Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball wraps up regular-season play at Evansville
11/19/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 19, 2009
www.SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): November 20
Location: Evansville, Ind.
Site(s): Carson Center (500)
The Series: SIU leads UE, 31-8
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (153-145 overall, 71-73 at SIU); Mike Swan (470-360 overall, 83-130 at UE)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Katie Carrier; Jimmy White (Student Assistant)
Gametracker: www.gopurpleaces.com
Video Stream: www.gopurpleaces.com
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois Volleyball team is in its 52nd year of existence... Head Coach Brenda Winkeler is in her fifth season with the team and holds a 71-73 (.493) record... Last season the Salukis finished with a 17-12 record and were 7-11 in MVC play, finishing in seventh... The Salukis started the 2009 season 10-0 in non-conference play, the best start in school history.
ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
The Salukis wrap up the regular season on the road at Evansville. The 7-10 Salukis are fighting with Illinois State (7-9) and Evansville (6-11) for a trip to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
SCOUTING EVANSVILLE
The Purple Aces entered the 2009 season with four returning starters and nine returning letterwinners. UE, led by Mike Swan in his eighth season, recorded a 14-18 record overall last year and a sixth-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference (8-10). This season, the Purple Aces are 13-16 overall and 6-11 in the MVC, dropping thier last four matches. UE is led by Ginta Gabruseva with 3.08 kills and 2.00 digs per set. Brooke Maher and Emily Wandersee add 2.72 and 2.59 kills per set, Maher adding 3.01 digs and Wandersee, 0.81 blocks per set. Ellen Sawin leads the Ace offense with 10.39 assists per set.
SERIES WITH UE
SIU leads the series with UE, 31-8. The Purple Aces and the Salukis have traded wins since 2005, the Salukis winning the first meeting between the teams this season, 3-1 in Davies Gym.
BLUMHORST DIGS INTO BOOKS
Saluki libero Lauren Blumhorst recorded a career-best 33 digs in a four-set match with Creighton Friday, Nov. 13. The tally ranks third all-time at SIU for single-match digs. Earlier this season against UAB at the Saluki Invitational she recorded 32 digs, sixth all-time.
SALUKIS PUSH FOR THE TOURNAMENT
The Salukis are 7-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play heading into the final regular season weekend of play. They sit seventh, just behind Illinois State at 7-9. The Salukis travel to Evansville Friday, while the Redbirds host Wichita State and Missouri State for the final spot in the tournament.
SIU 4-1 IN FIVE
The Salukis have gone five sets five times this season against Florida A&M, Murray State, Valparaiso, Missouri State and Drake. SIU is 4-1 in five-set matches, perfect until Saturday when they fell at Drake in five.
SALUKIS SNAP MSU STREAK
The Southern Illinois volleyball team won a five-set match over Missouri State Saturday to snap a nine-match regular-season losing streak dating back to 2004.
BEST SEASON SINCE 2002
With the Salukis' win over Missouri State Saturday, Nov. 7, the team recorded its18th win of the season, breaking last season's win-total, the most since the 2002 season when the Salukis were 23-10.
PERFECT IN NON-CONFERENCE
With a win Tuesday, Oct. 20, over SEMO, the Southern Illinois volleyball team wrapped up non-conference play a perfect, 11-0. The Salukis started the season 10-0, the best season start in program history.
SALUKIS SNAP ILS STREAK
The Southern Illinois volleyball team swept Illinois State Saturday to snap a 36-match regular-season losing streak dating back to 1990. SIU beat ILS in the opening round of the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference tournament, breaking a 12-match streak.
SINGLE-MATCH ATTENDANCE RECORD BROKEN
Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 Southern set a new attendance record in Davies Gym at during a Missouri Valley Conference match against Drake. Davies was filled with 880 fans, breaking the previous record of 713 set Sept. 16, 2007 against Illinois State.
BERWANGER ENTERS TOP-10
Saluki outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger ranks seventh all-time in career attack attempts with 2,904. She is 126 attempts away from sixth all-time. The junior also ranks third all-time in career digs with 1,190 digs and fourth all-time in attempts per set at 8.49.
BERWANGER ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Junior outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger was one of 12 student-athletes named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Women's Volleyball Team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).Berwanger, who carries a 3.86 GPA in therapeutic recreation and physical therapy, garnered second-team honors.
