Southern Illinois University
A3 Performance Invitational
Salukis Set to Host A3 Performance Invitational over the Weekend
11/10/2021 | 1:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. — With the program's official swimming equipment provider, Southern Illinois University is set to host four programs for the annual SIU invitational, the A3 Performance Invite inside Shea Natatorium, November 11 through November 13. The visiting schools, fellow MVC/MAC opponents Evansville and Valparaiso, along with Eastern Illinois and Bellarmine will start off with preliminaries at 10am, with finals taking place 5pm and Saturday at 4pm.
The invitational is free to the public and will have a concessions cart for spectators at the entrance of the upper deck of the natatorium. Live results will be featured via the Meet Mobile app, while a live stream will be available on the Student Recreation Center's Facebook page.
SIU-EVANSVILLE /BELLARMINE/EIU/VALPARAISO HISTORY
This is the third invitational hosted by the Maroon and White in 10 year, with a third place finish in the 2017 Saluki Invite and a first place finale at the 2019 SIU Invitational. This is the first three-day invitational meet hosting five schools in modern-era program history with the men's and women's teams.
The SIU women hold the upper hand in results to three of the four opponents, Eastern Illinois has a steadily 3-2 all-time record since 1981 to the Salukis. Southern Illinois has only individually met with Bellarmine in 2019, topping the Knights before their transition into Division I in 2020 and a member of the CCSA -- an affiliate of the ASUN for men's and women's swimming and diving. Meeting MVC members Evansville and Valparaiso last season, the Dawgs over took both in dual and tri-meets in 2021, while overcoming both in sixth and eighth places in the MVC Championships.
The Saluki men reign over all four, holding perfect all-time results while meeting Bellarmine once in 2019, and ranking a steady 40-0 all-time lead to the Purple Aces of Evansville. SIU took home 134-80 and 196-91 victories over UE, while 218.5-43.5 team points gap to the Beacons of Valparaiso. The Dawgs have not seen Eastern Illinois since 1995.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The Valpo women are 0-3 on the season, while finishing in ninth with 46 points at the Indiana Intercollegiate Invite hosted by Purdue. Showing strong growth from MVC's, Evansville marks a 2-1 record in duals in Fall 2021, while overcoming Saint Louis and Little Rock in their first tri-meet at home. The Redbirds of Illinois State narrowly edged the Purple Aces, 155-144 on Oct. 23. Summit League member Eastern Illinois sees a win on the schedule at Valparaiso, only succumbing to Evansville and Ball State on the year. Bellarmine has seen action in two tri-meets thus far in the season, falling to UNC-Asheville and Gardner-Webb in mid-October and found their first victory in the Division I era over Centre College and Butler in their home pool.
On the men's side, the Panthers of Eastern Illinois are 1-2 in duals, finding victory over Valparaiso, 155-107, along with the women's program. The Evansville men are perfect so far in the year, 3-0 team wins over Valpo, EIU, and Saint Louis. Valparaiso has bottomed on action in the pool with an 0-2 start in duals, finishing seventh at the Indiana Intercollegiate Invite, and invite losses to Butler, Xavier, and UIPUI. Bellarmine breaks even currently in the season, falling to Garner-Webb and holding Division III Centre College steady in their first Division I win.
LAST TIME OUT
Staying split in the last home meet, the Salukis dominated Valley opponent, Illinois State 204-95, while coming just short to Illinois, 155-144 in tri-meet action. Freshman standout Celia Pulido marked her third career three-peat in meet action. The Mexico-native recorded a first place finish in the 200-IM (2:04.18) and 200-back (1:57.63), while earning the pool record inside Shea Natatorium in the women's 100-back (54.19). Canadian diver Laura Mircea stood out on the board for the Maroon and White. Mircea garnered a second-place spot, behind Illinois' Taylor Michael, on the three-meter tallying 247.20 -- only three points below her lifetime best. Ending the meet was the final relay event, in a tight battle back and forth with each member were the Illini and Salukis rallying. The Dawgs came close to the Orange and Blue, inches away from their 3:27.85 finale was the Saluki relay A squad of Abbey Desmet, Lucia Romero, Meesha Montgomery, and Sierra Forbord -- hitting the wall at 3:29.97.
WEEKLY WINNERS
The Missouri Valley Conference named freshman Ali Robertson the conference Swimmer of the Week for November 2. Robertson, a Michigan native, garnered her third first place title in the 100-breaststroke (1:04.36) in the Salukis' split tri-meet on Friday, where SIU outswam Illinois State and inched by Illinois. The freshman was a member of the winning 200-medley relay (1:44.17), and has so far edged teammate Mima Zaborska in the 100-breast -- who is the reigning MVC Champion in the event.
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