Southern Illinois University
2-17,1-16MVC
Illinois State University
12-5,10-3MVC
Salukis fall to Redbirds
03/27/2021 | 7:16:00 | Women's Volleyball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University volleyball team fell in three sets (19-25, 23-25, 12-25) to the first-place Illinois State Redbirds Saturday afternoon in Missouri Valley Conference play inside Davies Gym.
The Salukis hung around for a while with the Redbirds, but Illinois State took control in the third set to cruise to the win. Southern limited its mistakes from the service line as well as in serve receive, as SIU's eight combined serve/receive errors were its fewest in a MVC match this season.
Hannah Becker led the Saluki attack, as finished with a team-high nine kill on 23 swings. Savannah Sheridan added five kills while Emma Baalman hit .333 with four kills and an ace. Lindsey Paulsen also chipped in four kills and a block.
Defensively, Southern was once again led by Katy Kluge, who finished with 17 digs. Rachel Maguire tallied 27 assists, five digs and two aces.
Illinois State scored four of the first five points in the first set. Southern used a kill by Nsia Gittens to cut its deficit down to two, 10-8 but the Redbirds scored five of the next six points to open up a 15-9 advantage. SIU got to within four, 16-12 thanks to a kill by Becker along with an Illinois State attack error. The Redbirds rattled off six-straight points to open up a double-digit lead and while Southern scored seven of the next eight points to get to within four, it was too little too late.
Southern scored three of the first four points of the second set and later broke a 6-all tie with four-straight points to open up a 10-6 lead. The Redbirds used a 4-1 spurt to get to within one but the Salukis answered with a 5-1 run of their own to take a 16-11 lead. Illinois State countered with five-straight points to tie the frame at 16-all but Southern responded with six of the next seven points to open up a 22-17 advantage. The Redbirds got the last laugh though, as they ripped off eight of the final nine points to take a 2-0 set score lead.
With momentum on their side following a comeback win in set two, Illinois State cruised to a win in the third set. The Redbirds opened the frame on a 12-1 run and led by double-digits from there on out.
The Salukis and the Redbirds will tangle again tomorrow, March 28 at 2 p.m. Sunday's match is not only the 2020-21 season finale for the Salukis but it will also serve as Senior Day for SIU's six seniors.
