Daily Egyptian MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015
DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM
SINCE 1916
VOL. 100 ISSUE 21
Saluki volleyball to make first NCAA Tournament appearance EVAN JONES | @EvanJones_DE
SIU’s volleyball team sat silently, staring at the TV in the John Paul Cook Club room in Lingle Hall on Sunday night, anxious to hear the results of the NCAA tournament selection show. The Salukis were selected to play University of Illinois at 4 p.m. Friday in Louisville, Ky. This is SIU’s first NCAA tournament appearance in program history. The 64-team NCAA tournament has 32 conference champion automatic qualifiers, leaving 32 spots for at-large bids. After the Salukis lost to Missouri State on Friday in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, the team’s future was unsure. “[Freshman defensive specialist] Tara [Routliffe] was marking down the teams that had been called, there were only ten teams left so we were getting nervous,” junior setter Hannah Kaminsky said. “We had a really good idea that we would get picked.” People watched two MVC teams — Wichita State and Missouri State — get called in the first 15 minutes of the show. Wichita State earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as MVC tournament champions. Missouri State Jacob Wiegand | @JacobWiegand_DE secured an at-large bid. Less than 15 minutes later Southern Left to right: Junior setter/hitter Meg Viggars, senior middle hitter Taylor Pippen and junior setter Hannah Kaminsky speak at a press conference after the announcement that SIU’s volleyball team was selected to play in the NCAA Tournament. This is the first time the team will compete in the tournament. The team plays University of IlIllinois University heard its name get called. linois on Friday in Louisville, Ky. “Being able to go to the tournament and it be our first time and being able to make history and be a part of it, is amazing,” Pippen said. No. 24 Illinois (19-12) is ranked 15 spots ahead of SIU. Northern Iowa was selected with an atlarge bid shortly after SIU was, making four MVC teams in the NCAA tournament for Fighting Illini the first time since 2010. They are both in the Des Moines Regional. “All I was thinking [after the Missouri sophomore outside hitter Andrea Estrada AARON GRAFF | @AARONGRAFF_DE State loss] was I didn’t want the season to said afterward. “It was 25-23, so we were be over,” senior middle hitter Taylor Pippen Southern Illinois last played Illinois on like, ‘Oh my God, we can win against said. “We played [Illinois] once last year and Aug. 30, 2014. The Fighting Illini, which them.’” we didn’t give them a good fight like we can The Salukis return all starters from the was ranked No. 11 at the time, won the now.” match except libero Alex Rivera, who match 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-12). Last season SIU lost to No. 11 ranked No Saluki recorded double-digits in graduated, and middle hitter Anna Himan, Illinois in three sets. kills or digs. U of I had two players post who is redshirting this season because of a U of I was one of nine Big Ten Conference hip injury. double-digits in kills. teams to make the tournament. Rivera led the team last year with 478 Current Illini senior outside hitter Coach Justin Ingram won MVC Coach Jocelynn Birks led the match with 12 kills. digs. of the Year this season. The last and only The Fighting Illini return all starters Senior opposite hitter Ali Stark followed other time SIU’s coach won was in 2002 with 10. Saluki senior middle hitter Taylor except Anna Dorn and Liz McMahon. when Sonya Locke won the award. The Dorn led the team last year with a .339 Pippen led her team with nine. Dawgs have made the MVC postseason Coach Justin Ingram said Illinois was a hitting efficiency. She was 18th in the tournament every season since Ingram took poised team that would make anybody pay nation in total block assists and 32nd in over the program four years ago. total blocks with 145 and 149 respectively. for errors after the match. This is his first NCAA tournament berth McMahon was an AVCA All-America The Dawgs had 13 attack errors and as a head coach. 11 service errors in the match, compared and All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. She “I think it’s a great match-up for us,” to the Illini’s nine attack errors and three posted 396 kills, 110 blocks, 27 digs and Ingram said. “It’s a year older for this group eight assists last year. service errors. — most of the girls out there last year will be SIU had a 19-14 lead in the first set of out there will be out there on the floor for Aaron Graff can be reached at that match, but U of I went on an 11-4 us this year.” Agraff@dailyegyptian.com run to win it. SIU finished the regular season with or at 536-3397 “We freaked out after the first game,” a 23-8 overall record. Four of its wins are against teams that finished higher in the RPI rankings than SIU, with one win against a team that finished in the Top 25.
I
University of Illinois
No. 18
How SIU and U of I matched up last time
in AVCA Coaches Poll
No. 24 in RPI
Record 19-10
(10-10 Big Ten) (3-12 against Top-25)
Evan Jones can be reached at Ejones@ dailyegyptian.com or at 536-3333.
Jocelynn Birks Top attacker 389 kills (.197 efficiency) 429.5 points
@DAILYEGYPTIAN
Other MVC teams to make the tournament:
Wichita State (26-8) Missouri State (24-10) Northern Iowa (19-14)