The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to upset host Northern Kentucky University, 3-2, Friday night in the semifinals of the GLVC Tournament at Regents Hall in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

NKU (24-11) picked apart USI in the first two games, recording a .419 attacking percentage in game one and a .289 attacking percentage in game two. The Norse took the first two sets, 30-15 and 30-24.

The Screaming Eagles (21-8), however, responded in the third game as they hit .400 and took the third set 30-23. USI held off NKU in the fourth game to tie the match with a 30-27 victory.

USI, which won for only the third time against the Norse in Regents Hall, came out in game five to take a 6-1 advantage. After an NKU rally knotted the deciding game at 9-9. USI recorded the next five points, however, to take a 14-9 lead.

Junior middle blocker Leeanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana) finished the comeback with a kill as the Eagles won the fifth game, 15-10.

For the match, the Eagles had five players finish in double-digit kills, including a team-high 15 kills by Gross, senior outside hitter Ashley Riordan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana), and middle hitter Laura Ellerbusch (Newburgh, Indiana). Ellerbusch also recorded a match-high-tying seven blocks.

Junior middle hitter Natalie Atzinger (Louisville, Kentucky) added 12 kills, while freshman middle hitter Chelse Doubler (Griffin, Indiana) came off the bench to chip in 11 kills. Senior setter Kim Boehmer (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 63 assists in the victory.

The Eagles will face the third seeded University of Indianapolis Saturday for the GLVC championship. Indianapolis advanced to the title game with a 3-1 victory over second-seeded Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

USI's appearance in the championship Saturday will mark the fourth straight season the Eagles have played for the league crown. Match-time is slated for a 1 p.m. (CST) start at Regents Hall.