EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Volleyball opens its 2017 home schedule this weekend when it hosts the Dunn Hospitality Invitational Friday and Saturday at the Physical Activities Center.
 
USI (0-4) takes on Midwest Region foes Purdue University Northwest and Cedarville University Friday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. They also play Midwest Region opponent Northwood University Saturday at 2 p.m. before closing the weekend with a rematch against the University of North Alabama Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
The Dunn Hospitality Invitational features five matches each day, with start times at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Live stats will be available for all matches at GoUSIEagles.com, while GLVC Sports Network coverage for USI's matches can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.
 
USI students can enter a raffle to win a $500 Campus Store shopping spree each time they come to a USI Volleyball home match. The drawing is November 7, when the Screaming Eagles host the University of Indianapolis.
 
USI Volleyball Notes
Dunn Hospitality Schedule:
--Friday, September 8
---9 a.m.: Purdue-Northwest vs. Purdue Northwest
---11:30 a.m.: Cedarville vs. North Alabama
---2 p.m.: USI vs. Purdue Northwest
---4:30 p.m.: North Alabama vs. Northwood
---7 p.m.: USI vs. Cedarville
--Saturday, September 9
---9 a.m.: Northwood vs. Cedarville
---11:30 a.m.: North Alabama vs. Purdue Northwest
---2 p.m.: USI vs. Northwood
---4:30 p.m.: Cedarville vs. Purdue Northwest
---7 p.m.: USI vs. North Alabama
 
Regional-heavy: USI plays three Midwest Region teams this weekend, including GLIAC foes Purdue Northwest and Northwood and GMAC opponent Cedarville.
 
Rematch: USI's bout with North Alabama is a rematch of a five-set thriller the Screaming Eagles and Lions had at the UWF Hampton Inn-Vitational this past weekend. The Eagles rallied from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth-frame before the Lions overcame a 10-6 deficit to claim a 16-14 win in the decisive game.
 
This week's opponents: USI's opponents this week posted a combined 7-9 record in the opening weekend of play. Northwood enters the weekend with a 3-1 mark, while North Alabama went 2-2 a week ago. Both Purdue Northwest and Cedarville went 1-3 in the inaugural weekend of the 2017 season.
 
Tough start: USI is off to a 0-4 start to the year, marking its worst open to the season since going 0-7 to begin the 2012 campaign. Each of the four opponents the Eagles faced during their opening weekend advanced to the NCAA II Tournament a year ago and posted a combined record of 112-27.
 
Farrell closing in on Probst in USI record books: Senior libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) is less than 80 digs away from No. 2 on USI's all-time career digs list, a spot currently held by Amanda Probst. Farrell has amassed 1,411 career digs, while Probst had 1,490 digs in her four-year career at USI.
 
Statistical leaders: Farrell leads USI with 3.71 digs per set, while sophomore outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) leads the Eagles with 2.79 kills per frame. Senior middle hitter Te'Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) and sophomore middle hitter Shawntel James (Elkhart, Indiana) are averaging a team-high 0.92 blocks per set.