Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Last weekend of regular season holds meaning for Volleyball
11/18/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 18, 2010
By Dana Ingraham
SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): Nov. 19-20
Location(s): Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Neb.
Site(s): Knapp Center (7,512); D.J. Sokol Arena (2.950)
The Series: SIU leads Drake, 31-17; SIU trails Creighton, 9-25
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (167-159 overall, 85-87 at SIU); Phil McDaniel (56-41 overall and at DU); Kirsten Bernthal Booth (136-99 overall and at CU)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Evan Hook (Assistant Coach)
Live Stats: Drake match; Creighton match
Video Stream: Drake match; Creighton match
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 85-87 (.494) 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 (14-12, 5-11 MVC) wraps up regular season competition this weekend, traveling to Drake on Friday and Creighton on Saturday. The Salukis must win both matches, and Illinois State has to lose to Indiana State on Friday in order for SIU to regain a shot at the sixth-place spot in the Valley and advance to the conference tournament next weekend.
SCOUTING DRAKE
The Bulldogs entered the 2010 season with four returning starters plus their libero and 11 returning letterwinners. DU, led by Phil McDaniel in his third season, recorded a 22-12 overall record last year, finishing 10-8 in the Valley for a fourth place finish This season, the Bulldogs are 22-9 and 7-9 in the MVC heading into their second meeting with SIU. Angela Bys leads the Drake offense with 3.57 kills per set, while Alana Wittenburg leads the defense and the conference overall with 5.76 digs per set. Caitlin Johnson adds 6.47 assists per set, and Emily Heffernen and Michelle Reidy average 0.91 and 0.90 blocks per set.
SERIES WITH DU
SIU leads the all-time series with Drake, 31-17. In 2009, the Salukis dropped both contests to the Bulldogs, falling 3-1 at home and 3-2 on the road. Drake handed Southern a 3-0 shutout earlier this season, back on Sept. 18 in Carbondale.
SCOUTING CREIGHTON
The Bluejays entered the 2010 season with four returning starters plus their libero and 11 returning letterwinners. CU, led by Kirsten Bernthal Booth in her eighth season, recorded a 14-17 overall record last year, finishing 10-8 in the Valley for a fourth place finish. This season, the Bluejays are 16-10 with an 11-5 mark in the conference heading into their meeting with Evansville on Friday. Alicia Runge leads Creighton's offense and is second in the MVC with 3.86 kills per set, while Julianne Mandolfo heads up the defense posting 4.48 digs per set, followed closely by MVC Defensive Player of the Week, Nayka Benitez who averages 3.93. Megan Bober adds 9.99 assists per set, and Laurel Sanford averages 1.09 blocks per set. As a team, Creighton leads all Valley teams in digs per set, averaging 18.67.
SERIES WITH CU
SIU trails the all-time series with Creighton,9-25. In 2009, the Salukis lost to the Bluejays in four sets twice. CU has taken the last 16 meetings with Southern, dating back to 2002. Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler will be looking for her first career victory against Creighton this weekend. The Bluejays swept the Salukis in straight sets earlier this season on Sept. 15 in Carbondale, snapping an eight-match winning streak for SIU.
ROAD TRIP BLUES
Southern Illinois has struggled in conference road matches this season, only posting a 1-6 record away from home. The Salukis will fight for a winning record, looking to break a four-match skid this weekend, taking on Drake and Creighton in the last weekend of regular-season competition.
EIGHT YEARS IN THE MAKING
The last time Southern Illinois beat Drake and Creighton in the same weekend was in 2002. The Salukis actually won both meetings with both teams that year, sweeping DU twice and topping CU 3-1 and 3-0.
RIGHT SIDE STRENGTH
Saluki right side hitter Alicia Johnson had a solid weekend despite two SIU losses. Johnson led the Saluki offense against Missouri State and Wichita State, posting 14 and 15 kills, respectively, and hitting a combined .254 on the weekend. She also posted 19 digs against the Shockers to record her 12th double-double this season, putting her inside the top-20 in the Valley in overall digs per set, averaging 3.19.
SUPER SALUKI
Senior outside hitter Jennifer Berwanger moved to No. 3 in the SIU record books for matches played in a career, totaling 124 court appearances during her career as a Saluki. Since her redshirt season in 2006, Berwanger has played in 116 consecutive matches for Southern.
BERWANGER AND JOHNSON EARN ESPN ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS
Seniors Jen Berwanger and Alicia Johnson were part of a field of 12 student-athletes that were named to the 2010 ESPN Academic All-District V Women's Volleyball team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Berwanger, who earned First-Team honors and is now eligible for Academic All-American, carries a 3.89 GPA in therapeutic recreation, and was also named to the Academic All-District Second Team last season. Johnson was named to the Second-Team and graduated with a bachelor's degree in recreation with a 3.91 GPA. She is currently in graduate school in kinesiology at Southern Illinois.
NCAA RANKINGS
In the most recent NCAA national standings for matches through Nov. 14, the Salukis stand at 56th in the country in digs per set, averaging 16.44, and 74th in blocks per set, averaging 2.28. Individually, Rachael Brown is ranked No. 70 in assists per set with 10.40, while Jasmine Conner is No. 98 in the nation in blocks per set, averaging 1.08. Jennifer Berwanger also sits inside the top-100 in kills per set, at No. 81 with 3.69.
SALUKI RPI
The Southern Illinois volleyball team improved to 129 in RPI this week. Six Valley teams have cracked the top-100, including UNI which is ranked sixth, Wichita State (20th), Missouri State (29th), Creighton (43rd), Drake (64th) and Illinois State (83rd).
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.
