The University of Southern Indiana hosted the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans volleyball team for a conference matchup Friday, Oct. 17 at Liberty Arena. The Screaming Eagles entered the match with a solid start to conference play, holding a record of 3-3, having won their last three out of four games against Eastern Illinois University and Southeast Missouri State University. This matchup against the Trojans appeared as a significant test for the university’s volleyball team, as the Trojans entered the match unbeaten in Conference play.
The first set opened with a bit of adversity for the Eagles, as Little Rock scored three out of the first four points.
However, the Screaming Eagles made an early run, following a kill by Ashby Willis, junior outside hitter.
With the score sitting at 4-2 in favor of Little Rock. Bianca Anderson, senior middle blocker scored another kill, bringing possession back to USI.
Eagle’s Head coach, Jeffrey Aucoin made an early substitute bringing in Keira Moore, senior libero/defensive specialist.
Moore immediately made an impact, scoring three straight points through serving, which gave the Screaming Eagles a 6-4 advantage and a bit of momentum.
In fact, the Screaming Eagles scored eight of the next ten points, to grow the lead to 14-7. However, the momentum would shift, as the Trojans scored five straight to cut the deficit to just two points. This was the crucial point of the set, as blowing a lead in this early stage of a match could be potentially devastating for confidence. With that, the Screaming Eagles came up clutch, led by two crucial kills from McKenzie Murphy, junior middle blocker. The Screaming Eagles would score three in a row and then the next three out of five, growing the lead back up to a 20-14 advantage.
Despite a late Trojans’ resurgence in the first set, the USIstayed the course, as Ashby Willis made some crucial plays down the stretch, leading the team to taking the first set, 25-20.
The second set was a much more definitive performance from USI, as the Screaming Eagles captured 13 of the first 16 points. Willis continued to be a difference maker, as nine of those points were scored while she was serving.
The energy of Little Rock was completely drained, as the Screaming Eagles continued the rampage. It was a team wide rampage, as multiple Eagles were crucial for this run of success. Leah Coleman, junior outside hitter, Carley Wright, freshman right side hitter and Aysa Thomas, freshman setter all had a hand in the scoring. USI grabbed a 16-7 lead. The Screaming Eagles scored the final eight points of the set, taking the set 25-7. Fehr Kerigan, sophomore libero/defensive specialist, played a crucial role in serving for the Screaming Eagles on the last eight.
To open the third set, the Screaming Eagles appeared to have cooled off, as Little Rock scored the first seven points, which was put to an end by Murphy, stopping Little Rock’s momentum. However, the Trojans fought hard, growing the lead to a 10-3 advantage. Despite the deficit, the Screaming Eagles didn’t disappear, as Leah Coleman helped the team cut into the deficit with three kills. With the score at 12-8 in favor of Little Rock, Aysa Thomas made a crucial block, which brought Bianca Anderson up to serve. Anderson got three consecutive points, bringing the Screaming Eagles within striking distance.
The next eight points were split evenly, as the set reached a stalemate, with the score tied 16-16. Ultimately, the next four points were crucial and proved to be the difference, as Little Rock captured four in a row and gave the Trojans a bit of breathing room. The Screaming Eagles fought back in the late stage of the set, but Little Rock proved to want this set more, as they closed out the Eagles by a score of 25-20, in a must win set.
The fourth set opened up as a back and forth affair, as the Eagles and Trojans traded points. Anderson, Coleman and Willis were involved early in this set, and would have to be, if the Eagles wanted to close out Little Rock in this set. And to their credit, they did exactly that, as the trio were responsible for five of the Screaming Eagles first six points. This inspired their teammates Wright and Fehr to step up, scoring the next three to tie the game up at nine all.
However, Little Rock wasn’t deterred as they continued to fight, scoring four of the next six. The Trojans eventually took a lead at 17-16, but it was short lived as Wright scored a kill. Fehr entered into the server spot and came up clutch, scoring four in a row, to give the Eagles a 21-17 advantage. The Trojans climbed back into the set, scoring six of the next seven points, eventually taking the lead back 23-22.
The Screaming Eagles entered the Danger Zone, where the game could truly go either way. Losing this set would be devastating for the university, as Little Rock would have momentum going into a do or die set five. Fortunately, Anderson made a clutch play, tying up the set. Moore entered the spot, a la Mariano Rivera for the New York Yankees and closed out Little Rock with two crucial serves, sealing the set 25-23, and capturing a victory for the Eagles, 25-23.
