The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team opened its 2001 campaign with a 3-0 win over Texas Women's University and a 0-3 loss against 15th ranked Truman State University.
The Screaming Eagles (1-1) used 17 kills from freshman middle blocker
Leeanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana) to top TWU, 30-24, 30-18, and 30-23, in the first match of the evening. Gross tallied a .536 hitting percentage in the match, committing just two errors in 28 total attacks.
Senior middle blocker
Leah Mercer (Evansville, Indiana) followed with nine kills, a team-high seven service aces, and seven defensive digs. Junior outside hitter
Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana) led the squad with nine digs.
Junior setter
Greta Grinstead (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) tallied a game-high 31 assists in the winning effort. The win was also Head Coach Chrissy Smith's first career win.
The Eagles, however, struggled in the nightcap as they fell to Truman State, 26-30, 22-30, and 14-30. Wells tallied a game-high 11 kills and 13 digs while Grinstead recorded 30 assists in the losing effort.
USI was limited to a .114 hitting percentage as the 15th ranked team in the nation ran its record to 2-0.
The Eagles will resume play tomorrow afternoon when they take on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (0-2) and tournament host, Missouri-St. Louis (2-0). Match times are set for 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
