Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball hosts 26th Saluki Invitational
09/08/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2005
www.siusalukis.com
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Home Opener The Salukis are set to open the 2005 season at home when they host the 26th Saluki Invitational Friday and Saturday Sept. 9-10. The Dawgs take on the UMKC Kangaroos Friday at 7 p.m. Saturday SIU faces the Arkansas State Indians at 4 p.m.
This will be the fifth meeting between UMKC and SIU. The two faced a year ago at the Saluki Invitational when the Kangaroos beat the Salukis 3-2. UMKC went on to take the tournament team for the second time in three years (2002, 2004).
SIU and ASU will face for the ninth time, the Indians leading the series 7-2. The last time the two teams hooked up was at the 1996 Saluki Invitational. The Salukis swept the Indians before ASU went on to win the team title.
Alcorn State, previously scheduled to play in the four-team tournament dropped out, making the tournament a two-day, three team tournament, each team playing two matches.
The Kangaroos The Kangaroos fell in three games to No. 14 Missouri on Tuesday night in Columbia. The Tigers topped UMKC by the scores of 30-13, 30-11 and 30-13. Junior Vanessa Portela led the team in kills for the third straight match with seven. Sophomore Mandy Tipton was tops in digs (7), while senior Kristy Waltemeyer had a team-high 17 assists.
The Indians Arkansas State won their first match of the season Wednesday against Tennessee Martin. The Indians beat the Skyhawks 3-2 to win their 16th straight home match at the Convocation Center. Robin Aaron led ASU with 20 kills, while Phillipa Soulsby recorded a double-double on the night with 19 kills, 11 digs. Katie Peil recorded 61 assists.
Salukis On The Radio For the first time at Southern Illinois, volleyball games will be broadcast live from Davies Gym. All 11 of SIU's home games will be streamed on WIDB, SIU's only student-run radio station. Games can be heard on WIDB.net, www.siusalukis.com and via university cable channel 5 in the SIU dorms. Volleyball coverage on WIDB.net will include pre and post-game interviews with Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler and a weekly spot on WIDB The Revolution's Wednesday evening and Saturday morning sports shows. QuickTime Player is required to listen for all webcasts.
On The World Wide Web Media, student-athletes and fans can access the most up-to-date information pertaining to Saluki Volleyball by visiting www.siusalukis.com. Features of the site include player and coach profiles, statistics, schedules, rosters, live stats and press releases.
Salukis Look Ahead The Salukis return five starters from last year's young team that went 9-21 overall and 6-12 in league play. SIU lost just two seniors, including libero Erica Miller and middle blocker Carrie Shephard. The Salukis return 85 percent of their offense in 2005, including team-leaders in kills (Haley Hann, 318), kills per game (Jene' Pulliam, 2.83), hitting percentage (Marissa Washington, .304), assists (Holly Marita, 1,231) and service aces (Holly Marita, 26).
Sophomores Yesterday, Juniors Today Last year's young group of sophomores has quickly turned into this season's batch of experienced returnees as all six juniors on this season's squad logged quality playing time in 2004. Led by outside hitter Jene' Pulliam (2.83 kpg, 2.55 dpg), rightside hitter Haley Hann (2.81 kpg, 1.04 dpg) and setter Holly Marita (10.89 apg, 2.29 dpg), this year's crop of juniors is looking to improve on their seventh-place finish in the Valley in 2004.
Picked Eighth in Preseason Valley Coaches Poll The Southern Illinois volleyball team was picked eighth in the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches poll. The Salukis had 28 points, six behind Evansville (36), who tied with SIU for seventh-place in the Valley in 2004. Defending regular season and tournament champion Wichita State was picked to repeat with 94 points and seven first-place votes. The Shockers are also receiving votes in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 poll.
Valley Rankings The Salukis rank in the top two in the Valley as a team in two categories after the first weekend of play. SIU is first in service aces averaging 2.00 per game. Southern is ranked second in hitting percentage with .286, while Creighton ranks first with .322.
