BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (1-1) kicked off the 2023 campaign at Wilkinson Hall on Friday afternoon with a 3-1 loss (25-19, 27-25, 25-20, 25-21) to the University of New Hampshire before taking down Radford University in sweeping fashion, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 26-24). The Screaming Eagles are one of four teams in this year’s Indiana Invitational hosted by Indiana University and competed in the first two matches of the tournament.
 
USI vs. New Hampshire
An early deficit from the Wildcats handed the Eagles a 25-19 opening-set loss. UNH started off hot on the attack, earning four kills and a pair of aces to go up 8-2 early. The Wildcats’ run ended after back-to-back kills from sophomore middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) and some key mistakes from UNH that put USI back in the game, trailing 9-8. Even though the Eagles tied it at 10 apiece, the Wildcats responded with a 6-1 stint that put USI in a deep hole, 16-11. After trading off points, UNH stole the show and took home the first-game victory. Senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) racked up four kills, all coming in the final points for the Eagles.
 
Despite holding a late lead, USI watched UNH go on a streak to hand the Eagles their second loss of the match, 27-25. The Wildcats kicked off the set with a 7-3 advantage until a 6-0 rally from the Eagles made it a 9-7 game. The surge started with junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) throwing down a kill before Leah Anderson put up a pair of kills and junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) added back-to-back service aces. Later in the set, USI held a 23-19 lead until UNH added five straight points to shift the momentum. Even though L. Anderson’s two kills forced extra serves, the Wildcats stormed off with a two-set advantage. USI had a team-high 14 kills in the second frame.
 
A late push from the Eagles kept them alive, taking a 25-20 win over the Wildcats in the third set. USI jumped out to an early 6-4 lead after tallying five kills from three different Eagles. UNH later responded with a 6-0 surge that made it 15-10. After some mistakes from the Wildcats’ offense and a kill from senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), the Eagles were back in it but trailing 18-14. USI hit the gas and went for a dominating 8-0 run that left the Wildcats in the dust. The stint was led by Weber’s four aces and Bianca Anderson’s three kills. USI ended the set on an 11-2 sequence that gave the Eagles their first win of the season.
 
USI could not catch fire in the final frame, falling 25-21 to UNH and losing the match. The Eagles and Wildcats were tied at five apiece before a couple of kills and an attacking error gave UNH the 8-5 advantage. Back-and-forth play went on throughout the rest of the match and led to a 19-14 Wildcats advantage. The Eagles were able to capitalize off some UNH miscues, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. The Wildcats put up a match-high 16 kills in the fourth frame compared to USI’s 12 kills.
 
Sobieralski and Bednar each posted the team’s first double-double of the season. Sobieralski nabbed a match-high 40 assists paired with a team-high 16 digs. Bednar posted 12 kills along with 14 digs, each the second-most for the Eagles. Leading the offensive attack was Leah Anderson with 16 kills while Weber provided a match-high six aces. Bianca Anderson was able to secure four blocks to lead USI at the net.
 
As a team, the Eagles earned 48 kills off 46 assists along with 70 digs and six blocks. USI got the upper hand on UNH in service aces, securing eight in comparison to the Wildcats’ four.
 
USI vs. Radford
A set-ending 6-0 run gave the Eagles the 25-15 opening-frame victory. USI was trailing Radford 8-7 before the Eagles scored three straight off a pair of attacking errors and a kill from senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois). USI would add four more with the help of a Leah Anderson ace and a kill from sophomore middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) to make it 14-9. After the Highlanders cut the Eagles’ lead to four, USI went on a 6-0 tear that gave them a 1-0 match advantage. Both Andersons scored kills during the run and three each in the set. The Eagles were also able to take advantage of the 12 Radford errors, the most in the match.
 
 USI had a pair of runs that secured the 25-18 second-set win over Radford. The Eagles kicked off the set with three straight points before back-and-forth play led to an 8-7 lead for USI. The Highlanders would take a 12-10 lead off a pair of errors from the Eagles. Down 13-11, USI put up an 11-1 stint with 5-0 and 6-0 runs. Senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) was the heavy force during the surge, posting a kill and three aces. Even after a late push by Radford, USI held their ground and defeated the Highlanders to hold a 2-0 match lead. The Eagles’ net pressure forced 10 Radford errors that led to a negative .100 hitting percentage.
 
