EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Volleyball looks to make a push to get into the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament as it gets set for the final week of the 2017 regular season.
The Screaming Eagles (12-16, 5-10 GLVC) open the week Tuesday at 7 p.m. by hosting the University of Indianapolis at the Physical Activities Center before traveling north to play No. 4 Lewis University Friday at 7 p.m. in Romeoville, Illinois, and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Saturday at 3 p.m. in Somers, Wisconsin.
Tuesday's match against UIndy will feature the $500 Campus Store Give-a-way between the second and third sets. USI students can enter the raffle one more time prior to the drawing, but must be in attendance at the time of the drawing to win the prize.
Live stats and GLVC Sports Network coverage for all three matches is available at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Volleyball Notes
Eagles settle for split last week. USI rallied from a one-set deficit to defeat Quincy University in four sets Friday night. The Eagles, however, could not hang on to a pair of one-set leads in a five-set loss to the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Senior Day Saturday afternoon.
Last week's leaders. Freshman setter
Casey Cepicky (St. Louis, Missouri) had 11.00 assists and 2.33 digs per frame to set up the Eagles' hitters, while senior middle hitter
Te'Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) had 2.64 kills, a .354 attacking percentage and 1.33 blocks per set to lead USI offensively. Sophomore outside hitter
Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) chipped in 3.33 kills per set, while senior libero
Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) had 4.22 digs per set to lead the Eagles' back row.
Where USI stands. The Eagles are currently a game-and-a-half out of the eighth and final spot for the GLVC Tournament heading into the final week of the season—Indianapolis and Drury University are the teams in front of USI. The Eagles can qualify for the GLVC Tournament with three wins and a Drury loss. USI also can go 2-1 and qualify for the GLVC Tournament if Indianapolis and Drury each lose twice.
GLVC statistical watch. USI has three players ranked in the top 10 of the GLVC to begin the week. Whitfield ranks sixth in the GLVC with a team-high 1.08 blocks per set, while Cepicky and Humphrey are respectively seventh in assists per set (9.30) and kills per set (3.27).
Record watch. Senior libero
Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) ranks second all-time at USI with 1,832 career digs. Farrell is chasing former USI standout libero Kayla Heldman, who amassed a school-record 1,848 career digs from 2010-13.
Senior middle blocker
Te'Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) also ranks eighth all-time at USI with 248 career block assists and is tied for ninth all-time at USI with 285 career blocks.
USI versus Indianapolis. The Eagles are looking for the season sweep of the Greyhounds after posting a four-set victory over UIndy last month in Indianapolis. The Greyhounds, who visit Lewis to finish the year, have lost seven straight matches and enter the PAC with a 12-17 overall record and a 7-9 mark in GLVC play.
USI versus Lewis. USI suffered a three-set defeat at the hands of the Flyers at the PAC in September. Lewis, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation at one point this year, begins the week with a 25-2 overall record and a 14-1 mark in GLVC play.
USI versus UW-Parkside. The Eagles saw a two-set lead slip away in a five-set loss to the Rangers in September. UW-Parkside, which is not eligible for post-season play, has lost three straight and opens the week with a 12-16 overall record as well as a 7-9 mark in GLVC play.
A look ahead. If the Eagles are able to keep their season alive, USI will travel to East Peoria, Illinois, and the EastSide Centre to compete in the GLVC Tournament November 17-19.
