Recap | Salukis complete reverse sweep of Oral Roberts, start 3-0 on the season

Sunday, September 1

Huntsville, AL

10 AM

Southern Illinois University

3-0,0-0MVC

Oral Roberts

0-3,0-0Summit League

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Southern Ill.	26	16	25	25	15	3
Oral Roberts	28	25	17	12	9	2

Ema Stermenska and Cecilia Bulmahn

Photo by: Sam Bischel

Recap | Salukis complete reverse sweep of Oral Roberts, start 3-0 on the season

09/01/2024 | 12:30:00 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - After dropping the first two sets, Southern Illinois Women's Volleyball outscored Oral Roberts 65-38 over the next three and completed the reverse sweep Sunday at the Betty Austin Invitational.

Annabelle Sulish and Kelly Franklin led the way with 19 and 17 kills, respectively. Sulish's 19 matched a career-high, and Franklin's 17 passed her previous high of 15. The duo also notched their first double-doubles of the season, with Franklin tallying 12 digs and Sulish with 10. Sulish also set a career-high attack percentage (min. 10 attempts) with a 48.5% clip. Franklin was named tournament MVP, and both were selected to the All-Tournament First Team.

Anna Jaworski (23) and Ema Stermenska (27) continue to be one of the best setting duos in the Missouri Valley Conference, combining for 50 assists.

Larissa Seger had a team-high 14 blocks on the weekend, including five in Sunday's match.

The Salukis (3-0) fell behind in set one, with Oral Roberts' (0-3) lead stretching as high as eight. A late 8-1 run by Southern sent the set into a deuce. The teams traded blows before the Golden Eagles scored a second straight point to take the first set.

SIU could not establish a rhythm in set two, and Oral Roberts cruised 25-16 to a 2-0 advantage heading to set three.

After the Salukis set three on a 6-1 run, Oral Roberts never came within five points despite six service errors from SIU.

A similar story occurred in set four, with the Salukis collecting four aces en route to a 13-point victory to send the match to a fifth set.

Sulish and Franklin combined for six kills in the first 10 Saluki points in set five, and Southern completed its rally with a 15-9 victory, capped by an Ella Swansiger kill.

UP NEXT
SIU will return home for the Saluki Bash, beginning Friday at 10 a.m. in the Banterra Center.

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