Southern Illinois University
University of Northern Iowa
Game Notes: Volleyball vs. Northern Iowa
02/19/2021 | 12:14:00 | Women's Volleyball
The Southern Illinois University volleyball team returns to Davies Gym on Sunday and Monday to host the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. The Panthers swept the season series a year ago, and have won seven-straight over the Salukis. Southern is coming off a weekend in which it split a pair of matches at Valparaiso. Both contests can be streamed on ESPN+.
All-Time vs. Northern Iowa
• The Panthers hold a commanding 59-13 lead over the Salukis in an all-time series that dates back to 1982.Â
• UNI swept the season series from SIU a year ago.
• Northern Iowa has won seven-straight over SIU, with Southern's last win coming in a five-set thriller in Davies Gym on Sept. 23, 2016.Â
• In fact, 8 of SIU's 13 all-time wins over UNI have come on its home floor.Â
• SIU's last win over UNI: Sept. 23, 2016 (3-2 win)
Last Time They Met
- The Salukis took a set off the first place Northern Iowa on Nov. 1, 2019.
- Southern led at least once in all four sets.Â
- After UNI took set one, SIU rebounded to take the second set, 25-23. The Panthers prevailed, winning each of the next two sets to take the match.
- Hannah Becker led Southern's offense with 12 kills.
- Rachel Maguire tallied seven kills, 14 assists and 11 digs.
First win at Valpo
- The Salukis defeated Valpo in five-sets on Feb. 14 for their first win at Valparaiso in program history.Â
- All four of Southern's previous wins over the Brown and Gold came on either its home floor or at a neutral site.
Active at the net
- Southern tallied a season-high 13 blocks in its five-set win at Valpo on Feb. 14.Â
- Six different Salukis notched at least a block assist in the win, led by Imani Hartfield's career-high eight.
- SIU's 13 blocks were its most in the Ed Allen era.
Limiting the Mistakes
- Southern committed just 17 attack errors in its five-set win at Valpo on Feb. 14.Â
- SIU recorded three or fewer errors in three of five sets and didn't tally more than five in any one set.
- The Salukis' 17 attack errors in the five-set win were its fewest in a five-set match since Nov. 14, 2014.
First Career Kill-Dig Double-Double
- Taylor Morgan tallied 12 kills and 12 digs in Southern's win over Valpo (Feb. 14) to record the first double-double of her collegiate career.
- In fact, Morgan set career-bests in kills (12), attacks (41), aces (2), digs (12) and blocks (2) in the win.
- Morgan's 12 kills at Valpo on Feb. 14 were as many as she tallied in her previous four appearances.
Terminations aplenty
- Southern's 68 kills in its win over Valpo on Feb. 14 were tied for its most in a match since Sept. 12, 2017.Â
- Four Salukis recorded double-digit kills in the win, which included a career-high tying 12 from Emma Baalman.
- Hannah Becker put down a season-high 17 kills, while Imani Hartfield tied her career-best with 14 and Morgan added a personal-best 12.
Running the middles
- Southern's middle hitters, Imani Hartfield and Emma Baalman, rank 1-2 in the MVC in hitting percentage.
- Baalman bumped her average up to .340 after she .347 in Southern's two matches at Valpo, which included at a .480 clip in SIU's win over the Brown and Gold on Feb. 14.
- Hartfield ranks second in the league at .298.
Playing beyond her years
• Hartfield hit .323, tied her career-best in kills (14) and set a career-high in blocks (8) in Southern's win at Valpo (Feb. 14).
• The Sanford, Fla. native has put down at least six kills in seven of her first eight collegiate matches, which includes three matches with double-digit kills.
• Hartfield currently ranks first among Valley freshmen in hitting percentage, fourth in kills per set (2.21) and fourth in total kills (73).
