EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Volleyball bids farewell to three players this weekend as it hosts the University of Illinois Springfield and McKendree University to wrap up Great Lakes Valley Conference play Friday and Saturday, respectively..
Seniors setter
Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) and libero
Haley Limper (Springfield, Illinois) are joined by graduating junior middle hitter
Shawntel James (Elkhart, Indiana) in Senior Day celebration directly preceding Saturday's match with the Bearcats.
Last Time Out
The Screaming Eagles (10-17, 2-14 GLVC) dropped a four-set match against Bellarmine University on Saturday, despite double-digit kills from juniors right side hitter
Elexis Coleman (Joliet, Illinois) and middle blocker
Amanda Jung (Belleville, Illinois).
The Weekend Ahead
v. University of Illinois Springfield (22-6, 13-3 GLVC); Friday, 7 pm:
The Prairie Stars rebounded from back-to-back losses on Tuesday with a five-set win over the University of Missouri-St. Louis. UIS had dropped matches against Lewis University and the University of Indianapolis last weekend, removing the Prairie Stars from the top spot in the GLVC standings.
UIS looks the same as it did when it hosted the Eagles on Oct. 23. The Prairie Stars are in the top four of nearly every statistical category in the GLVC, including first in blocks (2.90/set) and second in hitting percentage (.248).
The Eagles fell in straight sets in the first meeting this season, and are 9-4 all-time against the Prairie Stars. USI has only lost one match against UIS at the Physical Activities Center, a five-setter in November 2015.
Middle blocker Alyssa Hasler is second in NCAA Division II, with 1.47 blocks/set. Hasler adds a 2.25 kills/set rate and a .281 hitting clip on the offensive side.
Fellow middle blocker Alli Splitt is in the top-25 in Division II in hitting percentage at .378. Splitt is also fifth in the GLVC in blocks, adding 1.10/set to Hasler's effort.
Setter Tiffany Wentworth is in the top-25 in D-II in assists per set (11.03), second in the GLVC to UIndy's Alyssa Spears.
v. McKendree University (15-13, 9-7 GLVC); Saturday, 3 pm:
James, Peoples and Limper will be recognized in Senior Day activities prior to Saturday's match with the Bearcats.
McKendree clinched the eighth and final spot into the GLVC championship tournament with a three-set victory over Maryville University on Tuesday, which snapped a three-match losing streak in the process.
USI traveled to Lebanon, Illinois on September 11 and came home with its first four-set loss of the season. Junior outside hitter
Lindsey Stose (Elkhart, Indiana) led the Eagles with nine kills, followed by junior right side hitter
Elexis Coleman (Joliet, Illinois) and sophomore outside hitter
Alyssa Yochum (Columbia, Illinois) with eight each.
The Bearcats visit the PAC for the first time since the 2016 season. USI has lost six straight to McKendree, dating back to a four-set victory, also in November of 2015. The Eagles hold a 13-7 record in the all-time series.
Setter Morgan Melchert averages 10.67 assists/set this season, fourth in the nationally-competitive GLVC race.
McKendree is fourth in the GLVC this season in blocks, due in part to middle blocker Megan Marks, who sits seventh individually.
Middle blocker/right side hitter Hope Gramly leads the Bearcats with 3.29 kills/set, good for tenth in the GLVC. Gramly adds 0.95 blocks/set to supplement Marks in the middle.
The Horizon
USI concludes the 2018 volleyball season with Saturday's match against McKendree.
