Southern Illinois University
Bradley
Volleyball falls to Bradley, 3-1
09/24/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2005
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
PEORIA, Ill. - The Southern Illinois volleyball team posted three hitters in double-figures and out hit Bradley, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Braves, who beat the Salukis 3-1 Saturday night in Robertson Field House.
Bradley (8-6, 4-0) won the first two games, 30-25 and 30-27, before the Salukis (3-8, 1-2) came back to win game three, 30-23. The Braves bounced back in game four to take the Missouri Valley Conference match, 30-27.
"I felt really good about our play," Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler said. "Our defense, which has in the bottom of the conference standings, has improved, matching (Bradley) in digs and block assists tonight. Each match our weaknesses are becoming less apparent. I know it was a loss, but it was very encouraging."
Middle blockers Marissa Washington and Johannah Yutzy led the Salukis with 16 and 13 kills respectively, each adding five blocks. Katy DeWulf added 12 kills and three block assists.
For the second straight night setter Holly Marita led all hitters with a .545 percentage on the night. The junior tallied 7 kills, a season-high 56 assists and 12 digs for the 23rd double-double of her career.
Kristy Elswick and Haley Hann led the defense with 26 and 15 digs each, Hann adding nine kills and three block assists.
SIU's defense was solid, holding the Braves under .100 in games three and four of the match, while tying a season-high 18 block assists and posting three Salukis in double-digit digs. BU's Lindsey Stalzer, the current MVC leader this season averaging 5.44 kills per game, dominated, leading all hitters with 25 kills and 13 digs.
"Stalzer is the best we've seen this season," Winkeler said. "We forced her to make 10 attack errors by making her hit at Elswick, who did a great job of digging her. We really had her frustrated."
The loss drops the Salukis to sixth in the MVC standings tied with Illinois State, while the Braves are tied at the top of the standings with Northern Iowa, who swept the Salukis on Friday.
SIU will take on Western Illinois Sunday at 3 p.m. in Macomb, before coming back to Carbondale to prepare for Valley foes Illinois State and Indiana State Friday and Saturday Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. in Davies Gym.
