Sept. 13, 2008

Final Stats

CARBONDALE, Ill. – (Saturday, September 13, 2008) The Redhawks volleyball team’s streak came to an end as they fell to their regional rival Southern Illinois 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 16-25, 23-25) in the championship game of the Hampton Inn Saluki Invitational on Saturday evening in Carbondale, Illinois. The loss snapped the Redhawks two-match winning streak as they defeated fellow tournament participants Arkansas State and Western Illinois.

The Redhawks (2-4) picked up right where they left off in their comeback victory earlier in the morning against Western Illinois winning the first set against the host Salukis (8-1). The Redhawks won the first point of the set and never relinquished the lead. They led 15-10 at one point as the Salukis made the set interesting tying the set at 22.

The Redhawks won three of the next four points capped off by a Claire Keaton (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy) kill.

The Salukis would shutdown the Redhawks offense in the second and third sets as they held the Redhawks to a .154 attack percentage in both sets while hitting .273 and .405 respectively.

In the deciding set the Redhawks and Salukis battled it out with the set featuring a staggering 20 ties. The Redhawks jumped ahead 2-0 and kept the Salukis at bay as they grabbed their biggest lead of the set 19-14. The Salukis however went on a 6-0 run to gain a lead they would not relinquish despite the Redhawks best efforts.

Keaton and Molly Davis (Muncie, Ind./Burris HS) were named to the All-Tournament team. Keaton led the Redhawks with 19 kills and a hitting percentage of .300.

Davis tied her career-high that she set previously in the day against Western Illinois with a match-high 35 digs.

Alyssa Aston (Franklin, Tenn./Franklin HS) recorded a double-double with 44 assists and 10 digs. Kelly Benacka (Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs HS) finished with 17 digs and finished with a match-high three service aces. Amanda Rickhoff (Bartelso, Ill./Southwestern Illinois College) finished with 11 digs.

Chandra Roberson led the Salukis with a match-high 21 kills on a .395 attack percentage. Jennifer Berwanger recorded a double-double with 14 kills and a team-high 23 digs. Sydney Clark also recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs. Brooklyn Robbins handed out a match-high 62 assists.

The Redhawks look to bounce back as they open up Ohio Valley Conference play next week with a three match home stand. They host Eastern Kentucky in their home opener on Friday, September 19 at 7:00 p.m. in Houck Field House and then welcome Morehead State the following day at 2:00 p.m.