EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team opens the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Tournament Friday at 11 a.m. (CST) when it takes on No. 20 University of Indianapolis in Hillsdale, Michigan. USI is the sixth seed after compiling a 20-10 record in 2011, while Indianapolis is the third seed after posting a 22-7 mark and winning the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.

Friday's match marks the third time the Screaming Eagles and the Greyhounds have met this season. Indianapolis rallied from a one-set deficit to win the first meeting in four games two months ago in Indianapolis. The Eagles came back from a one-set deficit last month at the PAC to earn a four-game victory over Indianapolis and even the regular-season series with the Greyhounds.

In the first meeting, the Greyhounds got 19 kills from senior outside hitter Kristina Hefferan and 17 kills from junior outside hitter Kristina Kerrigan as they overcame a late six-point deficit in the second set to upend the Eagles.

USI got 17 kills from freshman outside hitter Lauren DeShaney, but senior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange was held to a .000 attacking percentage as she finished with 11 kills and 11 attacking errors. USI, which had 11 blocks in the contest, was held to a .088 attacking percentage as a team as it dropped its second straight match to fall to 6-4, 4-2 in the GLVC.

Nearly a month later, the Eagles turned the tables on a short-handed Indianapolis squad that was without Hefferan. LaGrange, who went on to earn GLVC Player of the Year honors, racked up 16 kills and eight blocks to lead the Eagles to their seventh straight win in conference play.

As a team, the Eagles hit .247 and had 11 team blocks as they defeated the Greyhounds for the first time since 2005. Kerrigan led the Greyhounds with 20 kills and a .447 attacking percentage.

If the Eagles are victorious in the opening round, they will play the winner of the match between second-seeded Ferris State University and seventh-seeded Saginaw Valley State University Saturday at 4 p.m. USI lost a three-set decision to Ferris State during its opening weekend in Big Rapids, Michigan, and defeated the Cardinals of Saginaw Valley State in four sets at the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover last month in Aurora, Illinois.

The Eagles have faced every team in the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament field this season, posting a combined 4-7 record.

Other first round matches include top-seeded and tournament host Hillsdale College taking on eighth-seeded Missouri University of Science & Technology as well as fourth-seeded Northern Kentucky University taking on fifth-seeded Lewis University.

USI lost to Hillsdale in three sets at the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover and went 0-3 against Northern Kentucky. The Eagles defeated Missouri S&T in Rolla, Missouri, in October and split the regular-season series with Lewis.

This marks the Eagles fourth trip to the NCAA II Tournament and their second in as many years. It's the first time in the program's history that USI has advanced to the NCAA II Tournament in consecutive seasons.

Tickets for this weekend's NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament are $10 per session for adults and $3 for senior citizens and students with a valid identification. Children, ages two and under, are admitted free of charge.

Live stats, video, and tournament game programs can be accessed by clicking on the following link or by visiting gousieagles.com: NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament Central.



USI volleyball making fourth appearance in NCAA Tourney. The USI volleyball team is making its fourth appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament and their second in as many years. USI 2-3 all-time in the NCAA II Tournament, going 1-1 in 2002, 1-1 in 2004, and 0-1 in 2010.

Eagles against the field. USI is 4-7 this season against the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament field and 5-8 against the entire field of 64. The Eagles were 0-1 against Hillsdale and Ferris State, 1-1 against Indianapolis and Lewis, 0-3 against Northern Kentucky, and 1-0 against Saginaw Valley State and Missouri S&T. The Eagles also were 1-0 against Kentucky State, which is the eighth seed in the South Region, and 0-1 against California-Pennsylvania, which is the top seed in the Atlantic Region.

USI's NCAA II Tournament records against field. USI is 2-1 all-time in the NCAA II Tournament against the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament field. The Eagles are 1-0 against Lewis and Ferris State, but 0-1 against Hillsdale.

LaGrange earns GLVC Player of Year honors. Senior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange was named the GLVC Player of the Year in a vote by the league's 16 head coaches. LaGrange is the third USI volleyball player to earn GLVC Player of the Year honors and the first since Shannon Wells in 2002. Sheri Kaiser was named the GLVC Player of the Year in 1992 and 1993.

Player of Week honors. Senior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange was named the AVCA Division II National Player of the Week earlier this season and has twice been named the GLVC Player of the Week. LaGrange is the second USI player in school history to earn AVCA National Player of the Week honors, joining former All-American Laura Ellerbusch (2005).

LaGrange moving up USI record books. Senior middle blocker Danielle LaGrange ranks first all-time at USI in attacking percentage (.327), seventh all-time in block assists (231), and eighth all-time in kills (1,118).

Bradbury closing in on 1,000. Sophomore setter Jorae Bradbury is closing in on her first-ever 1,000-assist season. Bradbury, who needs 24 assists to accomplish the season milestone, needs just 49 assists to move into sixth-place all-time at USI. She is averaging more than 11 assists per set since the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover.

Meyer aces serve. Junior right side hitter Emily Meyer is second in the GLVC with 0.50 service aces per set in 2011. Meyer, who did not record an ace in her first two seasons with the Eagles, has accumulated 50 aces this season.

Heldman on record pace. Sophomore libero Kayla Heldman is on a record pace throughout her first two seasons in a USI uniform. Heldman enters the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament with 758 career digs. If she maintains her current pace, Heldman will break the school's all-time record for career digs (1,490), which is held by Amanda Probst.

Mercer is USI volleyball's all-time winningest coach. Seventh-year Head Coach Leah Mercer became USI's all-time winningest volleyball coach when the Eagles defeated Drury in September. Mercer, who is currently 125-89 (.584) at USI, surpassed her former coach Kelly Boyd, who was 115-109 from 1992-99.