Tucker (Georgetown, Kentucky) was charged with the loss in game two after surrendering seven runs, one earned, off seven hits in two innings of work in her first career start in the circle.
Sophomore pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) came onto pitch for the Eagles in the third, throwing three hitless innings before giving up a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Up Next
USI returns to action Sunday at noon when it visits the University of Illinois Springfield for a GLVC doubleheader at Spartan Sports Park in Chatham, Illinois. The Prairie Stars (7-15, 2-4 GLVC) split a conference doubleheader with McKendree University Saturday afternoon.
Notes
Senior outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) had a hit in both games to extend her career-high hitting streak to 13 games dating back to the end of the 2020 campaign.
Aces fall to Butler’s hot offense on Saturday
Done in by a hot Butler offense, the University of Evansville baseball team attempted to battle back late, but dropped its Saturday matchup with the Bulldogs, 12-8, at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
“We were able to get the game tying run to the plate which is all you can ask as a coach when you give up 12 runs,” said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “However we didn’t play well enough to win in any aspect of the game. Butler’s starter did an outstanding job. Tomorrow is an important day at the Braun.”
Evansville found itself in an early hole on Saturday as the Bulldogs got their offense going early. Butler tallied five runs in the first three innings with two runs in each of the first and second innings and another run in the third to take a 5-0 lead.
The Aces scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth as designated hitter Eric Roberts hit a sacrifice fly to score left fielder Mark Shallenberger.
Butler would answer with a run in the top half of the fifth, but Evansville again was there to chip away at the Bulldogs lead. The Aces pushed across a pair of runs in the fifth, cutting the deficit to three runs at 6-3.
The seventh inning saw Butler push its lead back to four at 7-3 and made it difficult for the Aces in the top of the eighth. The Bulldogs put five runs on the board in the eighth, giving them a 12-3 lead.
As has been true all season, Evansville did not go quietly on the day, popping for three runs in the bottom half of the eighth, fueled by three free bases in the inning.
Trailing 12-6 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Aces again gave themselves a chance. With the bases loaded, catcher Max Malley drove a base hit through the left side, scoring Brinkley and Roberts. After Troy Beilsmith walked in the next plate appearance, Evansville brought the tying run to the plate, but Butler’s Jack Pilcher closed the door with a strikeout to earn the 12-8 win for the Bulldogs.
Evansville and Butler close their series with a rubber match on Sunday at 1 PM at German American Bank Field in Evansville.
Aces Smash Records at Bill Cornell Invite
Multiple school records fell at the Bill Cornell Invite, as the University of Evansville track and field team closed out the first outdoor meet of the season.
Continuing where she left off during indoor season, Anna Lowry broke two school records, including the 1500-meter run, finishing second at 4:36.57, and the 5,000-meter at 17:01.17, also taking second, both times rank as the fastest in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. Her 5K time currently sits as the 16th fastest in the NCAA.
Trey Riggs posted a program record in the 110-meter hurdles at a time of 14.66, which helped him finish second in the event. Riggs also took first in the long jump at 6.83-meters, which also ranks as the best mark in the MVC.
Taiza Alexander took down her own school record in the long jump with a mark of 5.41-meters, finishing in fourth.
Evansville will next be in action at the Bill Smith Open, hosted by Vincennes University on March 27.
Gould’s grand slam helps Aces earn split against Ramblers
UE drops opener before finishing with 7-3 win in second game
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A 7-run fourth inning helped the University of Evansville softball team earn a 7-3 win to clinch a doubleheader split against Loyola in Saturday’s conference opener.
Eryn Gould hit a grand slam while Haley Woolf added a 2-run home run to lift the Purple Aces (12-7, 1-1 MVC) to a 7-3 win in the second contest of the day after Loyola (5-12, 1-1 MVC) took game one by a 1-0 final.
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Game 1
Following three scoreless innings, Amelia Thomas got Loyola on the board with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. Evansville stranded two runners in the third and fifth innings, but was ready to make a final push in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch hitting in her first at-bat of the season, Alyssa Barela laced a single to center before being pinch run for by Mackenzie McFeron. UE picked up two walks to load the bases, but a strikeout by Loyola starter Sydney Ruggles ended the game.
Barela had one of the Aces three hits in the contest. Izzy Vetter went the distance, allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight batters. Eryn Gould reached via three walks as Evansville posted eight in the game.
Game 2
After earning three walks in game one, Eryn Gould led the second contest off in the same fashion before reaching second on a wild pitch. Marah Wood singled to shallow left, allowing Gould to reach third with one out, but UE was unable to get on the board. Loyola was poised to take advantage in the top of the second, advancing runners to second and third with just one out. That is when the Evansville defense shined. On a groundout to shortstop, the Ramblers brought their runner home where Haley Woolf threw her out at home. Catcher Jenna Lis defended the plate to preserve the run.
Just as they did in game one, Loyola scored first in the fourth inning, belting a home run to left field at almost the exact same spot as the one in the opener. This one came off the bat of Sydney Barnett, which gave LUC a 1-0 lead. Evansville did not waste any time countering in the bottom half of the frame. After a hit by Marah Wood led the inning off, Haley Woolf hit a home run to left center to put UE in front, 2-1.
The runs kept coming for UE. Lindsay Renneisen had an RBI single before the Aces loaded the bags for Gould. The senior sent the first pitch she faced over the right field fence for a grand slam that put the Aces up by a 7-1 score. Loyola cut the deficit to four with a pair of runs in the sixth. That is where the scoring would finish as the Aces clinched a 7-3 win.
UE had 10 hits in the second game with Gould, McLean, Wood and Lis recording two apiece. Jaime Nurrenbern won her fifth game of the season, going six innings while allowing three runs on seven hits. Gould led all players with four RBI with her grand slam.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES STATEWIDE COVID-19 CASE COUNTS
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