Playing at home at the ARC for a second consecutive weekend, the Valpo volleyball team opened weekend action against Southern Illinois Friday evening, falling 3-1 (25-18, 25-18, 15-25, 25-23) to the visiting Salukis.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo led early in the opening set at 5-4 before a six-point spurt for the Salukis gave them a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The Beacons pulled to within three points twice in the second half of the frame, but were unable to get any closer.
• Valpo was on top early in the second set, leading by as many as three points. It was a two-point edge at 8-6, but SIU put together a 13-1 run to take control on its way to going up 2-0 in the match.
• The Beacons hit the halfway mark of set three in front, in the midst of a 5-0 run which gave them separation from the Salukis. The five-point spurt opened up a larger 13-4 stretch to close out the frame as Valpo extended the match to a fourth set.
• It was a race to 10 in the fourth set, as the sides were even up at 15-15. SIU took control at that point with three consecutive points and earned match point at 24-20. The Beacons won each of the next three points to get to within one point of sending the frame to extra points, but an SIU kill closed out the match.

 
Inside the Match

• Valpo held a 54-51 advantage in the kills department Friday, but SIU outhit the Beacons by 44 points as Valpo committed eight more attack errors.
• Freshman Jordyn Gove (Amarillo, Texas/Randall) paced the Beacons in kills with 11, her sixth effort of the season in double figures.
• Fellow rookie Drew Glaser (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg) reached double digits in kills for the first time in her collegiate career, posting 10 kills — a mark matched by senior Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie).
• Junior Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) tallied a match-best 24 digs, while Swistek recorded her 10^th double-double of the year as she registered 17 digs.
• Freshman Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) led Valpo with five blocks, the eighth time this season she has recorded at least five rejections.

 
Next Up
Valpo (9-9, 1-5 MVC) closes out the weekend at home on Saturday when it hosts Missouri State at 5 p.m.