University of Southern Indiana Volleyball concluded its play in the Capital Classic at the University of Illinois Springfield on Saturday with a three-set loss (25-20, 25-21, 25-23) to the host Prairie Stars.

Senior middle hitter Elexis Coleman (Joliet, Illinois) led the Eagles with 12 kills on a .455 hitting percentage. Coleman wrapped up the Capital Classic with 29 kills on a .431 hitting clip.

Freshman outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) continued her momentum to start her collegiate career with 12 kills. Anderson concluded the Capital Classic with 38 kills over three matches to lead the Eagles early on in 2019.

Junior setter Casey Cepicky (St. Louis, Missouri) collected 29 assists, tying the high tally in the match with UIS’s Becca Blakeley. Cepicky also notched six digs while going 2-for-3 on the attack.

Freshman right side hitter Katherine Koch (Belleville, Illinois) and senior outside hitter Lindsey Stose (Elkhart, Indiana) each contributed on both ends of the match. Koch collected six kills and a pair of blocks. Stose tallied five kills and a USI-high seven digs.

Sophomore middle hitter Taylor Litteken (Foristell, Missouri) led the Eagles with three blocks and added three kills on seven attempts.

USI never trailed by more than five points through the entire match. The tightly-contested match (25 tie scores, 9 lead changes) was won on the serve and at the net. The Prairie Stars out-blocked the Eagles seven to three, and collected six service aces against USI’s one.

The Screaming Eagles head to Detroit Friday for the Warrior Invitational, on the campus of Wayne State University, taking on fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member University of Missouri-St. Louis at 11:15 a.m.

In the second race of the season, the University of Evansville men’s and women’s cross country teams made strides at the North Alabama Invitational.

The women took fourth place out of 12 teams behind four top-30 finishes, while the men finished eighth with 177 points.
Junior Anna Lowry set the pace for the entire field, taking home the individual 5K title with a 18:02.6 time, just under her personal best. Lowry completed the race 15 seconds faster than second place runner from Mississippi State.

Jenna Fehrebacher finished in the number two spot for the Aces for the second straight week with a 19:56.7 24^th place finish. Haylee Harmeyer (20:05.0) and Bones Parker (20:08.5) took 27^th and 28^th place respectively, while Sarah Poltrack completed UE’s scoring five with a 39^th place 20:37.2 finish.

Ricky Hendrix led the way with a personal best on the men’s side with a 27:09.1 8K time, finishing 17^th.

Dawson Hood took 30^th place while completing the race in 27:40.8, finishing just 14 seconds ahead of teammate Stanley Chepchieng (27:54.5) who took 37th. Kalen Ochs also finished well for the Aces, taking 47^th in 28:20.7.

The Purple Aces will take a week off before heading to Clarksville, Tenn. for the Austin Peay Cross Country Festival on Sept. 21.

UE fights to the end, but comes up just short

Melanie Feliciano had 16 kills while Alondra Vazquez finished with nine in the finale of the Redhawks Invitational where host Southeast Missouri State defeated the University of Evansville volleyball team by a 3-0 final on Saturday afternoon.

Evansville (1-2) gave the Redhawks (3-0) everything it had, but SEMO was able to fend off the challenges.  Feliciano’s kill tally led all players.  Rachel Tam posted seven and Chloe Bontrager added four.  Allana McInnis dished out 29 assists while Gabriela Macedo was stellar defensively, finishing with 24 digs.  McInnis had ten.

Southeast Missouri State grabbed an early 9-3 lead in the opening game.  With the score tied at 2-2, the Redhawks scored four in a row to extend the lead.  Evansville responded with three in a row with Tam and Feliciano each recording a kill, but SEMO pushed its edge to as many as nine points before taking a 25-17 decision.

UE managed a much better start in the second contest, taking a 3-2 lead on an ace from Allana McInnis.  The Aces continued to pace the Redhawks, going up 9-7 on an Alondra Vazquez kill.  SEMO made its run, posting five straight with the score tied at 12-12, but Evansville responded in a big way, reeling off the next six.  Vazquez and Tam each had a kill in the rally while McInnis provided the efficient serving.  SEMO wrestled away a 23-21 lead, but UE continued its fight.  A Kate Tsironis kill helped them tie the score at 23-23.  UE kept up the battle, but Southeast Missouri State posted the final two points to pick up a 27-25 win and a 2-0 match lead.