Radford’s late run was no match as USI earned the sweep, 26-24. The Eagles went down 4-1 early before catching up and forcing a 7-7 tie. Both sides traded points until the Highlanders’ 5-1 surge put them up 14-12. USI responded with four kills from four different Eagles to knot it up at 17 apiece. Radford regained the lead, 19-18, before giving up three straight off attacking errors, handing the Eagles a 21-19 advantage. USI held on to a 24-21 lead until Radford stormed back to tie it at 24-24 until junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) threw down back-to-back kills to end the Highlanders’ night and give the Eagles their first victory of the season.
 
USI led in all five categories with 33 kills, 30 assists, 44 digs, seven blocks, and six aces. A total team effort was used to earn the sweep as Leah Anderson was the lone Eagle to have double-digit kills with a match-high 11 and a team-leading four blocks to add to her stat line. Sobieralski nabbed a match-high 26 kills while sophomore libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) captured a team-high 14 digs. At the line, Bednar served up four aces to lead all players.
 
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles wrap up the Indiana Invitational tomorrow at 9 a.m. (CT) when USI faces Indiana University. This will be the first time the two schools have faced off in program history.

UE falls to SEMO on Friday

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Taking on preseason Ohio Valley Conference favorite Southeast Missouri State, the University of Evansville volleyball team put forth a strong effort but dropped a 3-0 decision on Friday morning at Houck Field House.

Each set was decided by two points with two frames going to extra points.  Giulia Cardona led the way for the Purple Aces, finishing with 14 points, 8 digs and 4 blocks.  Melanie Feliciano added 13 kills and 5 digs.  Brooke Springer registered a game-high eight blocks.  Marsia Guisti and Lucy Arndt paced SEMO with 12 and 11 kills, respectively.

Game 1 – SEMO 26, UE 24

In the early portion of the opening set, the lead changed hands on multiple occasions before Evansville turned an 8-8 tie into an 11-8 lead.  Giulia Cardona and Melanie Feliciano recorded kills.  Feliciano registered another kill to push the lead to 13-10.  Southeast Missouri State stormed back, scoring five in a row to take their first multipoint lead at 15-13.

Continuing to fight back, the Aces jumped back in front when a Madisyn Steele kill gave her squad a 20-19 advantage.  SEMO countered with a 5-2 stretch to force set point at 24-22.  Feliciano got her team back on track to tie it up at 24-24 before the Redhawks scored the final two points to take a 26-24 decision.

Game 2 – SEMO 26, UE 24

Carrying the momentum from a strong finish to the first set, SEMO stormed out to a 7-1 lead with two service aces contributing to the rally.  Kora Ruff contributed an ace to cut the deficit to a pair (7-5), but the Redhawks scored five of the next six to match their largest lead at 12-6.

Things continued to go the way of Southeast Missouri State as they held a 16-10 lead.  Steele and Feliciano posted kills to begin an 8-1 run that gave UE its first advantage of the set.  Feliciano totaled three kills during the run while combining with Brooke Springer on the block that put Evansville in front.  Springer added a solo block to give UE set point at 24-23, however, it was another late rally that would be the difference.  The final three points belonged to SEMO as they took another 26-24 win.

Game 3 – SEMO 25, UE 23

Evansville had the upper hand in the early moments of the set.  After Southeast Missouri State took a 6-4 edge, the Aces stormed back with eight in a row to open a 12-6 advantage.  Cardona and Springer combined for a pair of blocks during the stretch.  A pair of aces from the Redhawks helped them cut the lead in half before a kill made it a 14-12 game in favor of UE.

Steele had a solo block to push the lead back to four points (16-12), but the complexion of the game changed once again as the Redhawks scored six in a row before extending the lead to 24-20.  The Aces rallied with three in a row but it was not enough as SEMO clinched the 25-23 win to take the match.

ROBINSON, Ill. – The Vincennes University volleyball team added another win to their already impressive 26-game Region 24 winning streak Thursday night when the Blazers traveled to take on Lincoln Trail College in Robinson.

VU fell behind early after dropping the first set but were able to bounce back and win the match in four sets, 22-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-18.

Vincennes got off to a great start in their first road game of the season, scoring the first three points of the match to begin set one and held onto this lead at 9-7.

