The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team advanced to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament final four for the second season in a row with a 3-0 victory over the University of Indianapolis Thursday afternoon in Highland Heights, Kentucky. Northern Kentucky University, as the number one seed, is the tournament host.

The Screaming Eagles, the number three seed, raised their record to 21-9 overall, while Indianapolis, the sixth seed, bows out of the tournament with a 25-10 record. USI will play second seeded Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Friday, November 9, at 3 p.m. (CT). SIUE defeated seventh seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis, 3-1, on Thursday.

Senior middle blocker Leah Mercer (Evansville, Indiana) had one of her best matches as an Eagle to lead USI. Mercer posted a team-high .564 hitting percentage on a team-best 23 kills in 39 attacks.

Mercer was followed by junior outside hitter Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana) with 13 kills, four aces, and a match-high 11 digs. Junior outside hitter Kristina Kavanaugh (Montgomery, Indiana) and freshman middle blocker Leanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana) also posted double-figures with 12 kills and 10 kills respectively.

Sophomore setter Kim Boehmer (Cincinnati, Ohio) went over the 2,400 assist mark with a match-high 51 assists. Boehmer needs just 61 more assists to break the USI single-season record of 1,236 she set a year ago.

The winner of the GLVC Tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament on November 15-17, hosted by the number one seed. The NCAA II Tournament pairings will be announced on Sunday, November 11.