Gabriela Macedo posted an ace to begin the third stanza, but the Redhawks took control from there, taking a 12-5 lead before clinching the match on the heels of a 25-19 decision.  SEMO led by as many as 11 points at 20-9, but the Aces staged a rally. Cecilia Thon registered an ace and UE was able to get within four at 22-18, but SEMO regrouped to win the match.

Home action begins next week for the Aces as they host the Dunn Hospitality Tournament.  Purdue Fort Wayne will be the first opponent on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Evansville welcomes Middle Tennessee State for a 12:30 p.m. contest before facing Eastern Illinois at 6 p.m. inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

 

The Otters had opportunities late in the game Friday to come back and win, but the Rascals’ bullpen got the necessary outs to win 4-2.

With the win, the River City Rascals complete a sweep of the Otters and advance to the Frontier League Championship Series to face the Florence Freedom, who swept the East Division champion Lake Erie Crushers in their FLDS matchup.

Following two scoreless innings by River City starter Austin Dubsky and Evansville starter Jake Welch, the Otters scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning.

Scoring the first run of the game had been a key to success for the Otters in the regular season, as the Otters were 42-12 when scoring game’s first run.

In the bottom of the third, Mike Rizzitello led off with a double and scored off an error by Rascals shortstop Trevor Achenbach on a ball hit by Keith Grieshaber, giving the Otters a 1-0 lead.

The Rascals responded with their fourth home run of the series in the top of the fourt, as L.J. Kalawaia hit a three-run home run off Welch, putting the Rascals ahead 3-1.

Welch gave Evansville a chance with a quality start, surrendering three runs on seven hits and a walk while recording six strikeouts. He would be given the loss.

The Otters had chances in the fifth and sixth innings to tie or take the lead in the game, but would not score another run until the seventh inning.

Rascals starter Austin Dubsky threw 5.1 innings, allowing an unearned run with two walks and three strikeouts. He would earn the win, keeping the Otters’ offense in check.

Down 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Hunter Cullen led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and later scored on an RBI single from Tanner Wetrich to cut the Rascals’ lead to one.

Later in the inning with David Cronin at first and Wetrich at third, Grieshaber was called out on strikes and then called for batter interference as Rascals catcher Tanner Murphy threw down to second base trying to throw out Cronin. The batter interference caused Cronin to be called out and ended the Otters’ threat.

Out of the Otters’ bullpen, Drew Beyer threw a scoreless inning, and Cam Opp recorded the final two outs of the eighth to keep it a one-run game.

When Opp went to the mound again in the ninth, the first batter he faced in Zach Lavy hit a solo home run to right field, extending the Rascals’ advantage to 4-2.

Lavy’s home run was the fifth homer for the Rascals in the series.

Taylor Wright retired the next three Rascals in order for a scoreless inning of work to finish the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth with Rascals closer Jason Zgardowski on the mound, Cullen reached on infield single, and Rizzitello was hit by a pitch, putting the tying run on base.

Zgardowski then retired Wetrich, Cronin and Jack Meggs, who pinch-hit for Grieshaber, to end the game and the Otters’ 2019 season.

In 2019, the Evansville Otters won their first division title since 1999, matched a franchise single-season record with 57 wins in the regular season, made their fourth consecutive postseason appearance, and sent five players to MLB affiliated organizations.

Ryan Long was named the Frontier League’s MVP, Taylor Wright was given the league’s Rookie of the Year honor, Tyler Beardsley was honored with the citizenship award, and pitching coach Max Peterson was named the league’s Coach of the Year award.

Evansville also sent four all-stars to the midsummer classic, representing the Frontier League against the Can-Am League, which the Frontier League won.

The Otters were also the Frontier League’s Organization of the Year and had over 101,000 fans walk through the gates at Bosse Field and in attendance this season.

The Evansville Otters want to thank all fans, corporate partners, and staff for their support and help in making the Otters’ 25th anniversary season a success.