EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana volleyball team's post-season hopes were dealt a big blow Friday night as the University of Illinois Springfield upset the Screaming Eagles 18-25, 26-24, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12 in a Great Lakes Valley Conference match at the Physical Activities Center.

USI (20-10, 9-8 GLVC) will need a win over McKendree University Saturday and help in order to qualify for the GLVC Tournament for the 16th consecutive year.

The Eagles held the visiting Prairie Stars to a negative .077 attacking percentage in the opening set as they cruised to the seven-point win.

Illinois Springfield (6-24, 3-14 GLVC), however, jumped out to a 10-3 lead early in the second set to reverse momentum. USI rallied to tie the match at 24-24, but back-to-back Illinois Springfield kills gave the Prairie Stars the two-point win and evened the match at 1-1. Illinois Springfield had 18 kills and hit .302 in the second set to get back into the match.

USI used a .333 attacking percentage and a late 3-0 run to earn the four-point win in the third stanza. Senior right side hitter Erica Oberbroeckling (Westfield, Indiana), senior middle blocker Abbey Winter (Germantown, Illinois) and junior outside hitter/middle blocker Amy Zwissler (Bloomington, Indiana) combined for 13 kills and a .523 attacking percentage in the third frame as USI built a one-set lead.

The Prairie Stars used an early 8-1 run in the fourth set to build a 13-6 lead. USI cut the deficit to two later in the frame; but Illinois Springfield responded with a 6-2 run to dash the Eagles' chances of winning the match in four sets.

Despite getting to eight first in the deciding fifth set and leading 10-7; the Eagles could not close out the victory as Illinois Springfield went on a 6-1 run to build a 13-11 lead. An Illinois Springfield service error brought the Eagles to within a point; but a Prairie Star kill followed by a USI attacking error ensured the upset and put USI in a must-win situation heading into Saturday's regular-season finale.

USI, which saw a nine-match home winning streak come to an end, hit .177 for the match, while the Prairie Stars hit .183. USI struggled at the net as Illinois Springfield had 12 blocks to USI's seven.

Oberbroeckling had 16 kills and 18 digs to lead the Eagles, who slipped to 11-2 at the PAC this year. Winter added 13 kills, four blocks, and a .312 attacking percentage; while Zwissler chipped in 14 kills and a .286 attacking percentage despite switching from outside hitter to middle blocker after the intermission.

Junior setter Quin Shoultz (Columbus, Indiana) paired 52 assists and 15 digs with five kills, a .500 attacking percentage, and three blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Shelbi Morris (Brazil, Indiana) and senior defensive specialist Erin Goldschmidt (Smithton, Illinois) chipped in 16 and 13 digs, respectively.

Senior middle blocker Nikki Madoch had 16 kills, a .467 attacking percentage, and eight blocks to lead the Prairie Stars.

The Eagles turn their attention to a McKendree squad that wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the GLVC East Division with its four-set win over Bellarmine Friday evening. The Bearcats (21-9, 15-2 GLVC) have won six straight matches entering Saturday's tilt with the Eagles.

USI will honor Goldschmidt, Oberbroeckling, and Winter prior to Saturday's Senior Day match, which begins at 3 p.m.

Note: USI needs a win and either a University of Indianapolis (14-16, 10-7 GLVC) loss to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (19-10, 10-7 GLVC) or a Truman State University (17-12, 10-7 GLVC) loss to No. 7 Rockhurst University (29-2, 17-0 GLVC)…both UIndy and Truman State are playing at home Saturday, while Rockhurst is trying to become the first team since Lewis University in 2009 to go undefeated in conference play.