Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Stephen F. Austin
Volleyball opens the 2009 season 2-0
08/28/2009 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 28, 2009
By Shalae Patrick
www.SIUSalukis.com
Stephen F. Austin Box Score
Northern Illinois Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. - The Southern Illinois volleyball team opened the 2009 season at the NIU Comfort Inn/Suites of Rochelle Invitational, going 2-0 the first day of competition sweeping Stephen F. Austin 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-21) and taking down tournament host Northern Illinois 3-1 (25-22, 28-30, 25-18, 26-24).
Returning All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team pick Jennifer Berwanger led the team past the Ladyjacks Friday afternoon with a team-high 14 kills and five digs.
Sydney Clark pitched in eight kills and just one error in 18 attempts for the offense, hitting a team-high .389. Kelsie Laughlin added six kills and Chandra Roberson, four.
Freshman setter Rachael Brown made her first start as a Saluki leading the team with 23 assists, Laughlin adding six.
"I thought we played well against Stephen F. Austin," Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler said. "(SFA) had a quick offense, and our goal was to keep the ball out of the middle and we served well to keep them out of the match."
Defensively, Lauren Blumhorst led the Salukis with 13 digs, Laughlin pitched in seven and Berwanger, five. At the net, Clark led the Salukis with two solo and five block assists. Jasmine Conner contributed one solo and five block assists to go with her two kills off the bench.
In the nightcap, the Salukis took down the Huskies in four, NIU's lone set victory by two, pushing the score to 30 in the win.
Berwanger didn't disappoint, posting her 26th-career double-double with a team-high 17 kill, 20 dig effort against the Huskies. The junior also added two block assists and two service aces. Follow outside hitter Clark put up 13 kills and four block assists in the win.
"Alicia Johnson came off the bench to help us out," Winkeler added. "Rachael Brown also set a great match for us. And although her numbers may not show it, Chandra Roberson really came through in some tight situations for us."
Johnson hit a match-high .364 in her Saluki debut to aid the Salukis' .245 clip. The team accrued just 11 errors in 94 attempts.
Brown posted a match-high 44 assists in the win, adding three digs, three kills and three block assists.
Roberson put up two solo and seven block assists, putting her 27 away from the all-time block assist mark at SIU. The senior middle blocker also added seven kills.
This is the third-straight season SIU has started the season 2-0.
"We need to make sure we don't celebrate this win," Winkeler said looking to the final day of the tournament. "We need to continue to use more people on offense to give us different looks and work on our ball control."
The Salukis wrap up play at the NIU Invitational Saturday, facing Illinois-Chicago at 12 p.m. and Western Illinois at 5 p.m.
