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 Southern Illinois couldn't capitalize on their first set win falling to the Bluejays in four sets Saturday afternoon. |
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Oct. 27, 2012
By Robin Thuringer
SIUSalukis.com
OMAHA, Neb.-- The Southern Illinois volleyball team dropped their final match of the weekend to Creighton Saturday afternoon falling in four sets, 27-25, 21-25, 23-25, and 18-25.
Creighton entered the match looking to avenge their only Missouri Valley Conference loss that came courtesy of the Salukis on September 28.
Southern Illinois (18-6, 8-5 MVC) and Creighton (20-3, 11-1 MVC) wasted no time in the first set battling on each possession to take the set into extra points. The Salukis were resilient, holding on to win the set 27-25.
The Salukis jumped out again in the second set taking a lead at 10-7 forcing the Jays to call a timeout to regroup. The Jays came back taking the game to a 12-12 tie. Creighton continued to hold an advantage throughout the set holding a steady three-point lead. The Jays went to set-point at 24-20. A long back-and-forth rally ended in the Salukis favor taking the game to 24-21. Creighton was able to hold off the Salukis winning 25-21, tying the game at a set apiece.
The third set began in the same fashion as the second set with the two teams trading points to a mid-set tie. The Salukis found success off the Creighton serve going up 16-13. The Jays took a timeout looking for a momentum shift. Pippen denied CU knocking in a kill, putting the Salukis up four points. SIU and Creighton dueled to a 23-23 tie. The duo of Kelli Browning and Megan Bober teamed up to block Southern's final attempts closing out the third set on Southern Illinois 25-23.
Creighton took control of the fourth set forcing Southern to hit negatively in the opening of the set. CU jumped out to hold a five-point lead and continued to keep their distance from the Salukis until the end of the set. The Bluejays took the final set 25-18 to also claim the match.
Alysia Mayes led the Salukis offensively with 17 kills for a hitting clip of .324. Laura Thole followed with 15 kills and Jessica Whitehead tipped in 14 kills. Amy Drabantrecorded 51 assists. Yeager led in the backcourt with 30 digs.
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