Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

WIU Volleyball
3
Winner Southern Ind. USI 10-12,6-5 OVC
1
Western Ill. WIU 6-14,5-4 OVC
Winner
Southern Ind. USI
10-12,6-5 OVC
3
Final
1
Western Ill. WIU
6-14,5-4 OVC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Southern Ind. USI 28 25 21 25 (3)
Western Ill. WIU 26 22 25 21 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Fall to Screaming Eagles

MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois fell for the first time in the opening game of a weekend series in OVC play on Friday (10/20/23) night to Southern Indiana. In a closely contested match, the Screaming Eagles outlasted the Leathernecks, winning in four sets inside Western Hall.

SET 1
Brittany Wulf put WIU on the scoreboard in the first set as she ended an opening 4-0 run by USI. Wulf would have another kill before Keyana Cruse put Western Illinois within two 6-4. WIU would trail most of the first set as Southern Indiana stretched their lead to five multiple times. The Leathernecks battled back late as three service aces from Wulf and another kill from Cruse saw WIU tie the set at 21. WIU saw their first set lead at 24-23 after an attack error from the Screaming Eagles. USI did not stay behind for long as they rattled off two quick points, jumping back in front 25-24. Cruse would have another kill as she tied the set at 25. Southern Indiana would fight off a set point with three straight points to take set one 28-26

SET 2
Set two was dead-locked for the first half of the set. Both teams could not pull farther ahead than two points as the score was tied 14-14 at the midway point. Southern Indiana found separation in the later half as a 4-0 run put them ahead by four, 18-14. WIU would claw back. Kills by Julianna Schmidt and Cruse saw WIU cut the deficit to two, 22-20, forcing a USI timeout. The Leathernecks cut the gap to one out of the break, but USI fought off a Leatherneck side for a 25-22 set two victory.

SET 3
A lot like set two, the third set started even. Having ties at almost every point, the score would sit at 9-9. With the score tied, Wulf sparked a 4-0 run with a kill that saw help from Grace Kremer as she contributed two service aces. After USI ended the run with two kills, cutting the Leatherneck lead to two 13-11, Wulf responded with two more kills of her own to stretch it back out to four 15-11. WIU slowly kept their lead at four as they held a 17-13 advantage after a Schmidt kill. USI responded with a 5-0 run, jumping ahead 18-17 late in the third set. Grace Nichols tied the set at 19 with a kill, and a service ace by Cruse saw WIU back in front 20-19. Back-to-back service aces by Kaitlyn Wickersheim ended the set as WIU took set three 25-21.

SET 4
Locked up through the first ten points, USI used a 3-0 run to pull in front 13-10 in the middle of set four. Schmidt would keep WIU in the match with a kill, bringing the Leathernecks with two at 14-12. USI would find the separation late as another 3-0 run forced WIU to use both timeouts with the score of 21-16. Wulf would find the floor with another kill out of the second timeout. Cruse and Schmidt would both have a couple more kills in the fourth set before WIU would fall in the set 25-21

Western Illinois had three players with double-digit kills. Keyana Cruse led the way with 19 as Brittany Wulf (16) and Julianna Schmidt (10) were right behind her. Cruse completed the double-double with 15 digs. Karli Wenzel led the way with 24 digs as she moved into sole possession of 9th place in Western Illinois history in Career digs. Maggie Cracker had 38 assists in the match. WIU out-blocked the Screaming Eagles 11.5 to 8.

WIU and USI match up one final time tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. inside Western Hall.
Print Friendly Version