EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Volleyball begins a six-match homestand Friday at 7 p.m. when it hosts defending Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division champion McKendree University at the Physical Activities Center
The Screaming Eagles (6-7, 1-3 GLVC), who are trying to stop a three-match losing streak, also host the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday at 3 p.m. at the PAC.
Live stats and GLVC Sports Network coverage will be available at GoUSIEagles.com. USI students can enter the raffle to win a $500 Campus Store shopping spree at each of USI’s home matches–the drawing is October 28 when the Eagles host Missouri S&T.
USI Volleyball Notes (9/27/16)
Farrell eclipses 1,000-dig mark. Junior libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) became the 11th player in program history to reach the 1,000 dig plateau for her career with her sixth dig in the first set against Truman State University last Friday. Farrell currently ranks 11th all-time at USI with 1,038 career digs.
Lost leads. The Eagles have been struggling to hold onto leads during their three match losing streak. USI lost a 7-4 lead in the fifth set in its loss to Rockhurst University, then lost early leads of at least three points in two of the three sets it dropped against Truman. The Eagles lost an 18-14 lead in the first frame of their three-set loss to Quincy University this past Saturday.
Scouting the opposition.Â
McKendree begins the week ranked second in the GLVC East Division with an 8-5 overall record and a 3-1 mark in GLVC action. The Bearcats went 1-1 in GLVC play last week, defeating Rockhurst in five sets Friday before falling to William Jewell College in five sets the following day.
Illinois Springfield opens the week with a 5-7 overall mark and a 0-4 record in GLVC play. The Prairie Stars, who visit Bellarmine University Friday, lost in three sets to William Jewell and Rockhurst last week.
Last year. USI went 1-2 against McKendree a year ago. The Eagles lost in three sets to the Bearcats in Lebanon, Illinois, before earning a four-set victory over McKendree in a win-or-go home match for USI to end the regular season. McKendree, however, got the better of USI in a four-set affair in the first round of the GLVC Tournament the following week.
The Eagles and Prairie Stars split the season-series a year ago. USI earned a three-set road victory over Illinois Springfield in the first meeting before losing a five-set heartbreaker at the PAC in the final week of the regular season.
Statistical leaders. Freshman outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) continues to lead the Eagles with 2.84 points and 2.72 kills per set, while sophomore setterErika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) is averaging a team-high 9.43 assists per frame.
Farrell leads USI with 5.26 digs and 0.30 aces per stanza, while junior middle hitter Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) is contributing a team-best 0.94 blocks per set. Senior middle hitter Amy Zwissler (Bloomington, Indiana) leads the Eagles with a .248 attacking percentage.
In the GLVC. Farrell’s 5.26 digs per set ranks second in the GLVC.
