Southern Illinois University
5-21,0-13MVC
University of Evansville
17-6,7-5MVC
Salukis drop four-setter to Aces
11/01/2021 | 8:35:00 | Women's Volleyball
he Southern Illinois University volleyball team dropped a four-set decision (18-25, 19-25, 25-19, 16-25) to the Evansville Purple Aces Monday night in Missouri Valley Conference play inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
Southern switched up its rotation and utilized both Peyton Plant and Anna Jaworski at setter while Bailey Neuberger got the start and Bryleigh Buchanan saw significant time on the left side for the second-straight match. The moves sparked Southern's offense, as four different hitters finished with at least five kills. Nataly Garcia led the way with her 10th kill-dig double-double of the season, as she put down 12 kills to go along with 11 digs. Neuberger tied her career-high with eight kills and added three digs and an ace. Tornatta chipped in six kills while Buchanan put down five kills and added three blocks.Â
Jaworski and Plant split setting duties, as Jaworski finished with 15 assists, seven digs and tied her career-best with three aces while Plant tallied 14 assists, four digs and an ace. Defensively, Katy Kluge led the way with 19 digs while Averi Vanderzille and Buchanan tied for the team-lead with three blocks apiece.Â
The Salukis finished with eight aces, which were their most in a conference match this season. Five different Salukis served at least one ace, led by three from Jaworski. The down side to Southern's aggressive serving was its misfires, as SIU's eight service errors were also its most in a MVC match this season.
Neither team led by more than two through the first 14 points of the opening set, as a kill by Garcia, coupled with an Evansville error, tied the frame at 7-all. The Aces dialed up four-straight points to take the first lead of more than two for either team. Southern trimmed its deficit down to two on multiple occasions, lastly on an ace by Garcia that made it 17-15. The Aces, however, outscored the Salukis, 8-3 to close out the frame and take the opener.
SIU scored the first five points of the second set, highlighted by back-to-back aces from Jaworski. Southern's lead remained five, 8-3, until Evansville caught SIU in a rotation and rattled off 11-straight points to take their first lead of the frame. After Evansville went ahead 16-11 on a kill by Alondra Vazquez, Southern used a 5-0 run with Giani at the service line to tie the frame at 16-all. The Aces scored four of the next five points to build a three-point advantage, 20-17. Kills from Garcia twice got SIU back to within two but that was as close as it could get.
The Salukis flipped the script in the third set, as they hit at a .346 clip and used an early 5-0 run so seize the lead and never surrender it. A pair of blocks by Giani and Buchanan highlighted the aforementioned 5-0 Saluki run that broke a 4-all tie in the third set. Southern's lead grew to seven, 14-7 on a kill by Buchanan, and the Salukis kept their feet on the pedal from there. SIU's lead was at least four for the remainder of the frame and led by as many as seven.
Southern opened the fourth set on a 5-0 run. Evansville stormed back by scoring nine of the next 11 to take a two-point lead, 9-7. Giani won a joust at the net that drew SIU to within one, but the Aces scored three-straight to push their lead to four, 12-8. Southern twice drew to within three, lastly at 14-11, but Evansville never allowed SIU to get any closer on its way to a four-set victory.Â
The Salukis open their final road swing of the 2021 season on Friday, Nov. 5 at Northern Iowa. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
