Southern Illinois University
3-4,0-0MVC
Saint Louis University
4-3,0-0Atlantic 10
Salukis fall to Billikens
09/07/2021 | 8:19:00 | Women's Volleyball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University volleyball team dropped a three-set decision (17-25, 25-27, 19-25) to the St. Louis Billikens Tuesday night in non-conference play inside Davies Gym.
The Salukis (3-4), who came into the contest having won three of their last four matches, struggled with first ball contacts, which in part, made it difficult to remain in system offensively. Southern posted a 51-percent (39-76) sideout percentage and hit .156 for the match. SLU, on the other hand, sided out 76.9-percent of the time and hit .310 for the match.
Southern got out to an early lead in the first set thanks to a four-point spurt with Katy Kluge at the service line that put SIU ahead 6-3. The Billikens returned the favor in the form of seven-straight points to turn a three-point deficit (8-5) into a four-point lead (12-8). The Salukis cut their deficit down to two, 13-11, behind kills by Tatum Tornatta and Nsia Gittens, but that was as close as they could get.
The Billikens led by as many as seven (13-6) before the midway point of the second set, but the Salukis scored in bunches to get right back into the frame. Southern used three separate runs of three-straight points or more to turn a 13-7 deficit into a 19-all tie. After St. Louis scored four of the next five points to go ahead 23-20, the Salukis scored four-straight points to take a 24-23 lead. The Billikens, however, got the side out that they needed and scored three of the next four points to seal the set two win.
St. Louis scored four of the first five points of the third frame but the Salukis countered with five of the next six points to take a 6-5 advantage. The Billikens used a 6-2 spurt to take the set's first lead of three points or more. SIU chipped away, getting its deficit down to one, 14-13 on a kill by Nataly Garcia, but St. Louis scored five of the next six points to put the set away for good.
Junior transfer Nataly Garcia paced the Salukis with nine kills, seven digs and an ace. Garcia was one of four Salukis to record at least six kills in the match. Redshirt freshman Nsia Gittens put down seven kills while Imani Hartfield and Tatum Tornatta each chipped in six kills. Defensively, Southern was led by Katy Kluge, who finished with nine digs to go along with two assists and two aces.
The Salukis are back in action this weekend when they host the Saluki Invitational. Eastern Illinois, USC Upstate and Alabama State will come to Banterra Center for the two-day tournament, which begins on Friday, Sept. 10.
