EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (1-18, 1-7 OVC) dropped a hard-fought match to Southeast Missouri State University (10-10, 5-3), falling 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) at Screaming Eagles Arena Friday night. The Screaming Eagles' offense recorded 42 kills marking the eighth time this season that USI has earned 40 kills or more in a match.
 
The Eagles fell by a slight margin in the opening set, 25-21. USI kicked off the frame with a 3-1 lead after a service ace from sophomore defensive specialist/outside hitter Anna Ballengee (Montgomery, Indiana). The Redhawks returned the favor with a quick 4-0 stint that gave SEMO the lead before Junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) stopped the run with a kill. The Redhawks added more insurance with three-straight points to extend their lead to 8-4. Down 15-10, the Eagles would turn on the jets and put up six straight points to regain the lead. It was neck-and-neck until SEMO scored four straight to make it 21-19. Sophomore middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) and sophomore outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Indiana) tried to keep the Eagles in the game with a couple of kills, but the Redhawks nabbed the final two points to open the match with a win. Both teams found success offensively as USI earned 15 kills and a .229 hitting percentage while SEMO tallied 18 kills and a .390 hitting percentage.
 
A late second-set push from the Redhawks leads to a 25-18 victory. SEMO started the frame with a 6-3 advantage before USI tacked on six straight points to make it 9-6 in favor of the Eagles. Capping off the run was junior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) who tallied an ace to extend the lead. The Redhawks scored four of the next five points to tie it at 10 apiece before USI's 4-0 surge lifted the Eagles to a larger 14-10 lead. Seven of the next eight points were earned by SEMO to regain a two-point lead. The Eagles were able to tie the set after a pair of kills from Anderson and sophomore setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana). Tied at 17, the Redhawks nabbed six straight points to surge themselves to victory. USI had its most errors of the match in the second set with eight.
 
Despite a late comeback, USI dropped the final frame, 25-22. SEMO held a commanding 7-3 lead early in the set before the Eagles slowly inched themselves within two to make it 11-9. The Redhawks nabbed three straight points to make it a five-point set before adding more points to the board to make it 18-13. USI earned five of the next six points to pull within one before SEMO threw down five of the next six points that results in a 24-19 Redhawks lead. The Eagles were able to capture back-to-back kills from Bednar and a SEMO attack error to cut the deficit to two. The Redhawks scored the final point off a bazaar sequence of events that favored SEMO.
 
Bednar provided the most insurance for the Eagles, recording 10 kills and 13 digs to earn her second double-double of the season. Anderson tallied seven kills with a match-high three aces while Downing nabbed seven kills and four blocks. Sobieralski led the passing game with 26 assists as Weber finished with a team-high 15 digs.
 
As a team, the Eagles had 42 kills, 33 assists, and four aces along with four blocks and 54 digs. The Redhawks totaled 49 kills, 42 assists, and two aces along with two blocks and 55 digs.
 
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles continue their battle against SEMO Saturday at 2 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena.