Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Loyola University Chicago
Volleyball hosts Loyola, Valparaiso for final homestand of 2018
11/15/2018 | 2:47:00 | Women's Volleyball
Promotions
On Saturday, the Salukis will take on Valparaiso at 7 p.m. inside Davies Gym for Senior Day. SIU will celebrate and honor its two seniors following the match; Patience Brown and Malvis Ortiz.
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All-time series vs. Loyola
The Ramblers took a slight 8-7 edge in the all-time series that dates back to 1984 with their 3-0 win on Oct. 29. The two teams met just four times prior to Loyola joining the MVC in 2013 with SIU winning three of four of those meetings. Since then, the Ramblers hold a 7-4 advantage and have won five-straight in the series.
Scouting the Ramblers
The Ramblers are one match ahead of Missouri State for the final spot in the 2018 MVC Tournament with two matches to play. Loyola is 15-13 on the season, and 7-9 in non-conference play under first-year head coach Amanda Berkley, who was hired this summer after spending five seasons as the head coach at Southern Mississippi. The Ramblers have lost three-straight, which includes four of their last five matches with their only win during that stretch coming against SIU. The Ramblers have five hitters with at least 100-kills, and four with over 200 led by Quinn Spieker's 301 total kills. Delilah Wolf has handed the setting duties and has 1087 assists. The Ramblers are the top blocking team in the Missouri Valley Conference and come in averaging 2.37 blocks per set.
All-time vs. the Crusaders
The Salukis are 4-2 all-time vs. the Crusaders, who joined the MVC prior to the 2017 season. Southern won the first-ever MVC meeting between the programs on Sept. 25, a 3-1 victory and won the first-ever meeting between the two programs, a 3-0 win on Sept. 11, 1993. The two teams tangled once again at the Saluki Invitational in 2009, as the Salukis won a five-set thriller to finish their home tournament with a 3-0 record. The Salukis again faced the Crusaders with a tournament title on the line in 2012, as the Salukis defeated Valpo in straight-sets on Sept. 1, 2012 to win the Billiken Invitational. The Crusaders have won the two most recent meetings including a 3-0 sweep of the Salukis earlier this season.
Scouting the Crusaders
The Crusaders, under the direction of 17-year head coach Carin Avery, are locked in a tight battle for the 4/5 seed. With a win over Missouri State Friday night, Valpo will lock up the four seed. The Crusaders are 22-9 this season and 9-7 in conference play but enter the weekend having lost back-to-back matches for just the second time this season.
Senior Night
Malvis Ortiz and Patience Brown will both play their last matches as Salukis against Valparaiso on Saturday. Ortiz transferred to Carbondale from Alabama A&M prior to this season and has played in 18 matches this season. The Carolina, Puerto Rico native recorded 54 kills including a career-high nine against Bradley on September 21.
Brown has been one of SIU's most consistent attackers in her two seasons since transferring from Akron. A 2017 All-MVC Second Team selection, Brown has racked up nearly 390 kills and 149 blocks in her two seasons as a Saluki.Â
Back up to speed
Rachel Maguire led the Salukis in kills (2.67/set) and finished second on the team in digs (2.83/set) in SIU's final two road matches of the 2018 season. The Bloomington, Ill. native put down a team-best nine kills at Drake on Friday- which were her most in more than a month and she followed with 11 digs against UNI- which were the most for her in a match since Aug. 25.
Clarke leads the back row efforts
Keera Clarke has been one of SIU's most consistent passers this season and led the Saluki defensive efforts over the weekend with a 4.33 digs per set average. The Santa Monica, Calif. finished with a team-high 17 digs and added two assists versus the UNI Panthers, which marked her 11th double-digit dig output of the season.
Climbing up the list
Kat Wagner led SIU's defensive efforts with 13 digs at Drake on Friday night. It marked the 11th time this season that the freshman outside hitter has dug out at least 10 balls while her 212 digs this season currently ties her with Mary Bogdanski for the 17th-most by a freshman in program history.
Block Party
The Salukis recorded a season-high 14 blocks in their four-set win over Indiana State on Nov. 2, which were their most in a Missouri Valley Conference match since Oct. 27, 2017 at Indiana State when Southern also recorded 14. Southern's 14 blocks are the second-most in a four-set match by a Missouri Valley Conference team this season and it marked the 14th time in Coach Thompson's two seasons at the helm that the Salukis have tallied double-digit blocks.
No Holes
The Saluki defense was exceptional against Indiana State on Nov. 2, as Southern recorded 83 digs and held the Sycamores to a .124 hitting percentage- the lowest it has held a MVC opponent this season. It was the lowest that SIU has held an MVC opponent in more than a year, when Southern held Bradley to a .117 hitting efficiency on Sept. 22, 2017.
Setting up the offense
Alayna Martin leads the team in digs (269) and is tied for the team lead in aces (17). She's also tallied 13 double-doubles this season and ranks No. 14 all-time at SIU with 1,510 assists while her 7.7 assists per set ranks ninth in the conference this season.
Closing the Block
Emma Baalman's move to the right side freed up more playing time for middle hitter Lindsey Paulsen, who has flourished at the position as of late. She set career-bests with 12 kills and nine total blocks against Missouri State on Oct. 27 and followed with 10 kills and five blocks in SIU's 3-1 win over Indiana State. Over the past six matches, Paulsen is leading the team in both kills (2.25/set) and blocks (1.55/set) while hitting at a .283 clip.Â
Most Blocks in a four-setter
Lindsey Paulsen's nine blocks in SIU's four-set match against Missouri State on Oct. 27 are the most in a four-set Missouri Valley Conference match this season. Paulsen's nine blocks broke a five-way tie that including Patience Brown's eight blocks against CSUN (Sept. 7) for most blocks in a four-set match this season and are tied for the third-most in a match of any length in the Valley this season.
Reached the century mark
With her three assists against Drake on Oct. 13, Marissa Rossi dished out her 100th assist of the season. It marks the third-straight season in which the Salukis have had a freshman dish out at least 100 assists and just the 10th time in school history (dating back to 1980) that a first-year has reached the century mark in assists.
Academic Culture
SIU head coach Kari Thompson has instilled a culture that promotes success both on and off the court and it has been evident in the continued academic success of the program. Southern posted a 3.41 grade point average during her first season to garner an AVCA Team Academic Award and placed eight on the MVC Honor Roll.
