Southern Illinois University
2-16,1-15MVC
Drake University
12-5,10-4MVC
Salukis battle but fall in four sets to Bulldogs
03/22/2021 | 7:22:00 | Women's Volleyball
The Southern Illinois University volleyball team dropped a four-set decision (19-25, 19-25, 25-23, 21-25) at Drake University Monday night.
SIU had a balanced attack when it was in system as four different Salukis finished with 20-plus swings and all four had at least seven kills. Drake's block, however, gave Southern fits, as the Bulldogs tallied 12 blocks and held Southern to a .137 hitting percentage. SIU's back row was up to the challenge of keeping Drake's attacks from hitting the floor, as Southern tallied 95 digs- its most in a MVC match this season- and held the Bulldogs to a .196 hitting percentage.Â
Hannah Becker and Nsia Gittens paced SIU's attack. Becker reached double-digits in kills for the sixth time this season as she tallied a season-high 18 kills on 50 swings. Gittens notched the first kill-dig double-double of her career and did so with career-bests in both kills (14) and digs (15). Savannah Sheridan added seven kills while Lindsey Paulsen chipped in seven kills and two blocks.
Defensively, Katy Kluge led the way with 20 digs to go along with four assists. Rachel Maguire stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 44 assists, 17 digs, two kills and an ace while MacKenzie Houser added a career-high 21 digs.
SIU took the first two point lead of the first set at 6-4 on back-to-back kills by Becker. Drake rallied with five-straight points to build a three-point advantage but Southern later used a Drake attack error to regain the lead at 13-12. The Bulldogs again answered with five-straight points to take a 17-13 lead. The Salukis got to within three, 19-16 on another kill by Becker but that was as close as they could get.
Southern scored three of the first four points of the second set. Drake took their first three-point lead at 10-7, but Southern answered with back-to-back points to draw to within one. The Salukis used a kill by Emma Baalman coupled with a Drake attack error to take a 13-12 lead. The Bulldogs scored the next three points to build a 15-13 advantage but the Salukis countered with back-to-back points to tie the frame at 15-all. Drake rallied last, as it scored four-straight points and never looked back to take a 2-0 set score lead.
In a third set that featured an astounding 10 lead changes and 16 ties, neither team led by more than two at any point in the frame. It was Southern who flipped the script and broke away late to force a fourth set. Maguire's second kill tied the frame at 23-all, and a block by Baalman and Maguire, coupled with a Drake attack error gave Southern a 25-23 set three win.
Drake got out to a quick 3-0 lead in the fourth set and never trailed. The Bulldogs lead ballooned to seven, 20-13 but Southern scored seven of the next 10 points to get to within three, 23-20. After a Drake kill, SIU responded with another kill by Becker to draw to within three but a service error by the Salukis dashed any hopes of a late comeback.Â
The Salukis close out the 2020-21 season next weekend with a pair of matches against the Illinois State Redbirds. Both Saturday and Sunday's matches will start at 2 p.m. and Sunday's match will serve as Senior Day.
