University of Southern Indiana Athletics

COLUMBUS, Ohio- University of Southern Indiana fell to Ohio State University on Saturday in a competitive four-set match on the second day of the Sports Imports Classic.
 
The Screaming Eagles drop to 3-6 for the season, adding their sixth road loss. Today's match against the Buckeyes marks the second four-set loss to a Power Four conference opponent after losing to Indiana University on Labor Day.
 
SET 1: USI 25, OSU 22
The Screaming Eagles started confidently in the opening set against the Buckeyes. Sophomore Carley Wright tallied six kills to get the USI offense going, while senior Leah Coleman came off the bench to add three kills. Junior libero Audrey Small covered the back row, picking up four kills and leading the defense to get at least one dig from six other teammates, too. Fifth-year Aspen Jankowski gave the team a spark in her role as a serving sub as she landed two aces.
 
SET 2: OSU 25, USI 17
Small picked up another five digs in the second frame. Wright tallied three more kills, and senior Ashby Willis dialed up her set-one performance with three kills. The Screaming Eagles competed point-for-point with the Buckeyes up until the 15-point media timeout.
 
SET 3: OSU 25, USI 18
Sophomore Aysa Thomas dished out a balanced offense, with 12 assists to get kills to six different teammates. Freshman Aubrey Fair came off the bench for the first time, playing in a road environment in her college career, to record four kills and hit .375 to lead the team. Along with Fair's offensive production, she was one of three Screaming Eagles with four digs, along with Small and Wright.
 
SET 4: OSU 25, USI 20
Willis produced her most kills in the final set, putting up a big fight against the Buckeyes with five kills. Coleman landed three kills and put up a big solo block, giving the Screaming Eagles a momentum shift early in the set. Jankowski set a new season high by doubling her ace count from set one for a total of four for the match.
 
For the game, USI tallied six team blocks, led by Coleman with three solo blocks. Wright led the team with 13 kills, followed by Willis with 12, and Coleman with 11. Small led the court with 17 digs, but every USI player who hit the court tallied at least one dig.
 
The Screaming Eagles will wrap up the road trip at the Sports Imports Classic with a morning match against Winthrop University tomorrow, September 13, at 10 a.m. CT.
 
For updates on the Screaming Eagles throughout the weekend, follow USI Athletics and usivolleyball on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and online at usiscreamingeagles.com.