Saluki Volleyball set for Central Arkansas Invitational

The Southern Illinois University volleyball team travels to Conway, Ark. for the Central Arkansas Invitational. The Salukis are set to take on Louisiana Tech (1 p.m.), Central Arkansas (7 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 9 before tangling with University of Louisiana at Monroe (10 a.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Scouting Louisiana Tech

The Lady Techsters are currently 3-5 on the season.
LA Tech went winless at the Fresno State Invitational but picked up a five-set win over ULM on Tuesday.
The Lady Techsters were picked to finish 11th out of 11 in the 2022 Conference USA Preseason Poll.
Returning All-Conference selection McKenzie Johnson leads LA Tech's back row efforts with a 3.61 digs per set average.
Johnson's 16 aces are the ninth-most in NCAA DI so far this season.

All-time vs. the Lady Techsters

This will mark the first-ever meeting between LA Tech and SIU.
Southern holds a 10-7 all-time record against Conference USA foes, with its last win over a C-USA opponent coming on Aug. 31, 2019 with a four-set win over Middle Tennessee State at the Maria Hamilton Classic, hosted by St. Louis.

Scouting Central Arkansas

The Sugar Bears come into this weekend's matches with a 3-3 record.
UCA lost all three of its most recent matches at the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup, hosted by Houston.
The Sugar Bears were picked to finish 10th out of 14 teams in the ASUN Preseason Poll.
Laci Bohannan leads the Sugar Bears with a 3.41 kills per set average.

All-time vs. UCA

The Salukis are 0-2 all-time against the Sugar Bears.
Southern dropped a four-set decision to UCA on Sept. 17, 2021.
SIU is 11-4 all-time against current ASUN Conference programs. Southern's last win over a ASUN school came on Sept. 14, 2013- a 3-1 win over Eastern Kentucky.

Scouting ULM

ULM has won three of its last four matches entering the weekend and has a 3-4 overall record.
The Warhawks were picked to finish last in the Sun Belt Conference.
Madeline Williams is leading ULM's offensive efforts with a 3.03 kills per set average.
The Warhawks' 471 total digs are the fourth-most in the NCAA.

All-time vs. the Warhawks

The Salukis lead the all-time series with the Warhawks, 1-0.
Southern defeated ULM in straight sets on Sept. 1, 2000.

Hitting at a high clip

The Salukis hit a season-best .425 in the win over Southern University, which marked the best SIU has hit in a match since hitting .441 in a victory over Evansville on Oct. 5, 2012. It was just the fifth match in the last 10 years that the Salukis have hit .400 or better in.
Southern currently ranks second in the conference with a .255 hitting percentage.

On a roll

SIU has won three of its last four matches, which includes a pair of wins at the Colonel Classic, hosted by Nicholls. The Salukis have won all three matches in straight sets.

MVC Freshman of the Week honors

Ceci Bulmahn was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week this past week after her performance at the Colonel Classic.
Bulmahn averaged 3.25 kills and 3.33 digs per set as the Salukis won three of their four matches last week.
The freshman from McCordsville, Ind. put down double-digit kills in three of SIU's four matches, which included a pair of kill-dig double-doubles.
Bulmahn leads all Valley freshmen, and ranks 23rd amongst freshmen nationally, with a 3.05 kills per set average.
She is the first Saluki to bring home MVC Freshman of the Week honors since Meg Viggars did so on Nov. 25, 2013.

All-Tourney Duo

The Salukis placed two on the Colonel Classic All-Tournament team over the weekend, as setter Anna Jaworski and outside hitter Tatum Tornatta each earned a spot on the All-Tournament team.
Jaworski averaged .42 kills, 11.83 assists, and 2.08 digs per set to help lead SIU to three wins in four tries last week.
SIU's sophomore setter tallied at least 30 assists in all four matches, which included her first dig-assist double-double of the season in the win over Nicholls.
Tornatta averaged 3.17 kills, .67 digs, and .50 blocks per set to help lead SIU to three wins in four tries last week.

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Cecilia Bulmahn

Anna Jaworski

Tatum Tornatta

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