EVANSVILLE, IND.- After taking a 2-1 lead over the Screaming Eagles of Southern Indiana, the Miners offense went cold and ended up dropping the match in five (18-25, 25-15, 25-21, 22-25, 6-15).

S&T struggled in the opening set, hitting just 0.073 and putting down 12 kills.

It was a different story in the second set; while the Miners held the Screaming Eagles to just 15 points, S&T hit .357 and committed just two errors. While on a 4-point run, that was topped off with a service ace from Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood), the Miners took an early 12-6 lead.

It wouldn't be until late in the set when S&T pulled away from USI with back-to-back kills from Calla Meyer (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas) and Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) to take a 23-13 lead. Gannaway would tie the match at 1-1 with two more kills and secure S&T's 25-15 set two win.

Southern Indiana made it tougher for the Miners to run away with the match; unlike the second set, S&T couldn't shake USI off.

Up 16-15 late in the third, Missouri S&T would get their big break. Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) laid down one of her match high 25 kills to start the rally. From there, Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) got a service ace, Schlader put down another kill, and a triple block from Schlader, McGinnis, and Meyer gave the Miners a 20-15 lead. That lead was enough to give S&T the push they needed to secure the 25-21 set three win.

Both teams traded points in the fourth set.

Looking at a 20-18 lead late in the set, the Miners would get outscored 7-2 with three of Southern Indiana's points coming off S&T errors. The Screaming Eagles 25-22 set four win would tie the match at 2-2 and force a fifth and final set.

It was all USI in the final set; after eight Miner errors, the Screaming Eagles were able to take the 15-6 set win and the 3-2 match win.

Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) led all players with 25 kills and 16 digs for her 17^th double-double of the season while Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) added in 15 kills of her own. Calla Meyer (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas) continued her defensive streak with six blocks while Corinne Stucle had a match-high 28 digs. Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood) picked up another double-double with a career high 53 assists and 13 digs.