Salukis win five-set frenzy over Illinois State

Friday, November 4

Bloomington, Ill.

7:00 PM

Southern Illinois University

19-9, 10-4MVC

Illinois State

15-10, 9-5MVC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Southern Illinois	14	26	25	12	15	3
Illinois State	25	24	15	25	8	2

Photo by: Madison Case

11/04/2016 | 10:50:00 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

SIU's first win at Illinois State since 2009.

By: Will Becque, SIUSalukis.com

The Southern Illinois volleyball team topped Illinois State in five sets, 14-25, 26-24, 25-15, 12-25, 15-8 at Redbird Arena Friday night.

The victory marks SIU's first at Illinois State (15-10, 9-5 MVC) since 2009, and the win helped the Salukis keep pace in the logjam that is the Missouri Valley Conference standings. SIU remains tied with UNI for third, and will face both first-place Missouri State and second-place Wichita State in the final weekend of the regular season.

The Salukis (19-9, 10-4 MVC) were led by redshirt junior Andrea Estrada, who finished with a match-high 16 kills to go along with a season-high 21 digs and two service aces. Freshman Ginger Perinar tallied a career-high 11 kills and added three block assists.

Junior Abby Barrow was the third Saluki to finish with double-digit kills, totaling 11 and adding a career-high eight digs. Senior Hannah Kaminsky dished out a team-best 29 assists and tied a career-high with 19 digs for her 31^st career double-double.

The Redbirds stormed to a 1-0 set lead, but the Salukis seized momentum right back by winning set two, 26-24, and taking set three, 25-15. Just when it looked like SIU would cruise from that point, Illinois State responded with a lopsided set score of their own, winning set four, 25-12 to force a decisive fifth set.

In the fifth frame, SIU didn't waste any time getting the ball to their preseason All-MVC selection, as Estrada put down back-to-back kills as part of SIU's 4-0 run to open the set and force an ISU timeout. The Redbirds got to within two at 5-3, but SIU once again set Estrada, who put down her third kill of the set to give Southern a 6-3 lead. With the Bogota, Colombia native serving, the Salukis lead grew to six, 9-3, highlighted by Estrada's second service ace of the match that forced the Redbirds to take their second, and final, timeout.

From there, the Redbirds could get no closer than five, as an ace by Barrow on match point sealed the comeback win for the Salukis.

SIU returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 5, when it travels to Terre Haute, Ind. to take on the Indiana State Sycamores. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT.