Saluki Volleyball to host border rival SEMO on Tuesday

Tuesday, September 12

Carbondale, Ill.

7 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

Southeast Missouri State University

09/11/2017 | 3:09:00 | Women's Volleyball

SIU vs. SEMO Match Notes Buy Tickets ESPN3

The Salukis and the Redhawks meet for the 35th time inside the SIU Arena.

By: Will Becque, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Southern Illinois volleyball team hosts border rival Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday, Sept. 12. First serve between the Salukis and the Redhawks is set for 7 p.m. inside the SIU Arena, with the match being streamed live on ESPN3.

Tickets are available by calling 1-877-SALUKIS or by visiting SIUSalukis.com.

All-time series vs. SEMO
Southern holds a 23-11 record over its border rival SEMO dating back to the 1975 season. The Salukis have won three-straight, and seven of their last eight, over the Redhawks, with SIU's last loss to SEMO at home coming on Sept. 14, 2004.

Scouting the Redhawks
The Redhawks were picked to finish ninth (out of 12) in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll. Senior outside hitter Krissa Gearring and senior middle blocker Nzingha Clarke were both named to the 2017 Preseason All-OVC Team. Gearing was named First Team All-OVC in 2016 after she led the OVC in kills and finished second in the league in kills per set. Clarke, who earned Second-Team All-OVC honors in 2016, hit .294 as a junior and led SEMO in total blocks with 84. The Redhawks are 5-5 this season, and come into Tuesday night's match having lost three-straight matches at the Drake Tournament.

Playing Like a Senior
Maggie Nedoma tallied 18 kills against Oakland on Friday, which were not only a career-best, but the most by a freshman since Andrea Estrada finished with 18 against Indiana State on Oct. 24, 2014. Meanwhile, her three-straight matches with 10+ kills is the longest such streak since Estrada tallied 10-plus kills in four-straight matches as a freshman from Aug. 30, 2014-Sept. 5, 2014.

Returning to Carbondale
SEMO head coach Julie Yankus was an assistant coach at SIU under Brenda Winkeler for five seasons from 2005-10. Since taking over as the head coach of the Redhawks, Yankus has a 1-4 record against her former school. Her lone win came on Sept. 7, 2013, a 3-2 SEMO win at the Kansas State Invitational.

Block Party
The Salukis recorded a season-high 13 blocks at Murray State, with three Salukis recording at least three blocks a piece. It marked the 70th time in the past six seasons that Southern has notched double-digit blocks in a match.

Career Milestones
Andrea Estrada tallied 21 digs against Oakland, which marked the fifth time in her career that she has recorded 20+ digs in a match. In doing so, she passed Debbie Barr (1996-99) for fifth in program history with 1,123 career digs. Abby Barrow, meanwhile, needs just eight kills to reach 900 for her career.

Clean Sheet
Kolby Meeks put down five kills on 12 swings without recording a hitting error against Western Michigan on Sept. 9, which marked the fourth time in her career that the Norcross, Ga. native has recorded at least 10 attacks without committing an error.

Nedoma named to All-Tournament Team
Maggie Nedoma finished first on the team in kills and hitting percentage during SIU's two matches at the Western Michigan Invitational en route to earning All-Tournament Team recognition. The freshman from Berea Park, Ohio hit .348 and put down 23 kills (3.28/set), including a career-high 18 kills against Oakland (Mich.) on Friday.

First Kill in 2 seasons
Ashley Edelen was credited for a kill against Western Michigan on Saturday. It marks the third career kill for Southern's starting libero, and her first since Nov. 21, 2015.

Career Night for Sutton
Alysa Sutton had her most productive match as a Saluki at Murray State, as she tied career-bests in service aces (2) and digs (16).

More Aces
Nellie Fredriksson recorded a pair of aces at Murray State to tie her career-best. It was the fourth and fifth career aces for the senior outside hitter, and it marked the first time since Oct. 18, 2014 that she notched two in the same match.

20+ digs
Andrea Estrada tallied a season-best 21 digs against Oakland on Sept. 8. It marked the second time this season, and the seventh time in her storied career, that she has finished with 20-plus digs in a match.

8 Away from 900
Abby Barrow, who led the Salukis with seven kills against Western Michigan, is now eight kills shy of 900 for her career. She sits at 892 career kills.