AURORA, Ill. – The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team (14-6) swept (25-22, 25-13, 25-15) Midwest region opponent Northwood University (6-11) Friday evening in the third session of the Mizuno Great Lakes Valley Conference/Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Crossover tournament in Aurora, Illinois.
 
Early on in the first set, the Timberwolves took control of the match, jumping out to an 8-3 advantage. The Eagles finally found their footing, taking their first lead at 15-14, in the midst of what would be a seven-point run for USI. Northwood mounted a comeback late in the first set, tieing the Eagles 22-22. USI responded with a set-ending three-point run fueled by a pair of Northwood errors.
 
Shaking off a slow start in the first set, the Eagles cruised to a 25-13 second set triumph behind three kills and a block assist from Junior middle blocker Abbey Winter (Germantown, Illinois). USI completed the sweep with a 25-15 third set win that featured five kills by Senior outside hitter Fawn Ryan (Batesville, Indiana).
 
Ryan led the Eagles on the evening with 11 kills and a .381 hitting percentage, while Winter hit .333 with nine kills and six total blocks. Senior outside hitter Lauren Deshaney (Appleton, Wisconsin) and junior right side hitter Erica Oberbroeckling (Westfield, Indiana) each recorded five kills and hit over .200 to power USI to victory.
 
After recording 15 service errors and 32 attacking errors in the afternoon contest against Ashland University, the Eagles cleaned up their attack, tallying only two service errors and 11 attacking errors against Northwood.
 
Defensively, the Eagles stymied the Timberwolves' attack, racking up 16 total blocks and forcing Northwood into 16 attacking errors.  
 
USI will wrap-up Crossover play tomorrow with a 1 p.m. contest against 14^th-seeded Walsh University in Aurora, Illinois.
 
The Eagles are on the road Tuesday, October 14, traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, to face off against Trevecca Nazarene University, before heading back to the Physical Activities Center for its final regular-season homestand against GLVC West Division opponents Quincy University and Truman State University.

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