Senior middle blocker Abbey Winter (Germantown, Illinois) and sophomore middle blocker Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) combined for 22 kills, seven blocks, and a .460 attacking percentage to lead the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team to a 25-22, 25-20, 25-20 sweep over Northwood University in the opening match of the Midwest Region Crossover Friday.
Winter hammered down 15 kills and finished with a .400 attacking percentage, while Whitfield contributed seven kills, a .583 attacking percentage, and five blocks.
The Screaming Eagles (12-7) rallied from a four-point deficit late in the opening set to earn the three-point win. Winter tallied five kills and hit .333 as the Eagles took the early lead in the match. USI was hitting just .048 midway through the frame, but hit .539 in its final 13 attacks to finish the opening stanza with a .211 attacking percentage.
USI used an 11-4 run midway through the second frame to extend its match lead to 2-0 over the Timberwolves. The Eagles racked up four blocks and three service aces en route to the five-point win.
In the final frame, the Eagles benefitted from a seven-kill effort from Winter to close the match with a five-point win. Winter hit .667 in the third set as the Eagles posted their second sweep of the Timberwolves this season.
For the match, the Eagles hit .211 and had seven blocks to go along with six aces. Senior right side hitter Erica Oberbroeckling (Westfield, Indiana) added four blocks and three aces to her five kills, while freshman setter Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) finished with 30 assists. Sophomore libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) had 11 digs to lead the Eagles’ back row.
The Eagles, who have won four straight matches at the Crossover to improve their all-time record at the event to 10-12, return to action Saturday at 10 a.m. when the face Wayne State University. USI concludes the 36-team Crossover Saturday when it plays Lake Superior State University at 4 p.m.
