MACOMB, Ill.- Western Illinois battled through a five-set thriller on Wednesday night inside Western Hall, pushing one of the OVC's top teams to the limit in a gritty showdown against Southern Indiana. The Leathernecks came out strong, taking two of the first three sets behind balanced offense and an energized defensive effort, but the Screaming Eagles rallied late to edge WIU in a tight 3–2 contest. It was a night marked by long rallies, momentum swings, and standout performances on both sides as WIU closed its home slate with a hard-fought effort.

Set 1 

Western Illinois opened the night with a strong, composed first set, pulling ahead early on steady offense from Keyana Cruse and Kennedy Adair. WIU controlled much of the frame, hitting .261 while holding USI to .208. A late push from the Screaming Eagles tied the set at 25–25, but the Leathernecks closed it out behind a clutch kill from Grace Kremer and a set-winning service ace from Grace Ulatowski.

Set 2 

Set two mirrored the intensity of the opener as the teams traded long rallies and side-outs. WIU again held the early momentum, getting timely kills from Cruse and Hillary Estes, but USI found its rhythm late behind Ashby Willis, who powered the Eagles to a narrow 26–24 win. WIU's defense tallied 27 digs in the frame, highlighted by Grace Ulatowski's coverage.

Set 3 

Western Illinois responded with its most complete set of the match, jumping to a 5–0 start thanks to two service aces from Kremer and consistent attacking from Cruse and Ziegler. WIU hit a match-best .300 in the set and controlled the pace defensively, with Kiyah Franklin contributing a pair of critical blocks. A late kill from Cruse sealed the 25–19 win and a 2–1 match lead.

Set 4

Southern Indiana flipped the momentum in the fourth, surging ahead on a long scoring run anchored by Willis and Bianca Anderson. WIU struggled to find an offensive rhythm, hitting just .043 in the frame despite strong defensive efforts from Karlie Lane and Ulatowski. USI forced a decisive fifth set behind a balanced 15-kill team performance.

Set 5 

The deciding set stayed tight early, with Cruse and Franklin providing key swings to keep WIU within striking distance. But USI capitalized on a late 5–1 run, using efficient hitting and steady serve-receive to pull away. Despite six kills in the set from the Leathernecks, the Eagles secured the match with a 15–9 finish.

The Leathernecks wrapped up their season for 2025 and will come back next year for 2026.

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