University of Southern Indiana Volleyball is on the road for its second of three consecutive tournament-weekends to start the 2019 season this week. The Screaming Eagles will compete in the Warrior Invitational, hosted by Wayne State University, in Detroit.
The Eagles face four matches in two days during their stay; USI battles fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member, University of Missouri-St. Louis (11:15 a.m.), and Malone University (3:45 p.m.) on Friday; Ursuline College (8 a.m.) and the host, Wayne State (12:30 p.m.), on Saturday. All times listed in Central Daylight Time.
The Road Ahead – The Warrior Invitational
About the Tritons:Â Missouri-St. Louis has opened its 2019 season with its first 4-0 start in over 20 years, sweeping the S&T Tournament last weekend. The Tritons finished the 2018 season 14-15 (7-11 GLVC), tying Missouri University of Science & Technology for ninth in the conference standings.
USI v. UMSL:Â The Eagles hold a four-match advantage over the Tritons with a 22-18 record in the all-time series. The two programs have been deadlocked over the past decade-plus, splitting their last 16 meetings dating back to the start of the 2006 season.
About the Pioneers:Â Malone took one of four matches at the Eckerd College Invitational last weekend, a four-set battle with the host, Eckerd. The Pioneers went 16-16 in 2018, but posted a 12-7 record in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference before falling to the University of Findlay in the opening round of the GMAC championship tournament.
USI v. Malone:Â The Eagles and Pioneers have met only twice, splitting their two meetings. Malone evened the series last season when the Eagles visited the Hall of Fame City Challenge, hosted by the Pioneers.
About the Arrows:Â Ursuline College has stumbled out of the gate with an 0-3 record in 2019 following the Daemen College Tournament last weekend. The Arrows went 12-17 (8-11 GMAC) a year ago, but managed a GMAC championship tournament berth, only to be ousted by Hillsdale College.
USI v. Ursuline:Â Saturday’s meeting will be the first between the Eagles and Arrows. USI went 3-1 against GMAC squads last season (Loss: Malone; Wins: Kentucky Wesleyan College, Ohio Valley University, Ohio Dominican University), while Ursuline fell to GLVC members Missouri S&T and Maryville University in 2018.
About the Warriors:Â Wayne State of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference hosts the Warrior Invitational holding a 3-1 record so far in 2019. The Warriors notably defeated McKendree University in four sets to open their campaign. In 2018, Wayne State went 15-13 (10-6 GLIAC), though it went 1-4 against GLVC opponents.
USI v. Wayne State:Â The Warriors hold a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series that started back in 2009. All three meetings since the start of the 2011 season have come at the Midwest Region Crossover (Formerly GLVC/GLIAC Crossover), in which every match went at least four sets. USI claimed a 3-1 victory in the most-recent meeting in 2015.
How We Got Here – The Capital Classic
USI returned to Evansville with a 1-2 record from the Capital Classic, including a three-set knockout of the University of Charleston. The Eagles dropped a five-setter to Winona State University to open play Friday, before falling to the host University of Illinois Springfield in three sets on Saturday.
Freshman outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) burst onto the collegiate scene with a 19-kill, 17-dig performance in the loss to Winona. The career-opening double-double led Anderson to finish the weekend with 38 kills, 23 digs and three blocks.
Senior middle hitter Elexis Coleman (Joliet, Illinois) made her presence known at the net, taking home 29 kills, a .431 hitting percentage and 10 blocks from the Classic. The fourth-year starter collected six blocks against Winona State, one shy of the career-high set in her sophomore season.
Freshman right side hitter Katherine Koch (Belleville, Illinois) went stride-for-stride with Coleman at the Classic as she collected 26 kills and six blocks, along with six service aces. Koch opened her first-year campaign with a pair of double-digit performances on the attack, including a 10-1-15 attack line against Charleston.
Junior setter Casey Cepicky (St. Louis, Missouri) and senior outside hitter Lindsey Stose (Elkhart, Indiana) were each one dig shy of double-doubles themselves against Winona State; Cepicky racked up 45 assists on USI’s 52 kills, 11 of which coming at the hand of Stose.
