Southern Illinois University
0-3
Miami University (OH)
1-1
Saluki Volleyball drops three-set decision to Miami (Ohio)
08/26/2017 | 2:13:00 | Women's Volleyball
Andrea Estrada paced the Salukis with 15 kills, which marked the 63rd time in her career that she has reached double figures.
The Southern Illinois volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision (25-22, 25-18, 25-13) to the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks Saturday, August 26 to close out play at the Miami (Ohio) Tournament inside Millett Hall.
The Salukis (0-3), playing in their third match of the weekend and their second against a 2016 NCAA Tournament participant, were outhit by the RedHawks, .313-to-.135.
Senior outside hitter Andrea Estrada led the way with a .387 hitting percentage, as she put down 15 kills on 31 attempts with only three errors. It marked the 63rd time in 98 career matches that the Bogota, Colombia native has reached double figures in kills. She also added nine digs and a solo block. Fellow senior outside hitter Nellie Fredriksson chipped in six kills, while senior libero Ashley Edelen notched her second-straight double-digit dig effort, and the 13th of her career, with a team-best 10 digs. Freshman setter Rachel Maguire piloted the offense and finished with 15 assists, a kill and three digs.
The RedHawks (1-1) opened up a four-point lead in the early goings of the opening set, as they got out to an 8-4 advantage. Southern clawed its way back, as kills by Estrada and Maguire got SIU to within one, 14-13. That was as close as the Salukis could get though, as Miami responded with three-straight points to push their lead back to four and never looked back. A late rally with Emma Baalman serving got SIU to within two, 24-22, but the RedHawks sided out after a timeout to take the first frame, 25-22. Estrada was particularly effective during the first set, as she tallied six kills on just nine swings with one error for a .556 hitting efficiency.
The second set saw SIU get out to an early 6-5 lead on a solo block by Estrada. Miami countered with a 6-1 run that shifted momentum back to the home team. Southern cut the deficit to one on three occasions, which included a kill by Kolby Meeks trimmed Miami's lead down to 17-16. But a 4-0 spurt by Miami took the remaining wind out of Southern's figurative sail, as the RedHawks won set two, 25-18.
SIU dug itself out of an early 8-1 hole in set three, as Baalman went on a six-serve run in which Estrada notched a pair of kills to make it 8-7. That was, however, as close as Southern could get, as Miami sealed the win with a 6-0 spurt en route to a 25-13 set three victory.
The Salukis return to Carbondale for their home opener on Tuesday, August 29 vs. Arkansas State. First serve is set for 7 p.m. inside SIU Arena.
