Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball kicks off Valley play this weekend
09/15/2010 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2010
By Dana Ingraham
SIUSalukis.com
MATCH INFORMATION
Date(s): Sept. 17-18
Location: Carbondale, Ill.
Site: Davies Gym (1,250)
The Series: Creighton leads SIU, 24-9; SIU leads Drake, 31-16
Head Coaches: Brenda Winkeler (162-148 overall, 80-76 at SIU); Kirsten Bernthal Booth (125-94 overall and at Creighton); Phil McDaniel (48-32 overall and at Drake)
Saluki Assistant Coaches: Julie Yankus (Associate Head Coach); Evan Hook (Assistant Coach); Megan Singletary (Student Assistant)
Video Streaming: click here
Live Stats: 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 80-76 (.513) 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.
GETTING STARTED IN THE VALLEY
SIU (9-1) continues its six-match homestand, kicking off Missouri Valley Conference action Friday at 7 p.m., when Saluki head coach Brenda Winkeler looks to pick up her first career victory against Creighton, followed by an afternoon matchup with Drake on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Salukis finished their non-conference schedule with a 3-0 win over UT Martin Tuesday.
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 5-5 heading into the first weekend of conference play. Alicia Runge leads Creighton's offense and the MVC with 4.45 kills per set, while Nayka Benitez heads up the defense posting 4.84 digs per set. Megan Bober adds 9.89 assists per set. As a team, Creighton leads all Valley teams in digs per set, averaging 17.82.
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 14-0, one of just 14 undefeated teams in the country, as they head into their first conference matchup with Evansville Friday. Angela Bys leads the Drake offense with 3.82 kills per set, while Alana Wittenburg leads the defense and the conference with 5.84 digs per set. Caitlin Johnson adds 6.11 assists per set.
THE IOWA STANDARD
SIU's only hiccup in its nonconference season was its 3-2 loss to Iowa, and Creighton fell to the Hawkeyes in the same 3-2 fashion two weeks ago. Tuesday night, Drake turned the tables, defeating Iowa in five sets to remain undefeated and the only perfect team in the Valley. If Drake's perfect record stays intact through Friday, the Bulldogs will be the second unbeaten team the Salukis have faced this season, already knocking off Mississippi State last weekend.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Jennifer Berwanger's 11 digs against UT Martin were enough for her to move into second all-time in the SIU record books for career digs with 1359. Berwanger's running total is second only to former Saluki libero Kristy Elswick (2005-08) who sits on top of the category with 1930 digs.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Southern Illinois won its own Saluki Invitational presented by the Hampton Inn for the fourth consecutive year last weekend, dropping only one set en route to victories over Mississippi State, SEMO and USF. SIU has now won eight in a row entering Friday's meeting with Creighton.
NCAA RANKINGS
The NCAA released national standings Tuesday morning for matches through Sept. 12. As a team, the Salukis are ranked 13th in the country in blocks per set, averaging 2.83, and 31st in hitting percentage at 0.278. Individually, Bailey Yeager is No. 11 in the nation in service aces, averaging 0.64 per set with 21 aces overall. Jasmine Conner is ranked 22 in blocks per set with her marks of 12 solo blocks, 31 block assists and 1.34 blocks per set.
HIT AND RUN
Southern's offense has really started to take shape throughout the first leg of the season. The Salukis' balanced attack has out-hit its opponents in all nine of its victories, combining for a .254 hitting percentage. Meanwhile, SIU leads all Valley teams in opponent hitting percentage, holding its opponents to a meager .097.
ALL-TOURNAMENT, ALL THE TIME
Sophomore setter Rachael Brown earned All-Tournament Team honors in all three of SIU's non-conference tournaments this year. Brown is averaging 10.06 assists per set, sitting in third among the MVC ranks.
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.
