Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball preps for final homestand of the season
11/10/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 10, 2010
By Dana Ingraham
SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): Nov. 12-13
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site: Davies Gym (1,250)
The Series: SIU trails Missouri State, 15-35; SIU trails Wichita State, 18-30
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (167-157 overall, 85-85 at SIU); Melissa Stokes (332-152 overall and at MSU); Chris Lamb (237-98 overall and at WSU)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Evan Hook (Assistant Coach)
Live Stats: click here
Video Stream: click here
Match Notes: click here
DAWG BITES
The Southern Illinois volleyball team is in its 53rd year of existence... Head Coach Brenda Winkeler is in her sixth season with the team and holds an 85-85 (.500) record... Last season the Salukis finished with an 18-12 record and were 7-11 in Missouri Valley Conference play, making their second appearance in the conference tournament in three years... SIU started the 2009 season 11-0, the best start in school history.
SALUKIS' SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
SIU (14-10, 5-9 MVC) embarks on its final homestand of the 2010 season this weekend, hosting Missouri State Friday, Nov. 12 and Wichita State Saturday, Nov. 13. First serve is set for 7 p.m. both nights.
SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE
The Bears entered the 2010 season with five returning starters and seven returning letterwinners. Missouri State, led by Melissa Stokes in her 15th season, recorded a 21-10 overall record last year, finishing 14-4 in the Valley for a second-place finish. Currently this season, the Bears hold an 18-7 overall record and a 9-5 mark in the MVC heading into their second meeting with SIU. Christine McCartney leads MSU's offense with 3.30 kills per set, while Abby Padlock heads up the defense posting 4.18 digs per set. Carly Thomas adds 7.51 assists per set, and Calli Norman averages 1.02 blocks per set. Junior right side hitter Kelley Michnowicz leads the Valley overall in hitting percentage with a .371 clip.
SERIES WITH MSU
SIU trails the all-time series with Missouri State, 15-35. In 2009, the Salukis split with the Bears, losing in three sets on the road, and coming back to win in five at home. That victory marked the first time that Coach Winkeler had defeated Missouri State at the helm of Saluki volleyball. MSU handed Southern a 3-0 shutout earlier this season on Oct. 16 in Springfield, Mo.
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
The Shockers entered the 2010 season with three returning starters and six returning letterwinners. Wichita State, led by Chris Lamb in his 11th season, recorded a 26-7 overall record last year, finishing 14-4 in the Valley for a second-place finish. WSU went on to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive year. This season, the Shockers are 18-5 and 11-3 in the MVC, already having punched their ticket to the conference tournament Nov. 26-28. Camri Zwiesler and Emily Adney provide a one-two punch for the WSU offense with 3.87 and 3.45 kills per set, respectively, while Sarah Waldorf heads up the defense, averaging 4.72 digs per set. Mary Elizabeth Hoooper adds 10.34 assists per set, and MVC Defensive Player of the Week Sarah McGee sits atop the conference standings with 1.30 blocks per set. As a team, Wichita State leads the league overall in opponent hitting percentage (.134) and blocks per set (2.77).
SERIES WITH WSU
SIU trails the all-time series with Wichita State, 18-30. In 2009, the Salukis lost to the Shockers in straight sets twice. WSU has taken the last 15 meetings with Southern, dating back to 2002. Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler will be looking for her first career victory against Wichita State this weekend. The Shockers swept the Salukis in straight sets earlier this season on Oct. 15 in Wichita, Kan.
TRIBUTE TO SALUKI SENIORS
Southern Illinois' final home match of the 2010 season against Wichita State this Saturday will be Senior Night, honoring SIU's four seniors, Jennifer Berwanger, Sydney Clark, Jasmine Conner and Alicia Johnson, as they play their final match in Davies Gym.
SUPER SALUKI
Senior outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger moved to No. 4 in the SIU record books for matches played in a career, totaling 122 court appearances during her career as a Saluki. Since her redshirt season in 2006, Berwanger has played in 114 consecutive matches for Southern.
OUT-HITTING THE REST
When SIU's offensive attack is on, it's potent. The Salukis have out-hit their opponents in each of their 14 wins this season, and have hit above a .250 clip in seven of those victories. Southern's loss to Indiana State on Saturday was the first time this year that SIU out-hit its opponent and lost.
BERWANGER KILLS
Saluki outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger added two more kills-digs double-doubles over the weekend, bringing her career total to 55. Berwanger is currently second in the Valley statistics in kills per set with 4.00. She has registered double-digit kills in 18 of SIU's 24 matches this year, including posting 20 or more kills three times.
NCAA RANKINGS
In the most recent NCAA national standings for matches through Nov. 7, the Salukis stand at 48th in the country in digs per set, averaging 16.59, and 61st in blocks per set, averaging 2.33. Individually, Jasmine Conner is No. 81 in the nation in blocks per set, averaging 1.11, while Rachael Brown is ranked No. 66 in assists per set with 10.40. Jennifer Berwanger also sits inside the top-100 in kills per set, at No. 74 with 3.73.
SALUKI RPI
The Southern Illinois volleyball team dropped to 133 in RPI this week. Six Valley teams have cracked the top-100, including UNI which is ranked sixth, Wichita State (22nd), Missouri State (32nd), Creighton (46th), Drake (59th) and Illinois State (74th).
PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON MVC COACHES POLL
SIU was picked to finish sixth in the Valley in the preseason MVC Coaches poll, one spot behind where it was slated to finish a year ago. In 2009, the Salukis finished the regular season in sixth place in the MVC, falling to Wichita State, 3-1, in the opening round of the tournament. Defending champion UNI was unanimously picked to repeat this year, receiving all 10 first-place votes.
