Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball to compete in Tulane's Collegiate Classic
09/01/2011 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2011
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois volleyball team will compete in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic hosted by Tulane Friday and Saturday at Fogelman Arena in New Orleans.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Friday, Sept. 2 vs William & Mary, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 3 at Tulane, Noon
Location: New Orleans, La.
Site: Fogelman Arena
Match Notes
Tournament Central
Live Video Stream -- Tulane match only (pay per view)
TEAM FACTS
Southern Illinois Salukis (2-1)
Head Coach: Brenda Winkeler, Seventh Year (169-162 overall, 87-90 at SIU)
William & Mary Tribe (1-2)
Head Coach: Melissa Alrich Shelton, Fourth Year (284-218 overall, 39-37 at W&M)
Tulane Green Wave (2-2)
Head Coach: Sinisa Momic, Third Year (31-29 overall and at Tulane)
SIU VS. WILLIAM & MARY
Southern is 0-1 all-time against William & Mary, having lost a five-set match to the Tribe during their 2007 home tournament in Williamsburg, Va. The Tribe had a whirlwind last weekend, having to cancel its home tournament after the W&M campus was evacuated due to Hurricane Irene. W&M scrambled to arrange a match Saturday at Presbyterian, which it won in four sets, before dropping two hastily arranged matches against Kennesaw State and Appalachian State Saturday in Boone, N.C. Through its first three matches, the duo of Manon Murray and Liz Brown has led the team in kills, with averages of 2.79 and 2.36 per set respectively. Tribe setters Carolina Rivas and Molly Krull average 6.36 and 5.70 assists per set respectively while libero Celine Alasomuka leads the team with an average of 4.21 digs per set.
SIU VS. TULANE
The Salukis and Green Wave are tied 1-1 in their all-time series. The teams last faced each other during the 2004 season, with Tulane winning 3-0 in New Orleans. The Green Wave are off to a 2-2 start after competing last weekend in Missouri's tournament. Tulane defeated Idaho State and Binghamton, and lost to North Dakota State and the host Tigers, with all four matches ending in three sets. The Green Wave attack has been evenly spread out through its first four matches, with five players chipping in 17 or more kills. Anna Wruck leads the team with 24 total kills (2.00/set) while Azarri Badawi has 21 kills (1.75/set), Milica Jovic has 19 (1.58/set), Izabela Grot has 19 (2.11/set) and Grace Weaver has 17 (2.12/set). Tulane setters Mel Mandelbaum and Lilly Wolfe average 4.75 and 3.67 assists per set respectively while libero Nikki Osuna averages 3.20 dig per set. Wruck is the team's leading blocker with 13 total blocks.
RECAPPING LAST WEEK
SIU finished 2-1 at the Mississippi State Maroon Classic in Starkville, Miss. to take runner-up honors. The Salukis won a five-set thriller over the host Bulldogs Friday, swept Southeastern Louisiana Saturday morning before falling to UT Martin in a five set heartbreaker in the championship match. Saluki juniors Laura Thole and Bailey Yeager were named to the All-Tournament team for their efforts.
EARLY SEASON SUCCESS
Southern's win over Mississippi State in last Friday's five-set thriller marked the Salukis' sixth consecutive season-opening win. The Salukis are 23-15 in season openers since the 1974 season. Including a 2-1 finish in last week's MSU Maroon Classic, Southern Illinois has dominated in its early-season non-conference tournaments the last four seasons. Including last week's 2-1 finish at the MSU Maroon Classic, the Salukis have gone 36-5 in early-season tournaments since 2007 and have carried an overall 40-7 record against non-conference opponents in that span.
PLAYER NOTES
Junior outside hitter Laura Thole had one of the team's strongest individual starts of the season, earning all-tournament team honors at the Mississippi State Maroon Classic. She has already posted two double doubles this season after having just one the last two years. She posted a career-best 19 kills against UT Martin and leads the team thus far with 134 attack attempts and ranks second with an average of 3.00 kills per set • Junior libero Bailey Yeager earned all-tournament team honors at the Maroon Classic. She leads the team and ranks seventh in the MVC with an average of 4.00 digs per set. She posted a career-high 27 digs against UT Martin, which was five more than her previous high • Junior setter Rachael Brown dished up 132 assists during the Mississippi State Maroon Classic to move up two spots to sixth in SIU history in career assists with 2,361. She ranks fourth in the MVC through one week with an average of 10.15 assists per set • Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Whitehead leads the team and ranks eighth in the MVC with an average of 3.38 kills per set through one week. She has yet to post less than 13 kills in a match this season • Junior middle blocker Alysia Mayes led SIU with 13 total blocks (1.00/set) at the Maroon Classic and was the team's leader with a career-best 15 kills and a .480 hitting percentage against Southeastern Louisiana • Sophomore outside hitter Elly Braaten had a breakout match in her first start, posting five kills, 17 digs and two assists against Mississippi State • Sophomore outside hitter Emily Less recorded her first career kill against Southeastern Louisiana and had a breakout match against UT Martin with 10 kills, 2 digs and a block assist • sophomore defensive specialist Caitlin Schumacher leads the team and ranks second in the MVC through the opening week with seven service aces. She has also recorded double-digit digs in each match coming off the bench • Senior right side/setter Amanda Arnold recorded her first career kills against Mississippi State • Junior middle blocker Alexis Braghini, sophomore defensive specialist Caitlin Schumacher and freshman middle blocker Sarah James all made their Saluki debuts against Mississippi State
