EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (4-7) will begin its second season in the Ohio Valley Conference on Monday as the Screaming Eagles take on undefeated Eastern Illinois University at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois.
Â
Game Coverage
Information about USI Volleyball, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available on USIScreamingEagles.com.Â
Â
Tickets
Tickets to the EIU vs. USI match are free.
Â
Screaming Eagles Headlines:
Eagles struggle against Jaguars. The Screaming Eagles had a tough outing in their non-conference finale, falling to IUPUI in four sets. USI went 4-7 in the nonconference stretch and have surpassed last year’s win total.
Â
You Have To #OVCit. The Eagles begin their second season in NCAA Division I and the OVC and will take on Eastern Illinois to begin the conference campaign. USI is looking for their first conference tournament berth in the DI era, but only the top eight teams make it to the championship.
Â
Nearing 1,000. Junior Carly Sobieralski is just 25 assists away from earning 1,000 career assists. Sobieralski started the season at 626 assists and has truly taken over the passing game, nabbing 349 assists in just 11 matches.
Â
20 and Over Club. Three Eagles have earned 20 or more kills or digs this season. Senior Leah Anderson was the first when she had 20 digs in the win against New Orleans. Junior Carly Sobieralski had 23 digs in the loss to Bradley and senior Abby Bednar is the lone Eagle to have 20+ kills, nabbing 20 in the loss to Bradley.
Â
Consistent Starts. Junior Carly Sobieralski has totaled 20 or more assists in all 11 matches. Senior Leah Anderson has racked up 10 or more kills in nine matches while sophomore Keira Moore has nabbed 10 or more digs in the same amount.
Â
Double-Doubles. Three Eagles have secured double-doubles this season. Junior Carly Sobieralski leads the team with five double-doubles while senior Abby Bednar and senior Leah Anderson have each recorded four.
Â
Nationally Acclaimed. Due to USI being in the DI reclassification period, the Eagles are not ranked in the NCAA statistical rankings. However, USI would be ranked 22nd in total digs (620) and 41st in digs per set (15.90) in the nation. Individually, junior Carly Sobieralski would stand 39th in assists (349). (As of 9/14)
Â
OVC Leaderboard. USI ranks third in aces per set (1.74) while standing fourth in digs per set (15.90), opponent aces per set (1.44), blocks per set (1.97), and opponent hitting percentage (.185).
Â
OVC Leaders. Senior Abby Bednar sits in third in aces per set (0.50) and fourth in points per set (4.18) and kills per set (3.39). Junior Carly Sobieralski ranks third in assists per set (8.95) while senior Leah Anderson stands in fifth in kills per set (3.36) and points per set (4.05). Junior Paris Downing, junior Abby Weber, and sophomore Keira Moore round out the OVC leaders with Downing being sixth in blocks per set (0.92), Weber sitting 10th in aces per set (0.39), and Moore being 10th in digs per set (3.59).
Â
Team Leaders. Senior Leah Anderson leads the pack with 131 kills with senior Abby Bednar trailing close behind with 129 kills. Bednar also leads the team in aces with 19. Junior Paris Downing has nabbed 36 blocks while sophomore Keira Moore has added 140 digs. Junior Carly Sobieralski has shown true potential in the passing game, putting up 349 assists.
Â
Â
About Eastern Illinois. The Panthers enter the weekend undefeated at 10-0 and will face Missouri on Friday before battling USI on Monday. EIU leads the OVC in nine different categories that include kills per set (13.82), assists per set (12.95), aces per set (2.61), hitting percentage (.291), and points per set (18.17). The Panthers also rank third in aces per set, sixth in total aces, and 13th in hitting percentage in the NCAA. (As of 9/14)
Â
Leading the Panthers. Natalie Mitchem leads the Panthers with 129 kills while Catalina Rochaix has totaled 342 assists. Giovana Larregui-Lopez has posted 21 aces with Christina Martinez Mundo earning 185 digs while Julia Stanev has tacked on 33 blocks. Within the OVC, four Panthers stand atop the standings in five categories. Larregui-Lopez ranks 15th in the nation in aces per set (0.66) and 12th in total aces while Martinez Mundo is 12th with 5.38 digs per set and 18th in total digs. (As of 9/14)