ROBERSON PEPPERS THE BOOKS
Senior Chandra Roberson has made an impact in the record books after nearly four seasons at SIU. This season the middle blocker broke the record for career block assists at SIU, currently with 371. She is also fifth in solo blocks in a career with 103, and is eighth in career hitting percentage at .272 in over three seasons. Most recently she entered the books in sets played and career kills. The senior is fifth in sets played with 421 and will wrap up her career top-five all-time in SIU history. She also ranks 10th in career kills with 1,060, 38 away from ninth.
ROBERSON OWNS RECORD
After posting three block assists in the Salukis' four-set match over Evansville Sept. 19, senior middle blocker Chandra Roberson set a new block assist record at SIU. She has 73 block assists this season, bringing her career total to 367. She passed Sonya Locke (331) and Dana Olden (333) with her total for the milestone.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Saluki freshman Rachael Brown had a career weekend Oct. 23-24 recording a personal-best 55 assists in a four-set victory over Bradley, Friday, Oct. 23. She currently has 1,128 assists this season, 27 away from the single-season list at SIU. She has recorded five double-doubles this season.
SALUKI RPI
The Southern Illinois volleyball team cracked the top-100 three weeks ago and has moved up to the 94th-best RPI in the country and fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Thirteen of SIU's 19 opponents are ranked in the top-200, including six in the top-100.
BERWANGER RETURNS
Junior outside hitter Jen Berwanger returns after landing on the first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference last season. As a sophomore, she put up impressive numbers that landed her in the top-10 in SIU single-season history in digs (434, 7th), kills per set (3.64, 10th), attempts per set (10.31, 2nd) and attempts (1103, 5th). This season, Jen averages 3.53 kills and 3.67 digs per set this season.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING!!!
The 2009 Saluki volleyball team started the season on an 11-match win streak, setting a new school record, before falling to UNI Sept. 25. The previous record of 10 was set Oct. 26 through Nov. 23, 1985. The team also has a 12-match win streak dating back to last season after a victory over Indiana State to end last season Nov. 22, 2008.
SALUKIS ENTER BOOKS
With 26 block assists in a four-set match against Northern Illinois Friday, Aug. 28, the Salukis rank 11th all-time at SIU for team block assists in a match.
LEAGUE OPENERS
Since taking over the Saluki program in 2005, head coach Brenda Winkeler is 3-2 in Missouri Valley Conference openers, sweeping Indiana State a year ago and taking down Evansville this season 3-1. In the last 11 seasons, the Salukis are 4-6 in Valley openers.
PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON VALLEY COACHES POLL
The Southern Illinois volleyball team was picked sixth in the 2009 MVC preseason coaches poll for the first time since Winkeler took over the program five years ago. The Salukis finished with 49 points. Southern finished seventh a year ago, missing the tournament by one spot. Defending Champion Wichita State was picked to repeat with 99 points and nine first-place votes.
BROWN EARNS FOURTH FOW HONOR
Southern Illinois volleyball player Rachael Brown was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season Nov. 2. She averaged 12.83 assists, 1.33 digs, 1.17 kills and 0.50 blocks per set, hitting .583 with zero attack errors, in two wins over the weekend. She also earned the award Aug. 31, Sept. 14 and Sept. 21.
BLUMHORST EARNS WEEKLY SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS
Lauren Blumhorst, who has a 3.818 cumulative grade-point average in math education, recorded a career-best and match-high 33 digs versus Creighton, Nov. 13, moving into third on the Saluki single-match dig chart. Against Drake, she recorded 29 digs in a five-set match.
BERWANGER EARNS WEEKLY SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS, TWICE
Jennifer Berwanger of Southern Illinois University has been selected the Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week Sept. 1 and Sept. 8. Berwanger, who has a 3.86 cumulative grade-point average in therapeutic recreation and physical therapy, earned all-tournament honors including an MVP nod two weeks in a row.
SALUKIS STRIVE IN THE CLASSROOM
For the fourth-straight season, the Saluki volleyball team was awarded the GamePlan/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2008-09 season. The team held a 3.56 cumulative grade point average for the 2008-09 school year. They were one of eight Valley teams to be recognized and held the top GPA in the Missouri Valley Conference.
SIU 3.56 • WSU 3.51 • DU 3.50 • INS 3.40 • ILS 3.40 • UE 3.36 • CU 3.35 • BU 3.32