Winkeler Takes Over At SIU After five years as the head volleyball coach at Eastern Illinois, Brenda Winkeler took over as head coach for the Salukis in July. Winkeler became the sixth head coach in the 43-year history of Saluki volleyball. At Eastern, Winkeler posted an 82-72 record, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and share of the Ohio Valley Conference title in 2004. Winkeler takes over for 14-year head coach Sonya Locke, who resigned in the spring.
Winkeler No Stranger to Winning Before taking over the reigns at Eastern, Winkeler spent 11 years at Parkland Community College, winning three conference championships, and the 1999 NJCAA National Championship, her final season. Winkeler's junior college record was 428-164-9, making her a lock for the Division I level.
Washington in the Books The Salukis' lone senior, Marissa Washington led her team in hitting percentage in 2003 and 2004. Her .281 career hitting percentage is fifth all-time at SIU. Her .304 hitting percentage in 2004 ranks ninth in the Saluki record books.
Attack Percentage
1. Sonya Locke 1979-82 .320
2. Lindsey Schultz 1999-02 .311
3. Britten Follett 1999-02 .295
4. Laura Pier 1995-98 .290
5. Marissa Washington 2002-pr. .281
Marita Set-tles into the Books In 2004, junior Holly Marita recorded 1,231 assists, the seventh-best single-season assist tally in school history. Her career total of 2,279 ranks her fifth all-time at SIU.
Assists
1. Debbie Barr 1996-99 5057
2. Lisa Cummins 1982-85 3249
3. Kim Golebiewski 1992-95 2796
4. Martha Firnhaber 1989-91 2433
5. Holly Marita 2003-pr. 2279
New Faces on the Court The Salukis add two new faces to the 2005 squad, including sophomore transfer Joanna Szeszycki and freshman Kristy Elswick. Freshman Kristie Berwanger will see playing time this fall after redshirting in 2004. Szeszycki and Elswick will beef up the Saluki defense and Berwanger will play rightside and middle for the Dawgs.
Yutzy Ranked Fifth in the Nation After the first weekend of play, middle blocker Johannah Yutzy is hitting .550 (28 kills, 6 errors, 40 attacks) on the season. She ranks first in the MVC and fifth in the nation. The junior is also ranked 10th in the Valley in kills per game (3.11) and second on the team in kills (28). Yutzy hit a career-high .643 (10 kills, 1 error, 14 attacks) in the win against Liberty at the San Diego State Invite Sept. 3.
DeWulf Named to San Diego State Invite All-Tournament Team Sophomore Katy DeWulf, moved from middle blocker to outside hitter this fall. The transition has been graceful for the 6-1 sophomore, who battled injury as a freshman. DeWulf is leading the team with 31 kills, averaging 3.44 kills per game after being named to the San Diego State Invitational All-Tournament Team Sept. 2-3. She led the team in kills two of the three games. DeWulf is hitting third on the team, hitting .324, adding three digs and three block assists in three matches.
Quick Elswick Freshman libero Kristy Elswick, the first scholarship libero at SIU, will make a direct impact on the Saluki defense with her adaptability and quickness. An AAU All-American in high school, she is a welcomed presence that will directly help Saluki ball control. Elswick currently leads the Salukis with 27 digs and four service aces.
Marita and Saverine Seeing Double Junior outside hitter Ashley Saverine currently leads the team with nine career double-doubles (kills, digs), recording her last double-double in 2004 against UMKC (16 kills, 11 digs). Marita leads the team with 21 double-doubles (assists, digs). Marita picked up a triple double in 2003 against Iowa (10 kills, 51 assists, 12 digs).
Marita 21
Last vs. Ind. State (38 assists, 20 digs)
Saverine 9
Last vs. UMKC (16 kills, 11 digs)
Pulliam 8
Last at Evansville (18 kills, 10 digs)
Washington 5
Last at Bradley (10 kills, 12 digs)
Haley Hann 2
Last at SEMO (14 kills, 15 digs)
Monica Laird 2
Last vs. Georgetown (22 assists, 12 digs)
Jaime Hinsenkamp 1
Last vs. Long Island (10 kills, 10 digs)
