Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Indiana State
Volleyball tops Indiana State to begin MVC play
09/14/2012 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 14, 2012
By Robin Thuringer
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill.-- The Southern Illinois University volleyball team extended its winning streak to ten matches Friday night on the opening night of Missouri Valley Conference play handing Indiana State a loss in three sets.
SIU (10-1, 1-0 MVC) kicked-off MVC play putting away the Sycamores in three sets (25-22, 26-24, 25-21) to record their seventh sweep of the season.
Senior Bailey Yeager tallied 20 digs on the night to now break 1000 digs in her career at Southern. Yeager is now eighth all-time in SIU history with 1002 career digs.
Jessica Whitehead and Alysia Mayes led the attack for Southern. Whitehead recorded 14 kills while Mayes knocked in 13 for a .524 hitting efficiency.
The energy of Davies Gym was on Southern's side as the Salukis escaped the first two sets that saw 19 total tie scores and eight lead changes.
"We are hoping to become sharper in the beginning and it is something we have to work at because we are not there yet," said SIU head coach Justin Ingram. "As the match progressed we played cleaner and more confident but there were too many errors."
The opening of the match saw the Sycamores and Salukis trading points to reach 10 apiece when SIU starting taking control of the set. The Salukis took a six point lead but ISU gained momentum scoring five to come within three-points of the Dawgs. Jessica Whitehead recorded the final kill to stop Indiana State's resurgence and put away the first set.
Both teams struggled to hold the advantage in the second set, as the tie scored 11 times. Southern went on a late 6-0 run off the serve of Alysia Mayes to take a two-point lead. Indiana State rebounded from the deficient to tie the game with help from Shea Doran who recorded 19 kills in the match for the Sycamores. Laura Thole put away a kill to take Southern to set point. Bailey Yeager finished out the set decisively with a service ace to put the Salukis ahead 2-0.
"We weren't able to stop Shea Doran in the second set," said Ingram. "She was set often and we weren't able to slow that down so we need to do a better job at not letting points come that easy."
Southern came into the third set aggressively not allowing Indiana State to ever hold a lead. Indiana State tested Southern late in the match coming within three points but the Salukis stayed in command. SIU shined offensively in the final set scoring 18 of their points off kills to nab their first Valley win of the season.
The Salukis continue MVC play tomorrow when they host the Redbirds of Illinois State at 3 p.m.
