EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana (5-8) edged the Trojans of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (3-9) at home on Friday night at Screaming Eagles Arena 3-1 (25-16, 25-19, 25-23, 25-22). This match improves the Screaming Eagles conference record to 1-1.
 
USI struggled to defend the high-powered offense of Little Rock, dropping the first set 25-16. The Trojans jumped out to a monstrous start, winning 11 of the first 12 points. The Eagles would not go down easily, making a 3-0 run cutting the deficit to 11-4. However, the early deficit was too much to come back from as USI watched Little Rock take the first set. The Trojans dominated with a 0.333 attacking percentage along with 13 kills.
 
The Eagles bounced back with a relentless attack, capturing the second set 25-19. Both teams traded punches to start the set until USI went on a 4-0 surge to gain a 11-8 lead. Junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) highlighted the run with two consecutive assists and an ace. Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) added two consecutive aces to build a 22-15 lead. Costly attack errors from the Trojans capped off the match giving the Eagles a 2-1 advantage. USI tallied a match high 0.324 attack percentage.
 
A string of clutch points down the stretch helped the Eagles win the third set, 25-23. Senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) tallied consecutive kills to build a 11-6 advantage.  However, the Trojans roared back with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to one. USI found themselves down four before they made a 6-0 run of their own centered around three emphatic kills from junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Illinois), Sobieralski, and  Anderson to build a 23-22 lead.  Anderson capped off the match with kill to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. The USI defense forced Little Rock to a match low eight kills.
 
A huge comeback late in the set lifted the Eagles to a match clinching win, 25-22. Little Rock was up 21-16 before USI erupted on a 8-0 run to take a late 23-21 lead. Sobieralski collected four assists on the comeback run. Downing put the Trojans to bed with a game clinching kill. The Eagles finished with a match high 16 kills.
 
Anderson had another double-double with a season-high 19 kills and 11 digs. Sobieralski added 36 assists. Junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) and Moore added double digit digs, earning 15 and 12.
 
As a team the Eagles had 54 kills, 45 assists, and 7 aces with 56 digs. The Trojans tallied 44 kills, 39 assists, and 5 aces with 58 digs.
 
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles stay in town Saturday for a rematch with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock at Screaming Eagles Arena. USI will take on the Trojans at 2 p.m.