EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team is looking to put an end to No. 17 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's 26-match regular-season GLVC winning streak when the two teams square off against each other Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Physical Activities Center.
USI (15-8, 7-5 GLVC), ranked 10th in the latest NCAA II Great Lakes Region rankings, has lost three straight to the Cougars—including a 3-0 setback earlier this year—after winning all three matches against SIU Edwardsville in 2004. The Screaming Eagles, who are sixth in the GLVC standings, are 9-13 all-time against SIU Edwardsville, 8-8 against the Cougars since 2000.
SIU Edwardsville (21-4, 12-0 GLVC) leads the GLVC and is ranked third in the NCAA II Great Lakes Region rankings. The Cougars are the defending GLVC Champions and have won 29 of their last 30 matches against GLVC competition.
Leading the way for USI are senior outside hitters
Chelse Doubler (Griffin, Indiana) and
Emily Ryan (Batesville, Indiana). Doubler is fourth in the GLVC in kills per game (3.80 kpg), eighth in attacking percentage (.302), first in service aces per game (0.58 sapg), and second in points per game (4.90 ppg). Ryan is seventh in the GLVC with 3.57 kpg and is ninth with 4.19 ppg.
As a team, the Eagles rank first in the GLVC in blocks per game (bpg) and service aces. Freshman middle blocker
Ashley Henricks (Greenwood, Indiana) is second in the conference with 1.31 bpg, while junior middle blocker
Molly Rahman (Ferdinand, Indiana) is fifth in the league with 1.12 bpg.
Following their contest with SIU Edwardsville, the Eagles travel to Springfield, Missouri, to take Drury University Friday at 7 p.m. and Kansas City, Missouri, to take on No. 16 Rockhurst University Saturday at 3 p.m.
Drury (12-11, 6-5 GLVC) is seventh in the GLVC standing and plays at Rockhurst Tuesday night before hosting USI on Friday. Rockhurst (21-2, 10-1 GLVC), which hosts SIU Edwardsville Friday, is sixth in the region and second in the GLVC standings.
The Eagles defeated Drury, 3-0, earlier this season after falling to Rockhurst in three games.
