Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball to host Indiana State and Illinois State this weekend
09/20/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2006
www.siusalukis.com
Last Week
SIU played its fourth straight game at home, sweeping SEMO for the first time since 1991, on Tues. Sept. 12.
The Salukis opened Missouri Valley Conference play Friday at Drake where they pulled off a three-game sweep of the Bulldogs, 32-30, 30-22, 30-24. Saturday SIU suffered its first lost of the conference season falling 3-1 at Creighton. The Bluejays beat the Salukis, 30-24, 30-22, 26-30, 30-18.
This Week
SIU returns home to face Indiana State Friday at Davies Gym at 7 p.m. Saturday the Salukis take on Illinois State. Southern has not taken a regular season match against the Redbirds since 1990.
The Sycamores
Indiana State is 3-10 this season and 0-2 in The Valley with losses to Wichita State and Missouri State. The Sycamores are led by Kelli Whitaker, averaging 3.00 kills per game. Kristy Cox paces Indiana State with 4.50 digs per game.
The Redbirds
Illinois State is currently 4-7 on the season and 0-2 in the conference after getting swept on the road at Wichita State and going five games with Missouri State and falling to the Bears.
Kari Staehlin averages 3.62 kills per game for the Redbirds, hitting .253 this season. 2005 Freshman of the Year Erin Lindsey averages 11.52 assists per game.
Salukis on the Radio
For the second straight season, Saluki volleyball games will be broadcast live from Davies Gym. All 11 of SIU's home games will be streamed live on WIDB The Remedy, SIU's only student-run radio station. Games heard on WIDB.net, www.siusalukis.com and via university cable Channel 5 in the SIU dorms. Volleyball coverage on WIDB.net included 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 and press releases.
Salukis Look Ahead
The Salukis return three starters including first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick Johannah Yutzy and libero Kristy Elswick, a member of the 2005 MVC All-Freshman Team from last year's team that went 10-18 overall and 6-12 in league play to finish seventh in the Valley, just missing the post-season tournament. SIU lost just one senior Marissa Washington, who led the team in solo blocks and block assists, and both starting outside hitters due to injury.
Picked Sixth in Preseason Valley Coaches Poll
The Southern Illinois volleyball team was picked sixth in the 2006 MVC preseason coaches poll. The Salukis finished with 50 points, 16 behind Illinois State (66) in fifth. Defending regular season champion Wichita State was picked third with 77 points after losing four starters. Last season's tournament champion Missouri State is picked second with one first-place vote and 87 points. Northern Iowa was picked first with eight first-place votes and 96 points. The Panthers finished fourth a year ago, but brought in a top-25 recruiting class for the 2006 season.
Block Improves
Over the past few seasons, blocking has never been a strength of a Saluki volleyball team. They ranked seventh in The Valley a year ago in blocks per game, but in 2006 are hoping to change all that. In the first match of the season, a 3-1 win over IUPUI in the Flyer Classic, the Saluki front line recorded 26 block assists, good for eighth all-time in the Saluki record books.
This season, the Salukis have improved, averaging 3.05 blocks per game as a team led by middle blockers Johannah Yutzy (1.19) and Chandra Roberson (1.36), third in The Valley this season. The is the best tally by any Saluki team since the stat has been kept starting in 1982.
Best Start - Home Start - Above .500 - Since 2002
The Salukis beat IUPUI 3-1 in its first match of the season. It is the first time since 2002 that SIU won its first game of the season.
SIU garnered a three-game sweep of Austin Peay Friday, Sept. 8, in the Salukis' season opener and the second game of the 27th Saluki Invitational. It was the first season-opening win for the Salukis since they opened with a win over Central Michigan in 2002.
With a three-game sweep of Drake Friday Sept. 15, the Salukis' season record was 6-5, above the .500 mark in season play for the first time since 2002.
Yutzy Named to All-Tournament Team...Again...and Again
Saluki middle blocker Johannah Yutzy was named to all-tournament teams in all three of SIU's tournaments this season. The 2005 first-team All-MVC pick is currently hitting .329 on the season - third in the league, averaging 3.26 kills, 0.40 digs and 1.19 blocks per game.
Yutzy was named to the Flyer Classic All-Tournament Team after hitting .418 Aug. 25-26 with 38 kills and only 10 errors in 67 attempts, averaging 3.80 kills per game. The senior added 1 block solo and 10 block assists for a 1.10 average on the weekend.
