Southern Indiana (7-5, 2-2 GLVC): 3
at Drury (12-5, 3-1 GLVC): 2
Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—Junior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange and senior outside hitter Brittani Oliver combined for 36 kills and a .315 attacking percentage as the University of Southern Indiana volleyball team defeated Drury University 25-23, 18-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-11 Saturday afternoon in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

The win breaks a two-match slide for the Screaming Eagles, who played their second five-set match in three outings and their fourth of the year.

USI (7-5, 2-2 GLVC), which hit .333 in the first frame, jumped out to an 18-11 lead in the opening set, but was forced to hold back the host Panthers enable to grab a 1-0 advantage in the match. Drury cut the Eagles' cushion, which was 24-20 late in the set, to 24-23 before LaGrange hammered down a kill to give USI the two-point win.

Drury (12-5, 3-1 GLVC) carried the momentum it picked up late the first frame into the second set as it ran away with a convincing seven-point victory. The Panthers attacked at a .417 pace and held USI to a .143 hitting percentage in the second set as they tied the match at 1-1.

The Eagles used runs of 7-2 and 7-1 en route to an eight point win in the third set. USI hit .441 in the third set as it grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match.

USI jumped out to a 16-12 lead in the fourth set, but the Panthers used an 11-1 spurt to build a 23-17 lead and eventually even the match at two frames apiece.

The Eagles, who hit .360 and had a .830 side out percentage in the fifth and final frame, started building momentum late in the fourth set as they cut a 24-19 lead to 24-23 before suffering the two-point setback.

With the fifth set tied 8-8, the Eagles used a 5-2 push to grab a decisive 13-10 advantage. The Eagles got a kill from Oliver to take a 14-11 lead; then benefitted from a Drury attacking error to end the frame and earn a hard-fought victory.

LaGrange led the Eagles with 22 kills and a .302 attacking percentage, while Oliver chipped in 14 kills, a .333 attacking percentage, and a team-best 17 digs. Freshman setter Jorae Bradbury entered the match in the third set and finished with a team-high 31 assists, while freshman middle blocker Emily Diedrich finished with nine kills and a .444 attacking percentage.

USI's passing game was aided by senior defensive specialist Janae Curnutt, freshman defensive specialist Kayla Heldman, and junior libero Krista Coccaro. Curnutt and Heldman finished with 15 and 14 digs, respectively, while Coccaro added 11 digs.

The Eagles return to the friendly confines of the Physical Activities Center Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they host Kentucky Wesleyan College. The Panthers (4-6, 0-4 GLVC) lost to Rockhurst University in three sets Saturday afternoon.