Wayne State (7-10): 3; Southern Indiana (13-6): 2
-Line Score: 13-25, 25-23, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13 (Box Score)

Southern Indiana: 3; Saginaw Valley State (10-7): 1
-Line Score: 25-18, 25-20, 24-26, 25-17 (Box Score)

AURORA, Ill.—The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team got a combined 35 kills from senior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange and freshman outside hitter Lauren DeShaney as it bounced back from an earlier loss to defeat Saginaw Valley State University 25-18, 25-20, 24-26, 25-17 Friday evening and earn a split on the first day of the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover.

USI (13-6) hit .303 in the opening set and a blistering .485 in the second frame as it jumped out to a commanding two-game advantage over the Cardinals. The Screaming Eagles, who were edged in the third frame despite rallying from a late five-point deficit, pushed points in the fourth set as they raced out to a 22-11 lead before settling on the eight-point win.

LaGrange led the Eagles with 20 kills, a .459 attacking percentage, seven digs, and five blocks, while DeShaney racked up 15 kills, a .364 attacking percentage, and three blocks.

As a team, the Eagles finished with a .299 attacking percentage, with sophomore setter Jorae Bradbury finishing with a match-high 47 assists to go with nine digs and three blocks. Sophomore libero Kayla Heldman and freshman defensive specialist Candace Timberlake added 12 and 10 digs, respectively.

USI also finished with eight service aces, four off the hand of junior right side hitter Emily Meyer. Meyer also had six aces in the Eagles' 13-25, 25-23, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13 setback to Wayne State University earlier in the day.

The Eagles dominated the Warriors in the opening set to the tune of a .696 attacking percentage. Wayne State, however, held off a late USI surge to win the second game and rallied for a win in the third frame to put the Eagles into a one-set deficit.

USI, which held the Warriors to a negative .235 attacking percentage in the fourth game, used a 9-1 run to end the next stanza and force a decisive fifth set.

The fifth set featured seven ties and five lead changes and saw the Eagles jump out to an 11-9 lead following a long rally. Wayne State, though, surged in front as it scored five of the next six points and six of the final eight to hand the Eagles their first five-set loss of the season.

LaGrange led the Eagles in the loss with 19 kills, a .349 attacking percentage, and 12 digs, while sophomore middle blocker Emily Diedrich added 14 kills and a .522 attacking percentage. Freshman outside hitter Fawn Ryan added 10 kills, while Bradbury had 56 assists and 12 digs.

Heldman led USI with 19 digs, while Timberlake and senior defensive specialist Krista Coccaro finished with 10 and 13 digs, respectively.

USI concludes the GLIAC/GLIAC Crossover Saturday at 1 p.m. against No. 8 Hillsdale College (16-2). The GLVC won the opening day against the GLIAC, 13-11.