DEKALB, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (0-10, 0-0 OVC) saw many opportunities but could not capitalize as the University of Rhode Island (4-7) defeated the Screaming Eagles, 3-2 (14-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-15, 11-15). USI battled back from a 2-1 deficit before the Rams took the final frame and sealed the Eagles' fate.
 
The opening frame ended with a 25-14 loss for USI. Rhode Island started the set with a 5-0 run before a Rams' service error and a kill by sophomore middle blocker Lauren O'Neill (Covington, Indiana) made it 6-2. Rhode Island would later go on another 5-0 surge that resulted in a 14-6 Rams lead as USI watched Rhode Island score 11 of the next 19 points to secure a one-set advantage. The Eagles ended the set with 11 kills and four errors while the Rams had 15 kills and just one error, leading to a .583 attacking percentage. Junior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) led the team with three kills and three digs.
 
USI looked sharp in the second set, defeating Rhode Island, 25-17. Despite the Rams kicking off the frame with a 7-3 gap, the Eagles were able to go on an impressive 9-0 run to take their first lead of the match, 12-7. Leading the surge was sophomore outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) who tallied four kills while sophomore setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) recorded five assists, one kill, and a service ace. With a 23-17 lead, USI nabbed its first set win thanks to back-to-back kills from O'Neill.
 
The Rams, however, made up for their second set woes and kicked off the third frame with an 8-0 surge that ended in a 25-16 Rhode Island victory. A kill from Weber stopped the run but did not keep the Rams from extending their lead to 13-4. The Eagles were able to capture a 4-0 trip with the help of three attack errors from Rhode Island and a kill from sophomore outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) to cut the Rams' lead to 13-7. Rhode Island stormed back, scoring nine of the next 12 points to take a 22-10 advantage. USI returned the favor with a couple of kills from Weber and an ace from freshman setter Jordan Troutman (Henderson, Kentucky) to cut the deficit to 22-13. After the Eagles took advantage of three straight Rams' errors, Rhode Island sealed USI's fate with a kill to take a 2-1 set lead.
 
The Eagles came back and tied the match at two apiece after winning set four, 25-15. USI held a small lead at the beginning of the frame until a pair of 5-0 runs lifted the Eagles to an 18-12 lead then a 23-13 advantage. Anderson ended the set with a couple of kills to nab a fourth frame victory and send the match into a fifth set for the first time since August 26 versus Murray State. Bednar led USI in the set with five kills and an ace.
 
USI loses a heartbreaker in the final set, 15-11. The Eagles and Rams were tied at six apiece before Rhode Island went on a 5-0 trip, leading to an 11-6 Rams lead. A Sobieralski kill stopped the run before a kill from Weber and an ace by Troutman put the Eagles within three. USI could not stop Rhode Island from nabbing three more points to win its fourth match of the season. The Eagles were even with seven kills and seven attacking errors that proved to be costly.
 
Three Eagles tallied double-digit kills while three nabbed double-digit digs. Weber led the group with a match-high 15 kills while Anderson struck down 13 and Bednar tallied 11. Freshman libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) recorded a team-high 25 digs with Anderson securing 12 digs and Sobieralski capturing 11. O'Neill and Bednar each received five blocks while Sobieralski had a team-high 36 assists. Seven Eagles recorded aces in the match, which marks the most this season. Anderson was the lone Eagles to capture a double-double and is now just three kills shy of reaching the 1,000-kills plateau.
 
As a team, USI had 54 kills, a season-high 53 assists, and a season-high 12 service aces along with 66 digs and eight blocks (one solo and 14 assists). The Eagles' offense finished with a .194 hitting percentage that included the 24 attacking errors off 155 total attacks. Rhode Island finished the contest with 60 kills, 56 assists, and six aces along with 70 digs and nine blocks (one solo and 16 assists).
 
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles finish the NIU Tri-Match with a battle against Northern Illinois University tomorrow at 11 a.m. This will be the final non-conference match for USI in 2022.