Lincoln Trail then seemed to take control in the middle of set one, going on a 7-1 scoring run to take a 14-10 lead over VU and grab all the momentum.

VU would answer back to even the score at 16-16, before the Statesmen again rallied late to come away with the first set victory 25-22.

The Blazers looked to bounce back from this early deficit and took control of set two from the beginning, scoring the first four points before continuing to build an 18-8 lead.

Lincoln Trail would attempt to mount a late comeback, going on a 5-1 scoring run of their own, but it was not enough as VU took set two 25-16 and evened the match at 1-1 heading to the third.

Lincoln Trail looked to grab the early momentum in set three, jumping out to a quick 4-1 advantage, before VU launched a massive 8-0 scoring run behind some excellent serving by freshman Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil).

Lincoln Trail would again rally back on their home floor, cutting the deficit down to a single point, but were unable to complete the comeback and take the lead as VU pulled away to take set three 25-19 and gain a 2-1 advantage in the match.

VU looked to put the match away early in set four, building off of their momentum from set three, after a back and forth start Vincennes would outscore the Lady Statesmen 13-3 to take a 19-9 advantage.

The two teams would trade points down the stretch as the Trailblazers were able to close out the set and take the match 25-18, extending their winning streak against Region 24 opponents to 26 matches.

“Our offense ran okay in the first set but we needed more of the serve receive and blocking,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “When we had those two items in play, we were able to make big, big runs. In the first set, we went side out, side out and side out, we did not control the set at all. Lincoln Trail did. We did a great job of basically pulling it together in those three phases in sets two, three and four.”

The VU offensive attack Thursday night came from all angles as sophomore Paige Parlanti (Las Vegas, Nev.) led the way with a double-double with 13 kills, 18 digs, four blocks and one ace.

Freshman Laura Tavares (Merida, Venezuela) came through with 10 kills, seven digs and three blocks.

Sophomore Audrey Buis (Franklin, Ind.) and freshman Isadora Dias also had very effective hitting performances, with Buis finishing the night just shy of a double-double with nine kills, 11 digs, three blocks and a block assist. Dias ended with eight kills, three blocks and one dig.

Sophomore Maecy Johnson (Chrisman, Ill.) had a tremendous all-around performance, setting up the VU offense on her way to 33 set assists, while also contributing at the net with four blocks, three kills and three digs.

Freshman Allison Czyzewski (Louisville, Ill.) and sophomore Kennedy Sowell (Effingham, Ill.) rounded out the VU offense, each recording a kill, with Czyzewski adding four blocks and a dig, while Sowell came through with one block as well.

The Trailblazer back row defense was again patrolled by sophomore libero Morgan Netcott (Montague, Mich.) who led VU with 27 digs on the night, while also adding one set assist and one ace.

Freshmen Libby Mehringer (Jasper, Ind.) and Grace Flexter (Oblong, Ill.) also helped contribute to the victory, with Mehringer adding five set assists and two digs, while Flexter entered in the fourth set to record a dig.

The VU offense continues to work efficiently early in the season, finishing the night with a .405 hitting percentage, led by a .522 hitting percentage by Parlanti and a .474 percentage by Tavares.

The Trailblazers also controlled the net very well defensively on their way to 22 total blocks on the night.

“We controlled the first contact and that was when we were able to run the offense efficiently,” Sien added. “The sets were well distributed all along the net and each hitter had great swings for the majority of the time. In particular, Paige, Audrey and Laura swung very well.”

“When we pass or when we are in system, it is very difficult to stop us,” Sien said. “When given those passes on point, I thought Maecy did an excellent job of spreading the offense and giving a couple of good looks to each hitter in different tempos and different locations, including the back row.”

The Blazers will look to add a couple more to the win column this weekend when VU hosts Region 24 opponent Lake Land College and Ancilla College for a tri-match Saturday, Aug. 26 at the Physical Education Complex.

VU will begin the day by taking on Lake Land College at 10 a.m. eastern, before closing out the day against Ancilla College at 2 p.m. eastern Saturday.

“We talked about how it is a dogfight in every Region 24 game,” Sien added. “Unless you have been in a Region match, you will not fully understand the immense pressure that is out there. Winning a couple of championships will add even more responsibility and accountability as you are not only playing for the ones presently on the team, but for all those who came before you.”