While the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team will be hoping to improve upon its seeding in the upcoming Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, it also will be looking to play the role of spoiler for the second consecutive week when it returns to action this Friday, November 7.

The Screaming Eagles (18-7, 7-5 GLVC) get the chance to play spoiler when they compete against the GLVC's top team for the second time in three matches as they travel to Highland Heights, Kentucky, to take on Northern Kentucky University (21-10, 11-2 GLVC) at 6 p.m.

Last Friday, the Eagles upended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, an upset that put NKU in the driver's seat to host the GLVC Tournament November 13-15. With a win against the Norse, the Eagles would put SIUE back in the driver's seat for tournament hosting rights.

Two wins to close out the season would also mean that USI would enter the GLVC Tournament with four straight wins and, at least, as the five seed. There is a possibility USI could end up as the four seed, but it would need to sweep this weekend's matches and have Quincy University lose twice.

The Eagles will need the same type of performance they got last weekend out of senior setter Kim Boehmer (Cincinnati, Ohio) when she averaged 15.17 assists per game and set USI's attack to a .275 hitting percentage. This will be a homecoming of sorts for Boehmer, who graduated from Roger Bacon High School. She needs just 19 assists to move into third all-time in the GLVC for assists.

Senior outside hitter Ashley Riordan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) also is coming off a big performance. Riordan recorded a USI career-high 16 kills and a .538 attacking percentage to lead the Eagles to a 3-0 victory over the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Other key targets for Boehmer will be sophomore middle hitter Laura Ellerbusch (Newburgh, Indiana) and junior middle blocker Leeanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana). Ellerbusch leads the team and is second in the GLVC with a .360 attacking percentage while Gross has a team-high 3.77 kills per game, good enough for eighth in the league.

USI will end the regular season Saturday, November 8, when it travels to Louisville, Kentucky, to take on Bellarmine University (5-24, 1-12 GLVC). The Eagles have won seven straight matches against the Lady Knights, including 19 of the last 21 games. The match is scheduled to begin at noon.