EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (1-17, 1-6 OVC) is set to face Southeast Missouri State University (9-10, 4-3 OVC) for a pair of matches this weekend with Mental Health Awareness Night highlighting Friday’s match. The Screaming Eagles are going green in support of mental health to remove the stigma of mental health discussion in today’s society. USI invites all attendees to wear green during Friday’s match to support mental health.
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Game Coverage
Information about USI Volleyball, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available on USIScreamingEagles.com.Â
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Tickets
USI Volleyball tickets are on sale now, with adult tickets at $8, non-USI students at $5, and all USI students, staff, and faculty with a valid ID and any child 11-and-under are admitted free.
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Screaming Eagles Headlines:
Eagles Lose Battle of the Sky. The Screaming Eagles dropped both matches to UT Martin last weekend, falling 3-1 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday. USI is still searching for its first win on the road this season.
You Have To #OVCit. The Eagles host Southeast Missouri State for a pair of matches this weekend. This is the first matchup between the two programs since 1990 when the Redhawks were in NCAA DII and the Mid-American Athletic Association.
Going Green for Mental Health Awareness. When the Eagles and Redhawks battle on Friday night, the USI Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will host a Mental Health Awareness Night in honor of Mental Health Awareness week hosted by the Ohio Valley Conference SAAC. This night is dedicated to removing the stigma surrounding mental health discussions in today’s society. USI invites all attendees to wear green to support mental health awareness.
Season Leaders. Junior Leah Anderson leads the group with 187 kills and 12 aces as junior Katherine Koch holds a team-high 338 assists. On defense, freshman Keira Moore has received 233 digs as sophomore Paris Downing has earned 55 blocks.
OVC Leaders. There are five Eagles who sit atop the best in five different categories within the OVC individual standings. Anderson ranks fifth in points (216.5) and eighth in kills (187) while Koch holds fourth most assists per set (7.04). Moore has tallied 233 digs and 3.95 digs per set, putting her at seventh. Downing is currently fifth with 1.08 blocks per set while sophomore Lauren O’Neill is tenth with 32 blocks.
Defensive Mindset. The Eagles’ defense is fourth in the OVC with 15.18 digs per set and sixth with 987 digs. USI also is fifth in the conference with 1.91 blocks per set and sixth with 124 total blocks (18 solo and 212 assists).
Keeping it 100. Three Eagles have joined the 100-kill club this season. Anderson has racked up 187, sophomore Abby Bednar totals 145, and sophomore Abby Weber has nabbed 144.
Double-Doubles. There have been six Eagles who have reached the double-double mark this season. Anderson leads the team with seven while Koch and sophomore Carly Sobieralski have each earned four. Weber has recorded three with sophomore Evie Duncan and Bednar totaling one each.
USI by the Set. This season, the Eagles have accumulated four opening set wins compared to winning 10 sets between frames two through five. USI has lost in the third set 14 times and lost in the fourth set six times. The Eagles are 0-3 in the fifth frame.
History in the Making. With Anderson becoming the 15th player to reach 1,000 kills, her new goal is to become the 13th player to reach the 1,000-dig plateau (973). If successful, Anderson would become the fifth player in program history to reach both milestones.
Eagles Win First DI Match. University of Southern Indiana Volleyball defeated Lindenwood to earn its first-ever NCAA Division I and OVC victory. The Screaming Eagles swept the Lions in three sets on 9/30.
About Southeast Missouri. The Redhawks are 9-10 overall with a 4-3 OVC record. SEMO is coming off a 3-0 victory over Little Rock that lifted the Redhawks into fifth in the conference. The defense has been the strongest suit for SEMO, ranking first in digs per set (16.73) along with second in blocks per set (2.28) and opponent hitting percentage (.185).
Leading the Redhawks. Senior Tara Beilsmith leads the Redhawks and OVC with 6.13 digs per set that has earned her five defensive player of the week honors including back-to-back awards in the last two weeks. Senior Zoey Beasley has struck the fifth most kills per set in the OVC (3.10) while freshman Ramiri Gardner has earned the fifth-best hitting percentage (.297) in the conference. Redshirt junior Mackenzie Meehan has guarded the net well for the Redhawks, tallying 1.24 blocks per set, the third most in the OVC.
