Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
UCF
Volleyball Hosts Saluki Invitational at the SIU Arena this weekend
09/01/2016 | 6:29:00 | Women's Volleyball
TOURNAMENT NOTES
• Southern Illinois hosts the annual Saluki Invitational this weekend, welcoming Central Florida, Western Michigan and Northern Arizona to the SIU Arena.
• All SIU matches will be shown on ESPN3, with live stats available for all six matches this weekend.Â
Live Stats:Â http://www.sidearmstats.com/siu/wvball
SIU vs. UCF:Â Watch
SIU vs. Western Michigan:Â Watch
SIU vs. Northern Arizona:Â Watch
SALUKI NOTES
• The Salukis opened with a sweep of the competition at the IUPUI Invitational. This is the first time since 2009 that SIU has started the season 3-0 and marks just the 13th time since 1975 that the Salukis have won at least three-straight to begin a season. Southern is one of 67 programs in the country without a loss.
• Southern holds a collective 4-4 record against UCF, Western Michigan and Northern Arizona.
• Central Florida went 3-1 to open the season, defeating Stony Brook and Stetson in straight-sets, and disposing of Kent State in four. The Knights lost to the 17th-ranked Florida State Seminoles in three sets for their lone loss at the UCF Invitational. Jale Hervey, a unanimous All-AAC selection a year ago, returns as does Kia Bright. Both were named to The American All-Preseason team. Hervey is a two-time All-Conference First Team recipient while Bright returns to the floor after coming off a season-ending injury last year. The Knights return six starters and a libero from a year ago and added five freshmen and a transfer.
• SIU will be looking to avenge last season's 3-2 loss at the hands of the Knights. The Salukis battled all the way back to force a fifth set, winning sets three and four before falling in the decisive fifth set, 15-11. Southern hit .283 during sets three and four, but connected on just .077 of its attempts during sets 1, 2, and 5 in the loss. The Salukis had three hitters with double-figure kills in last year's five-setter, as Andrea Estrada (15), Taylor Pippen (11) and Alex Rosignol (11) all finished with double-digit kills.
• The Salukis will tangle with Western Michigan for the first time since 1987 on Saturday. The Broncos went 1-2 at the Norte Dame Invitational to open the 2016 season, falling to the hosts and Cleveland State while downing Seton Hall in straight sets. Western Michigan rallied to defeat IPFW, 3-2 on Tuesday, with outside hitter Alysia Baznik becoming the 21st Bronco to join the 1,000-kill club in the win. The Broncos were picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference West Division in the conference's annual preseason poll, with middle blocker Sydney LeMay earning a nod on the Preseason All-MAC team. LeMay was named the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week this past Monday after tallying 41 kills and averaging 4.1 kills per set during Western's first three contests.
• SIU will close out the weekend against Northern Arizona in the first matchup between the two programs since 1980. The Lumberjacks fell from no. 14 to no. 25 in the latest Volleyballmag.com mid-major rankings after splitting its two matches at the Temple Invitational last weekend. Following a 3-1 loss to Temple to start the season, the Lumberjacks rebounded with a clean 3-0 sweep of Hampton to close the first weekend. Seniors Lauren Jacobsen and Addy Lofstedt earned spots on the all-tournament team. Jacobsen led Northern Arizona in both kills and digs with 20 of each. Lofstedt tallied 17 kills and added five blocks while hitting .452.
• SIU was the only Valley school to make it out of the opening weekend unscathed, with MVC teams going a combined 17-15 in the opening weekend of action.
• SIU ranks in the top five of the Missouri Valley in most offensive categories through the first week of action. SIU leads the conference in assists per set (13.60, 22nd nationally), blocks per set (3.15, 19th nationally), and service aces per set (2.3, 13th nationally). The Salukis are third in kills per set (14.0), fourth in hitting percentage (.243) and fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.167).
• The Salukis recorded double-digit blocks (11 vs. Duquesne, 13.5 vs. IUPUI) in two of their three contests this season. Southern led the conference in blocks per set last season and finished second in 2014.
• The Salukis moved up from no. 18 to no. 17 in the latest Volleyballmag.com's mid-major poll. They are one of four Valley schools ranked in the top-25 in the poll and are joined by Wichita State (T-8th), Missouri State (12) and Northern Iowa (18).
• Southern Illinois was picked to finish third in the Valley's pre-season volleyball poll. Defending champs Wichita State were picked to win the league, followed by Missouri State and SIU.
• SIU has won 20-or more matches in three of Justin Ingram's four seasons at the helm.
• In addition to the always-challenging slate of Missouri Valley opponents, the Salukis will take on four teams that are also ranked in the mid-major poll; Loyola Marymount (No. 5), Western Kentucky (No. 4), Dayton (No. 13) and Northern Arizona (No. 25).
PLAYER NOTES
• Andrea Estrada, Alex Rosignol and McKenzie Dorris were named to the All-Tournament team at the IUPUI Invitational, with Estrada earning MVP honors. She totaled a team-best 35 kills (3.5 per set) during Southern's three matches, while tying for second on the team with 24 digs (8.0).
• Rosignol led the Salukis in blocks and tied for the team lead in service aces to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. She currently ranks first in the MVC with an average of 1.6 blocks per set, a category she led the conference in a year ago, and is one of three Salukis tied for second in the Valley with a 0.6 service aces per set average.
• Dorris hit .351 and averaged 1.4 blocks per set this past weekend. The all-tournament selection is currently tied for fifth in the Valley in hitting percentage (.351), while also ranking third among league players in blocks per set (1.4). She led the Valley in blocks per set in 2014.
• Hannah Kaminsky tallied six service aces during SIU's first three matches, becoming just the 15th Saluki to tally 100-plus aces in a career. The Woodridge, Ill., native now has 105 for her career, and needs five aces to pass Holly Marita (2003-06) for 14th all-time.
• Meg Viggars finished with 66 assists over the weekend, and now has 1,593 for her career. She surpassed Britten Follett (1999-2002) for 12th on SIU's all-time list. She also has 955 career digs, and would become only the 11th Saluki in the 1,000-dig club. When she does reach the 1,000-dig mark, she will join Debbie Barr as the only Salukis with 1,000-plus digs and 1,000-plus assists in a career.
