Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Wichita State
Volleyball swept at Wichita State
10/15/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2010
By Dana Ingraham
SIUSalukis.com
WICHITA, Kan. - Southern Illinois was held to a season-low .095 hitting percentage as it dropped a three-set contest to Wichita State Friday night, 25-18, 25-20, 25-19.
The Salukis played the Shockers closely, but SIU's 22 hitting errors combined with WSU's 10.5 total team blocks to shut Southern down.
"Tonight was a night where we just didn't pass the ball that well," said head coach Brenda Winkeler. "We got a little impatient on offense and that caused us to have a lot of unforced errors."
Alicia Johnson recorded the Salukis' lone double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. Jennifer Berwanger and Lauren Blumhorst added 12 and 13 digs each.
In the first set, SIU (12-6, 3-5 MVC) pulled ahead at the 5-4 mark, but eventually fell behind 13-9. Kills from Jasmine Conner, Jessica Whitehead and Berwanger kept SIU within fighting distance, but overall the Salukis struggled to string together enough points to catch up. Multiple offensive errors late in the first allowed Wichita (12-5, 5-3 MVC) to hold its own.
The Dawgs were denied three-straight points at the hands of the Shocker blocking effort early in the second set, as WSU scored four times in as many plays to go ahead 8-4. Down 13-7, Southern made a run courtesy of Wichita's own errors, scoring five consecutive points to bring the score to 15-14. SIU tied the score at 16 and again at 17 on a Conner kill, but the closest Southern would get from that point would be a one-point deficit at 19-18. WSU scored on four of the last five plays to take the 2-0 lead.
SIU struggled mightily in the third set, quickly finding itself down 12-3. The Salukis weathered the storm to 12-7, scoring four-straight points on kills from Johnson and Sydney Clark, but were pushed down again to 21-12. Another brief SIU run fueled by Johnson and Conner put the score at 21-17, but the Saluki defense did not have enough to overcome WSU's offensive attack.
Wichita's Emily Adney led all players with 14 kills, while Camri Zwiesler and Sarah McGee each had 12.The Shockers also out-dug the Salukis, 65 to 50.
"The difference in the match was definitely ball control," Winkeler said. "We need to be able to pass a little better and control the ball, which will lead to better offense."
Southern will dive back into Missouri Valley Conference action tomorrow, traveling to Springfield, Mo. to take on Missouri State at 7 p.m.
