Valpo Volleyball Shows Grit, Sets Program Record in Win at SIU
Down a starter and down two sets to none in the match, the Valpo volleyball team refused to fold Saturday evening in Carbondale, Ill., rallying to earn a 3-2 (23-25, 24-26, 25-22, 25-13, 15-9) win over host Southern Illinois to improve to 5-1 in MVC play. The Beacons hit at a .340 clip for the match, easily the best mark in a five-set match in program history.
How It Happened
– After rallying to take sets three and four to even force the decisive fifth frame, the Beacons faced adversity to start the final set, as they were forced to use a timeout early on trailing 5-2.
– Kills by Keira Lucas (Brazil, Ind./Northview) and Sam Warren (Kentland, Ind./South Newton) were part of a three-point spurt which evened things up at 6-6. After an SIU kill, the Salukis committed three consecutive attack errors to give Valpo a 9-7 lead.
– An SIU block briefly slowed Valpo’s run, but Lucas came back with another kill to restore the two-point lead and sophomore Jordyn Gove (Amarillo, Texas/Randall) followed with terminations on three straight points to give the Beacons an insurmountable cushion. Another Gove kill gave Valpo match point, and Lilly Merk (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South Vigo) converted on the first chance, handling an overpass with ease to close out the win.
– Valpo fell behind in the match two sets to none as the Salukis claimed the critical points in each of the first two frames. Set one was tied 23-23 before SIU picked up consecutive kills to take the opener, while the Beacons had a 23-22 lead in set two before the Salukis scored four of the last five points of the set to up 2-0.
– A five-point run in the middle of set three on the serve of Addy Kois (Osceola, Ind./Penn) turned a 12-12 tie into a 17-12 lead, and while SIU got back to within 24-22 late, a kill from Ava Helming (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) extended the match.
– The fourth set was all Beacons, as they led from the outset. Valpo held SIU to a negative hitting percentage for the frame in extending the match to the fifth set.
Inside the Match
– Valpo improved to 5-1 in MVC play with Saturday’s win, matching its best record through six matches since joining the Valley (2018).
– The Beacons hit at a .340 clip in Saturday’s victory with 71 kills and just 17 attack errors, easily the best hitting percentage in a five-set match in program history. Valpo’s previous high in a five-set match in the 25-point era was .306, while its previous high in a five-set match in any era was .311.
– The .340 hitting percentage was also the seventh-highest in program history in a match which went at least four sets.
– It was the fifth time this season Valpo has hit above a .300 clip for the match.
– The Beacons’ consistency was key on Saturday, as they hit .294 or better in all five frames. Meanwhile, while SIU hit at a .385 clip for the first three sets, Valpo held the Salukis to .019 hitting over the final two sets.
– Saturday’s victory came despite the Beacons being without the services of sophomore middle Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), who entered the weekend second in the Valley in blocks.
– This is the second time in the last three years Valpo has won four road matches in the span of eight days, as the Beacons did so in MVC play in 2023 as well — prior to that, the program last accomplished that in 2008.
– Valpo has won seven straight matchups with SIU in Carbondale, last falling to the Salukis on the road in 2018 — Saturday’s matchup was the first of those which went five sets, however.
– Saturday’s result was the first time the Beacons have flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win since Nov. 3, 2023, when they did so at Bradley.
– The Beacons’ balanced attack was led Saturday by Warren, who matched her career best with a team-high 17 kills. She paced Valpo in kills for the third time this season and the ninth time in her career.
– Helming had a second consecutive super-efficient match on the attack, hitting .520 with 15 kills.
– Gove recorded her second double-double of the year with a season-best 13 kills and 11 digs, while Merk posted 11 kills on .370 hitting. Lucas added nine kills as well to match her season best.
– As has become the norm for the balanced attack, Valpo’s top five attackers finished between 21 and 37 attacks for the match.
– Mara Thomas (Bogart, Ga./Athens Academy) recorded a season-high 32 assists, while Kois tallied 28 assists on a .571 setting percentage.
– In a match which featured very few long rallies, Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) finished with a team-best 13 digs.
Next Up
Valpo (14-5, 5-1 MVC) returns home for the first of four consecutive road matches Friday, Oct. 17 when it hosts Belmont on Halloween Party Night at the ARC. First serve is slated for 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at http://bit.ly/Valpo-Tickets.
-Valpo Volleyball-