Volleyball to host Eastern Illinois for exhibition match on Saturday

Saturday, August 18

5 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

Eastern Illinois University

Photo by: Will Becque

Volleyball to host Eastern Illinois for exhibition match on Saturday

08/16/2018 | 4:40:00 | Women's Volleyball

By: Will Becque, SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois volleyball team will take the floor at Davies Gym for an exhibition match against Eastern Illinois on Saturday, August 18 at 5 p.m. The exhibition is open to the public and free of charge with an autograph session to follow.

Second-year Saluki head coach Kari Thompson is excited to showcase the work that her squad has put in over the first two weeks of the season.

"Were looking forward to Saturday," Thompson said. "We have been competing hard against ourselves but we know each other. We want to see how we do with someone else on the other side of the net."

The Salukis return 10 from the 2017-18 squad, including three starters: senior Patience Brown, junior Alayna Martin and sophomore Rachel Maguire. With 10 new faces taking the court this season, Saturday provides a chance for fans to get familiar with the 2018 roster.

"They are doing pretty well," Thompson said of the Saluki newcomers. "There are a lot of them but they are not acting or playing like freshmen. They make the occasional freshman mistake but they are competing hard and have looked very comfortable on the court right away. It is good to see and I like where they are at."

The Salukis will attempt to shore up their starting six, with a question mark still hanging over who will hit on the left side. Southern graduated two members of its 1,000-kill club in Abby Barrow and Andrea Estrada and injuries have left the Salukis thin at the position. Southern will also use the exhibition as an opportunity to mix up its lineup as well as teach the newcomers the routines of a typical gameday.

"No matter what you practice, having the exhibition match is nice because nothing can replicate an actual match like an exhibition can," Thompson said.

The Salukis open their season on Friday, Aug. 24 when they travel to Louisville, Ky. for the Cardinal Classic. Southern will take on IUPUI (8/24; 10:30 a.m.), Louisville (8/24; 7:30 p.m.), and UT Martin (8/25; 7:30 p.m.) as part of the two-day tournament. Fans can purchase season tickets for the upcoming season here.

The opponent

Eastern Illinois returns four starters from last year's squad that went 15-15 and advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament semifinals. The Panthers' season ended with a 3-1 loss to Murray State, one of SIU's non-conference foes this season, in the OVC Tournament. After the 2017 season, the Panthers parted ways with coach Samantha Wolinksi, who went 36-56 in three years at the helm. Eastern then hired Wichita State volunteer assistant Julie Allen to become its 12th head coach. The first-time head coach was an assistant for 14 seasons at five stops, including Wichita State, UTEP and Georgetown. Returning All-MVC First Teamer Taylor Smith returns after a junior season in which she led the nation in triple doubles with 10. In addition to Smith, EIU returns three other players who appeared in over 100 sets last season in senior Gina Furlin, redshirt junior Anne Hughes and sophomore Laurel Bailey.