When the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team headed into training camp, it could not have imagined that it would be 1-4 after five matches. However, six matches later and the Screaming Eagles are 6-5 and on a roll as they head into their Great Lakes Valley Conference opener this Friday at the Physical Activities Center.

During their 1-4 start, the Eagles' attacking percentage was just .222 and had recorded just 37 service aces. In the last six matches, the Eagles have recorded a .276 attacking percentage and have posted 57 service aces.

The Eagles, who knocked off eighth-ranked Northwood University this past Saturday and have won five of their last six matches, will host Quincy University on Friday, September 14, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday, September 15.

Dating back to 1999, the Eagles have won five straight matches against Quincy, including all three matches a year ago. Quincy, which enters the PAC on Friday with a 3-6 overall record, are led by seniors Eunique Reaves and Chris Shimkus. Reaves is averaging 3.06 kills per game while Shimkus has a team-high 3.03 digs per game.

The Eagles will be looking for a little revenge when they entertain Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday. The Riverwomen handed the Eagles a 3-2 loss during the UMSL Tournament at the start of the season. USI committed 16 service errors in that contest.

Senior Holly Zrout and junior Maureen Monahan lead UMSL. Zrout is averaging 3.05 kills per game while Monahan has posted 2.58 digs per game.

USI will count on junior outside hitter Shannon Wells (Merrillville, Indiana) and sophomore setter Kim Boehmer (Cincinnati, Ohio). Wells is third in the conference with 4.00 kills per game while Boehmer is averaging a team-high 11.30 assists per game.

Adding to the USI arsenal is freshman middle blocker Leeanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana) and junior outside hitter Kristina Kavanaugh (Montgomery, Indiana). Gross is fifth in the GLVC with a .306 attacking percentage while Kavanaugh is averaging a team-high 2.81 digs per game.

Evansville native Leah Mercer, the team's lone senior, is contributing 3.24 kills per game and is tied with Gross for the team-lead with 22 blocks.

Friday's match against Quincy is scheduled for 7 p.m. while the Saturday match with UMSL is set for a 2:00 p.m. start.