Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball competes this weekend for spot in MVC Tournament
11/21/2008 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 21, 2008
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois volleyball team is on the road this weekend for the final regular-season matches of the year. The Salukis will take on Illinois State tonight and Indiana State tomorrow night.
SIU is in a tight race with Illinois State and Evansvile for a spot in the MVC Tournament. Southern (16-11, 6-11 MVC) is one match behind Illinois State (14-14, 7-9 MVC) and Evansville (13-16, 7-9 MVC) who are tied for fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Salukis went to the tournament last season for the first time since 2002. The last time SIU made it to the tournament two years on a row was 1995-96.
The Salukis swept Indiana State earlier this season in their first conference match of the year, owning the series against the Sycamores 36-15. Illinois State defeated Southern Illinois this season, improving their overall record over the Salukis to 59-5. The last time SIU defeated the Redbirds was back in 1990, so the Salukis are looking to turn the table in tonight's match at Redbird Arena.
"We are in control of our own destiny," said head coach Brenda Winkeler. "We need to win both matches this weekend to make it into the valley tournament back-to-back , which we haven't done since 1995-96."
Match times for this weekend are set for 7 p.m.
