Southern Illinois University
IUPUI
Volleyball takes season-opener over IUPUI, 3-1
08/25/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 25, 2006
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
DAYTON, Ohio - During preseason practices, Southern Illinois volleyball coach Brenda Winkeler couldn't say enough about incoming crop of freshmen and transfers. Now, after one match and a 1-0 start for the 2006 Salukis, onlookers will know why.
Freshman Chandra Roberson led all hitters with 16 kills in her first collegiate match to push the Salukis past IUPUI, 3-1, Friday afternoon at the Frericks Center.
"I think the best thing about the match was to see the younger players in their first collegiate match get jitters out," Winkeler said. "Chandra was great, leading the team in kills."
Senior Johannah Yutzy added 15 kills, hitting .440 with one solo and six block assists, while sophomore Kristie Berwanger recorded the first double-double of her career with 13 kills and 10 digs, adding one solo and three block assists.
University of Oregon transfer Erika Bartruff recorded 51 assists, seven digs in her Saluki debut.
"Bartruff set well for us and added five block assists," Winkeler added. "We really stressed blocking in the preseason and I was really impressed with our 26 block assists and 15 total team blocks."
The 26 block assists in the match ranks eighth all-time at SIU.
Defensively, IUPUI kept themselves in the match, out-digging the Salukis 56-49.
"IUPUI was very scrappy," Winkeler said. "They were quick and we started to make mistakes. The receiving errors we will get out once the players get used to serve receive rotations and standing next to new people. We also made serving mistakes and lost our patience in game three."
The Jaguars hit just .028 in the match, while Southern hit .274, recording nine serve receive errors and 18 service errors.
SIU returns to action at 10 a.m. CT Saturday to take on tournament host Dayton. At 4 p.m., the Salukis will face Youngstown State.
