With the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team's 3-0 victory in its regular season finale at the University of Indianapolis yesterday afternoon, the Screaming Eagles wrapped up the third seed in the upcoming Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. USI finished the regular season with a 20-9 overall record and an 11-4 conference mark.

The Eagles dominated the match against Indianapolis, racking up 59 kills and a .336 attacking percentage while holding the Greyhounds to 30 kills and a .158 attacking percentage. By doing so, the Eagles secured their second consecutive 20-win season, marking the first time since 1980-81, and just the second time in school history, that the Eagles have posted back-to-back 20-win season.

Freshman middle blocker Leeanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana) got the Eagles going in the first game. Gross tallied nine of USI's 20 kills in game one as USI cruised to a 30-15 victory. Gross finished the match with 13 kills and a .345 attacking percentage.

It was junior outside hitter Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana) who stepped up big in game two. Wells recorded nine of her match-high 18 kills in the second set as the Eagles edged the Greyhounds 30-27 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match. Wells also added a team-high 12 digs in the contest.

A team effort out did the Greyhounds in the third game as USI had five players with three or more kills to lead USI to a 30-21 over Indianapolis in the third and final game.

USI benefited from the performances of senior middle blocker Leah Mercer (Evansville, Indiana) and sophomore setter Kim Boehmer (Cincinnati, Ohio). Mercer recorded 13 kills and a match-high .417 attacking percentage while Boehmer set the table for Eagle hitters with a match-high 47 assists. Boehmer also recorded 11 digs in the contest.

Juniors Kristi Kavanaugh (Montgomery, Indiana) and Greta Grinstead (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) were also effective in the match. Kavanaugh tapped in with seven kills and 10 digs while Grinstead added five kills and a .364 attacking percentage in the winning effort.

The Eagles will open the GLVC Tournament this Thursday, November 8, as they play sixth seeded Indianapolis. The Greyhounds finished the 2001 regular season with a mark of 24-9 and posted an 8-6 conference mark. Match-time is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST on the campus of GLVC regular season champion and number one seeded Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

A full list of the GLVC Tournament bracket and game times is listed below:

Thursday, November 8
#3 S. Indiana vs. #6 Indianapolis, 11 a.m.
#2 SIU Edwardsville vs. #7 UM-St. Louis, 1:30 p.m.
#4 Lewis vs. #5 Quincy, 4 p.m.
#1 N. Kentucky vs. #8 UW-Parkside, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, November 9
#2-7 winner vs. #3-6 winner, 3 p.m.
#4-5 winner vs. #1-8 winner, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 10
GLVC championship match, 11 a.m.

All Times are CST (Highland Heights, Kentucky is in Eastern Time Zone)