EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Volleyball earns two Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honors after finishing the week 2-2. Senior Ashby Willis earns her first Defensive Player of the Week honor, and sophomore Aysa Thomas is named Co-Setter of the Week.
 
Willis and Thomas earn their second Player of the Week honors together this season, after leading the Screaming Eagles to wins over Youngstown State University (3-1) and Winthrop University (3-2) at the Sports Imports Classic hosted by Ohio State University.
 
USI's two losses this week come from Big Ten Conference opponents. The first loss (3-1) was on Monday, September 7 against No. 21 Indiana University, where the Screaming Eagles won the first set against a ranked Division I opponent in program history. The match also drew a record-breaking crowd of 2,125 fans, setting a new program record and marking the highest OVC attendance in the past decade. The second loss was to Ohio State on the second day at the Sports Imports Classic, where the team won the opening set but fell 3-1 in a competitive match.
 
Willis had a balanced all-around performance through the week, tallying 65 digs for 3.82 per set alongside her 55 kills. The senior had a season-high 22 digs in the win over Youngstown State, and with her 17 kills, she marked one of three double-doubles for the week. Against top-ranked Indiana, Willis covered the back row, picking up 18 digs to lead the team.
 
The outside hitter ranks second in the OVC for total digs, behind USI's junior libero Audrey Small, and she is third for her 3.44 digs per set average. Willis' efforts in the back row help put USI firmly in first place in the league for team total digs and per-set totals as well.
 
Co-Setter of the Week, Thomas tallies her second POTW honor this season and tenth of her career, as she shares this week's title with Lindenwood University's Kaci Johnson.
 
The sophomore dished out 154 assists in USI's four games this week for 9.06 per set. She also tallied 37 digs, 12 kills, and 12 blocks. For her best game of the week, Thomas recorded a season-high 49 assists, met her season-high of five kills, and met her career-high with seven blocks in the five-set win over Winthrop.
 
The Screaming Eagles are back at home this week as they prep for the second annual Battle for the Lloyd match against crosstown rival University of Evansville on Friday, September 18, at 6:30 inside Liberty Arena. USI will then travel to UE's campus on Saturday at 3 p.m. to complete the series.
 
For game updates on this week's rivalry games, fans can follow USI Athletics and usivolleyball on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and online at usiscreamingeagles.com.