Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball celebrates season with annual banquet
03/02/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
March 2, 2010
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois volleyball team celebrated its best season since 2002 with its annual banquet Saturday, Feb. 27, at Bleyer's Lodge.
The Salukis wrapped up the 2009 season 18-12 overall and 7-11 in Missouri Valley Conference play, good for sixth place and the Salukis second trip to the MVC tournament in three seasons.
SIU recorded the most wins since 2002 and the first back-to-back winning seasons since 1994-1995 after recording a 17-12 record in 2008.
The 2009 team started the season 11-0, the best start in school history, finishing 11-1 in non-conference play, a perfect 11-0 in regular-season non-conference matches for the first time in program history.
Amanda Arnold was given the 110 Percent Award. The sophomore was the number two setter for the Salukis all season, coming to practice each day to help prepare her team for play each week.
Senior Chandra Roberson was awarded the Best Blocker. The middle blocker broke the career block assist record, wrapping up her career with 381. Roberson also ranks in career hitting percentage (ninth, .271), career solo blocks (fifth, 103), career sets played (fifth, 430), career matches played (10th, 118) and career kills (10th, 1,080).
Jennifer Berwanger was named the Team's Most Valuable Player. The junior outside hitter became the fourth player in school history to garner first-team All-MVC honors twice, after ranking top-10 in the league in kills, digs and points, recording 18 double-doubles this season. In the SIU record books, she ranks in career attack attempts (seventh, 2,992), career digs (third, 1,227) and career attacks per set (third, 8.52). She earned single-season rankings following this season, ninth in digs (430), second in attack attempts (1,199) and second in attempts per set (10.33).
