Championship Central |
Tournament Bracket | GLVCSN:
USI,
S&T
EAST PEORIA, Ill. – Third-seeded University of Southern Indiana and fifth-seeded Missouri S&T are advancing to the 2020-21 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Volleyball championship match on Sunday, following their respective wins in Saturday’s semifinal contests.
It is the first time since 2003 a 3-seed and 5-seed will meet for the league crown, while it is the first time since 2005 that a 5-seed has played for the title.
Southern Indiana is in the GLVC championship match for the first time since 2008 and looking for its first trophy since 2004. Meanwhile, S&T is making its first-ever appearance in the final round.
SEMIFINAL RESULTS
#3 Southern Indiana 3, #2 Missouri-St. Louis 0
BOX | RECAPS:
USI |
UMSL
Third seeded and No. 21 Southern Indiana (16-4) advanced to its first GLVC title match since 2008 following a sweep over the second-seeded and No. 7 University of Missouri-St. Louis (16-3) in Saturday’s first semifinal contest. The Screaming Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead, thanks to seven blocks in the second frame. Sidney Hegg registered nine stops herself, including four straight blocks in the middle set. Offensively, Taylor Litteken tallied 10 kills on .600 hitting, while Leah Anderson finished with a team-high 11 putaways. USI limited the UMSL attack a paltry .010 hitting percentage in the final two games; however, GLVC Player of the Year Charlotte Richards managed to record a match-best 14 kills and attack at a .220 clip. With the win, the Screaming Eagles and Tritons split the season series, as UMSL swept USI back on March 6 in Rolla, Mo.
#5 Missouri S&T 3, #1 Lewis 1
BOX | RECAPS:
LU |
S&T
For the first time since November 13, 2014, Missouri S&T knocked off Lewis University on Saturday, snapping a losing streak to the Flyers that lasted six-and-a-half years. The Miners jumped out to a 2-0 advantage, hitting .276 as a team. After the Flyers snuck away with the third frame, S&T bounced back in the fourth, scoring seven of the final nine points to cap the upset victory. All-GLVC First Team selection Payton Gannaway recorded a career-high 25 kills on .333 hitting, while rookie libero Meiko Pearson scooped up a team-high 22 digs. Hannah Merjil dished out 51 helpers in the win, adding eight digs and three kills. For Lewis, Amanda Greening tallied 13 kills to lead the Flyers, while GLVC Libero of the Year Jamie Poppen finished with 24 digs.