EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana (6-9, 2-2 OVC) played in front of a record-breaking crowd Tuesday night at Screaming Eagles Arena despite falling to Eastern Illinois University (14-1, 4-0 OVC) in four sets. The Screaming Eagles brought in 375 fans, the most for a regular season volleyball match since the opening of Screaming Eagles Arena in 2019.
A late push by the Panthers handed the Eagles a 25-19 opening-set loss. USI held an early 9-6 lead off five kills with three coming from senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio). Despite leading 16-13, USI witnessed a 7-1 surge from EIU that reversed the Eagles’ advantage. Junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) stopped the bleeding with a kill until the Panthers’ offense lit up with four straight points and ultimately claimed the set victory. USI had a match-high .346 attacking percentage with 11 kills and just two errors but EIU’s 16 kills were too much to handle.
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The Eagles flourished in the second frame by dominating the Panthers, 25-16. USI kicked off the set with an 8-2 lead that began with three kills from Bednar and was capitalized by a kill from senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois). The Eagles continued to surge by taking a 16-7 lead and then extending it to 24-13 after an all-around effort. The Panthers did make a late push with a 3-0 stint until junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) placed a perfect skip-set kill in no-mans-land to secure the victory and tie the match at 1-1. USI’s defense stood tall in the set, holding EIU to just six kills and forcing seven errors. The Eagles’ offense threw down a match-high 15 kills and just two errors.
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A sluggish performance from USI allowed EIU to take the match lead and win the set, 25-19. The Eagles held a solid 10-6 advantage early in the frame thanks to three Anderson aces. It was all USI until EIU scored eight of the next 10 points to gain a 14-12 lead. Weber and Anderson tacked on a couple of kills to knot it up at 14 before the Panthers struck three straight points to regain the advantage. A Bednar kill and an ace from junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) kept the Eagles alive, but the Panthers took control and scored eight of the final 11 points to seal the set. USI had a match-low .083 hitting percentage with eight kills and five errors.
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The Panthers’ offense took over late in the fourth frame to defeat the Eagles, 25-18, and take a 3-1 match win. USI once again held an early 9-6 advantage off five kills and a pair of aces. After a Downing ace made it 14-12, EIU stole the show and scored 13 of the last 17 points of the set. The Panthers put up six kills during the run while USI had six offensive errors, four attacking and two service. Â
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Anderson and Bednar led the group offensively as Anderson nabbed a match-high 17 kills and five aces while Bednar totaled 15 kills and three blocks. Downing produced a match-high five blocks to pair with a career-high four aces as Sobieralski led the group with 30 assists and 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the 2023 campaign.
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As a team, the Eagles had 43 kills, 38 assists, and 11 aces to pair with 45 digs and six blocks. The Panthers recorded 50 kills, 44 assists, and nine aces along with 58 digs and four blocks.
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NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles look for their first road win of the season when they take on Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. The reigning Ohio Valley Conference Champions go into the match 2-10 overall and hold a perfect 2-0 conference record after defeating Tennessee Tech University, 3-2 in each match.
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USI and TSU battled twice last season with the Lady Tigers taking both matches, 3-1 and 3-2.
