The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team will try to extend its current five-match winning streak Friday, September 19, when they open GLVC play. The Screaming Eagles, the defending GLVC champions, have won five straight conference openers.

USI will open the weekend's action with a trip to St. Louis to take on the University of Missouri-St. Louis in a 7 p.m. match Friday. The Eagles will finish the weekend Saturday, September 20, with a visit to the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois, to take on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in a 1 p.m. match.

In 2002, the Eagles swept Missouri-St. Louis and split a pair of matches with SIU Edwardsville. Since 1989, the Eagles are 8-10 against UMSL and 5-9 against SIUE.

Sophomore middle hitter Laura Ellerbusch (Newburgh, Indiana) and junior middle blocker Leeanne Gross (Decatur, Indiana) need to have good outings if the Eagles are going to be successful in their opening weekend of GLVC play. Ellerbusch leads the team with a .371 attacking percentage and 31 blocks while Gross has recorded a team-leading 3.6 kills per game and 28 service aces.

Distribution will be up to senior setter Kim Boehmer (Cincinnati, Ohio), who leads the team with 11.53 assists per game. After struggling two weeks ago at the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge in Findlay, Ohio, Boehmer set USI's offensive attack to the tune of a .295 attacking percentage at the Great Lakes Region Crossover. She averaged 11.83 assists per game while leading the team with 3.0 digs per game in the process.

USI will open its home schedule Friday, September 26, when it hosts the Saint Joseph's College.