Southern Illinois University
5-14,0-6MVC
University of Northern Iowa
7-12,2-4MVC
Panthers outlast Salukis in five set thriller
10/09/2021 | 10:46:00 | Women's Volleyball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University volleyball team suffered a hard-fought defeat at the hands of the Northern Iowa Panthers, 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 25-17, 12-25, 11-15) Friday night inside Davies Gym.
After dropping the first two sets to the Panthers, the Salukis rallied to win each of the next two sets handily to force a fifth set. Southern, who hit just .057 through the first two sets, flipped the script and hit .277 through the match's final three sets. The Salukis were equally strong defensively during the latter part of the match, as the Panthers hit .314 through the first two sets but hit just .126 after that. Southern was undone in the fifth set by its inability to control the first pass, as the Panthers came away with three aces and kept Southern's offense out of sync for much of the final frame.
Alex Washington was a big reason why Southern's offense began to click despite the slow start. Washington, who came into the match with 22 kills in 16 matches this season, erupted for a season-high 15 kills in four sets Saturday after she entered the match during the second set. The junior outside hitter was one kill shy of her career-best and hit at a respectable .281 clip.
Nataly Garcia joined Washington in double figures and finished with a team-best 19 kills to go along with seven digs and two aces. Tatum Tornatta added 15 kills, which marked the sixth time in her last seven matches that she's put down 10-plus kills.
Three Salukis finished in double figures in digs, led by Katy Kluge, who finished with 19. The junior libero needs just two digs Monday night to reach 1,000 for her career. Anna Jaworski dished out 48 assists to go along with 15 digs while Ryan Rednour set a new career-high with 13 digs and added an ace.
The Panthers scored four of the first five points of the first set before Southern rallied to knot the score at 10-all. UNI dialed up a 5-2 run to take a 15-12 lead at the midway point before Southern trimmed its deficit to one, 17-16. The Salukis, however, could get no closer, as the Panthers closed the frame on an 8-2 run to take the opener.
Northern Iowa used an 8-1 run to open the second set and never trailed to take a 2-0 set score lead. SIU played inspired volleyball in the third set, as it turned a narrow 6-5 lead into a four-point advantage courtesy of a 4-1 run of its own. After UNI clawed back to within two, 12-10, the Salukis exploded for six-straight points with Garcia at the service line that effectively put the set away.
With momentum clearly shifting in favor of the home team, Southern took advantage in the fourth frame. After neither team led by more than three through the first 20 points of the set, Southern used a 4-1 spurt to turn a two-point lead (12-10) into a five-point swing (16-11). Northern Iowa did not go quietly into the good night, as they clawed all the way back to get to within one, 23-22, before a pair of kills from Garcia sent the two teams to a decisive fifth set.
The Panthers, who's chances of winning seemed to be on life support heading into the fifth set, got their collective heart beating again after they rattled off four of the first five points of the fifth frame. A kill by Tornatta got SIU to within two, 4-2, but Northern Iowa scored five of the next six points to increase its lead. The Salukis kept fighting and got to within two, 13-11 on a solo stuff by Garcia, but the Panthers benefitted from a close call on an errant attack by Garcia and finished the Salukis off with an ace on set point to seal the win.
The Salukis are back in action on Monday, Oct. 11 when they travel to Indiana State. First serve against the Sycamores is set for 5 p.m. CT.