The senior garnered Cowgirl Classic honors after hitting .355 with 42 kills and just 15 errors in 76 attempts Sept. 1-2 at Wyoming. She also added three block solos and eight block assists for a 0.85 average on the weekend.
She turned around a week later, Sept. 8-9 to capture 2006 Saluki Invitational All-Tournament honors hitting .228 with 22 and just nine errors in 57 attempts. She also added one solo and 14 block assists for a 1.67 average.
Sophomore Ties Own Dig Record
Libero Kristy Elswick averaged 4.91 digs per game overall and 5.35 digs per game during conference play to rank second in the conference last season. In 2006, the sophomore is averaging 5.38 digs per game, second in the league. She recorded 28 in a three-game match Saturday, Aug. 26 at the Flyer Classic against the Atlantic-10 West defending champion Dayton, tying a career-best and school-record in a three-game match.
Freshman Reaches Record Books in First Collegiate Match
Freshman middle blocker Chandra Roberson led all hitters with 16 kills and just one error in 20 attempts in her first collegiate match to hit .750. The mark ranks tenth all-time in Saluki history and is the best performance since former-Saluki Jenny Noel hit .833 in 2000 in a match against Long Island.
Marita Set-tles into the Books
Senior setter Holly Marita has recorded 89 assists so far this season to bring her career total to 3,324, second all-time at SIU. Marita recorded 30 assists against Wyoming Sept. 1 to pass Lisa Cummins with 3,249. Her 1, 231 assists during the 2004 season ranks seventh-best for a single season assist mark.
Assists
1. Debbie Barr (1996-99), 5057
2. Holly Marita (2003-pr.), 3324
3. Lisa Cummins (1982-85), 3249
Newcomers Making a Significant Impact
Four freshmen and two transfers have been a welcome addition after four weeks of play.
• Setter Erika Bartruff transferred from the University of Oregon with one year of setting experience in the Pac-10. After just three matches, she sits eighth in the league in assists averaging 8.85 per game.
• Junior college transfer Kari Buehlhorn is expected to make an impact defensively, helping at the DS position with a 2.30 dig per game average.
• Freshman middle blocker Chandra Roberson has started all 12 Saluki matches this season. Very athletic and quick, she makes up for her height with her fantastic jumping ability. Already leads SIU in blocks averaging 1.36 per game, sixth in the league.
• Freshman outside hitter Kelsie Laughlin brings height and ball control to the court. Can both pass and dig well. Adds great blocking ability. Recorded the first double-double of her career in the third match of her career with 10 kills, 10 digs in a three-game match against Youngstown State Aug. 26. Since then, has recorded two more double-doubles for the Salukis
• Freshman outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger is sure to find a spot in this year's lineup with her competitive attitude and tremendous athleticism. Averages 2.32 digs per game in eight matches. Went down with a knee injury against Belmont and is day to day on her return.
• Freshman Marina Medic will add depth to nearly any front row position. A middle blocker by trade, the Saluki staff will look for her in a versatile role throughout the season.
Seeing Double
Setter Holly Marita currently leads the team with 28 career double-doubles as a setter (assists, digs). Marita picked up a triple-double in 2003 against Iowa (10 kills, 51 assists, 12 digs). Junior outside hitter Ashley Saverine currently leads the team with nine career double-doubles (kills, digs), recording her last double-double against UMKC (16 kills, 11 digs) in 2004. Freshman Kelsie Laughlin is moving up the ranks quickly recording three double-doubles in just 10 career matches, including two on the same day. The outside hitter posted a 10 kill, 13 dig effort against Wyoming in the afternoon Sept. 1, then turned around to record a 14 kill, 11 dig match that evening against New Orleans.
Current Career Double-Double Tallies
Player - Last Double-Double
Holly Marita (28) - at Drake (46 A, 15 D)
Ashley Saverine (9) - vs. UMKC (16 K, 11 D)
Haley Hann (7) - at Drake (11K, 15 D)
Monica Laird (2) - vs. Georgetown (22 A, 12 D)
Johannah Yutzy (2) - at W. Illinois (22 K, 12 D)
Kristie Berwanger (3) - vs. BSC (16 K, 11 D)
Kelsie Laughlin (3) - vs. UNO (14 K, 11 D)
Erika Bartruff (2) - at Creighton (38 A, 14 D)
