Volleyball Defeats SIU, 3-0 :: Southeast records 3-0 sweep against Salukis to pick up first victory of the season

Southeast records 3-0 sweep against Salukis to pick up first victory of the season

Sept. 14, 2004

CARBONDALE, Ill. -

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team recorded their first match victory of the season, sweeping Southern Illinois University in three games (30-25, 30-24, 32-30).

Southeast (1-8, 0-0 OVC) jumped out to an early 6-1 lead over the Salukis (2-5, 0-0 MVC) in game one, relinquishing the lead only twice to SIU as they took the first game, 30-25 using a combination of timely hitting and SIU errors. Jessica Wilfong (Park Hills, MO/Park Hills) had five kills, hitting .625 percent in the first game. Wilfong also recorded three blocks to contribute to SIU's .128 hitting percentage in the first game.

The second game started off back-and-forth, until an Ashley Smith (DeSoto, MO/Jefferson College) kill started a 5-0 run that pulled Southeast ahead 10-5, a lead that Southeast never gave up, enroute to the second game victory.

The third game started out very promising for the Otahkians. Jumping out to a quick 5-1 lead, SIU then started chipping away at the Southeast lead. Both teams exchanged points and leads throughout the game, until SIU served for match-point 29-27.

Back-to-back Brittany Hastings (Wichita, KS/Circle H.S.) kills silenced the SIU crowd and ended the Salukis chances as they failed to stop Southeast from recording the 32-30 victory.

Jessica Koeper (Jackson, MO/Jackson) led the team with a game high 15 kills with Wilfong joining her in double figures with 10 kills. Wilfong also added six blocks (five block assists).

Lauren Scannell (Belleville, IL/Southwestern Illinois College) led the team with a game-high 18 digs and Jill Miller (Muncie, IN/Muncie Central) recorded 12 digs of her own.

Jamie Baumstark (Hermann, MO/Hermann) finished with a game-high 36 assists.

As a team Southeast hit .206 and held SIU to a .172 hitting percentage. Southeast also recorded eight blocks and had five aces, two by Koeper.

Up next for the team is a road-trip to Columbia, Mo. to take on the Mizzou Tigers in the Hearnes Center on Tuesday, September 21. Match time is set for 7:00 p.m.