AURORA, Ill.---The University of Southern Indiana (13-6) volleyball team rallied for a five-set (27-25, 14-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-11) win over Midwest region opponent Ashland University (5-11) Friday afternoon in the first round of the Mizuno Great Lakes Valley Conference/Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Crossover tournament in Aurora, Illinois.
Four Screaming Eagles tallied double-digit kills, with senior outside hitter
Lauren DeShaney (Appleton, Wisconsin) leading the pack putting down a team-high 17. Junior middle blocker
Abbey Winter (Germantown, Illinois) followed with 16, while junior right side hitter
Erica Oberbroeckling (Westfield, Indiana) and senior outside hitter
Fawn Ryan (Batesville, Indiana) contributed 12 a piece.
Sophomore setter
Quin Shoultz (Columbus, Indiana) kept the pace on the court with a match-high 54 assists, while defensively, freshman libero
Jessica Lee (Mackinaw, Illinois) came up with a match-high 20 digs.
At the net, Winter led with six blocks, while Shoultz and Oberbroeckling combined for five.
Despite trailing Ashland, 10-3, in the opening frame, the Eagles worked their way up to tie the set at 24-24, before eventually taking it all, 27-25.
USI could not keep its momentum going into the following frame; however, as multiple point-runs by Ashalnd aided in its 25-14 set two win over the Screaming Eagles.
Tied at 1-1, USI rallied back in the third frame, capitalizing on Ashland errors as well as a combined 10 kills from Ryan and DeShaney. The Eagles were able to take a 2-1 lead after their 25-20 set three win.
The beginning of the fourth frame was a battle for the lead, as it featured eight ties before Ashland came out on top, leading 20-18, forcing a timeout by USI. Back on the court the Screaming Eagles came out with a 3-1 run, but AU answered right back, grabbing the fourth set, 26-24, sending the match into the deciding final frame.
Both teams continued to fight in the finale frame, but it was a 7-0 run that aided in the Eagles' 15-11 victory and 3-2 match win.
USI faces the GLIAC's 12
th seed Northwood University at 5:30 p.m., before closing out its time at the Crossover Saturday with a 1 p.m. match against 14
th seed Walsh University.
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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