CHARLESTON, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana (4-8, 0-1 OVC) drops the opening Ohio Valley Conference match of the season to Eastern Illinois University (11-1, 1-0 OVC) on Monday night at Lantz Arena, 3-2 (25-6, 26-24, 25-20, 25-22, 15-10). Junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) captured 1,000 career assists after earning 31 assists in the five-set loss.
A lack of offense from USI led to a dominant opening-set victory for EIU, 25-6. The Eagles kicked off the frame with three straight points after kills from senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) and senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio). USI would earn just one more kill the rest of the set from junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) as the Panthers steamrolled through the game by scoring 25 of the remaining 28 points. The Eagles had just three kills and an ace with a negative .120 hitting percentage in comparison to the Panthers’ 15 kills and four aces with a staggering .667 hitting percentage.
USI avenged its opening-set loss and battled past EIU, 26-24. Bednar kicked off the scoring with a kill before junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) nabbed an ace and a kill to take a 4-2 lead. The Eagles grabbed a larger lead after a 3-0 run that was capped off by another Bednar kill. EIU quickly recovered and went on a 4-0 stint that tied the game at 13 apiece. Junior middle blocker Lauren O’Neill (Covington, Indiana) stopped the stint with a big kill to take a 14-13…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of Southern Indiana Athletics…