EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team saw a one-set edge evaporate Friday night as it fell to Rockhurst University 24-26, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22 at the Physical Activities Center.

Leading 8-3 in the third set, the Screaming Eagles (12-13, 5-7 GLVC) fell victim to an 11-0 run that turned the tide of the match into the Hawks' favor. The Eagles looked as if they would climb back into the frame as they cut a six-point deficit to three later on, but Rockhurst used a 6-2 run to close the stanza and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

USI, which had early leads in all four sets, saw Rockhurst (16-10, 8-5 GLVC) go on a 5-0 run early in the final set to turn a 5-2 deficit into a slight edge. The two squads battled back-and-forth for much of the game, but the Hawks outdistanced the Eagles by using another 6-2 run to gain a comfortable five-point lead late in the set.

The Eagles cut the Hawks' advantage to two points, but could get no closer as Rockhurst closed the match on a USI attacking error.

Earlier in the match, the Eagles used a .308 attacking percentage and a 63 percent side-out clip to edge the Hawks in the first set and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

USI was in the driver's seat in the second stanza, but a 6-1 run erased a 15-10 USI lead and gave Rockhurst momentum. The Eagles held a two-point advantage later in the frame, but a 5-0 run put the Hawks into the lead and helped even the match at set apiece.

Junior outside hitter Courtney Bealor (LaPorte, Indiana) and sophomore outside hitter Brittani Oliver (Indianapolis, Indiana) led USI with 18 and 15 kills, respectively, while junior setter Melanie Pund (Ferdinand, Indiana) had 45 assists and 10 digs.

Defensively, sophomore libero Janae Curnutt (Arcadia, Indiana) racked up a match-high 28 digs, while senior middle blocker Meg Buschman (Reynolds, Indiana) had five blocks. Oliver and Bealor also had 14 and 10 digs, respectively, while junior outside hitter Jaclyn Johnson (Newburgh, Indiana) finished with a match-high 10 digs.

USI returns to action Saturday at 3 p.m. when they host Drury University at the PAC. The Eagles host Quincy University next Friday and Saturday to close out their 2008 home slate.