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2026 VB Jessica Pickett action shot
2
Valparaiso VALPO 9-7,1-3 MVC
3
Winner Southern Ill. SIU 9-6,3-0 MVC
Valparaiso VALPO
9-7,1-3 MVC
2
Final
3
Southern Ill. SIU
9-6,3-0 MVC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Valparaiso VALPO 25 25 24 24 5 (2)
Southern Ill. SIU 15 22 26 26 15 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Beacons Fall in Five Sets at SIU

The Valpo volleyball team had a 2-0 lead at Southern Illinois Friday evening in its first MVC road match of the season, but the host Salukis rallied to earn a 3-2 (15-25, 22-25, 26-24, 26-24, 15-5) victory.
 
How It Happened
  • Valpo stormed out to a 15-5 lead in the opening set and never let the Salukis get closer than five points the rest of the way.
  • SIU led by as many as six points at 17-11 in the second set, but the Beacons closed the frame with 14 of the final 19 points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
  • After trailing by as many as eight points in set three at 15-7, Valpo rallied to briefly pull ahead at 21-20. SIU came back to earn set point at 24-22, and while the Beacons held off two chances in hopes of closing out a sweep, the Salukis converted their third set point to send the match to a fourth set.
  • SIU jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the fourth set and never trailed until the Beacons earned match point at 24-23. A tight service error extended the match, however, and the Salukis claimed the next two points to even the contest at two sets apiece.
  • The two teams traded points for the first eight points of the decisive fifth set before SIU scored 11 of the match's final 12 points.
 
Inside the Match
  • The loss was the second in five sets for Valpo in MVC play after winning bother of its five-set contests in nonconference action.
  • The Beacons finished Friday's match with a season-best 14 team blocks.
  • Ava Helming (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) posted her third straight double-double with a team-high 15 kills and a career-best 16 digs. The junior also tied her career high with seven blocks.
  • Maggie Uhwat (Spring Grove, Ill./Richmond Burton Community [Central Michigan]) and Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) each had 11 kills, the latter matching her season high in the category. Pickett also tied for match-high honors with nine blocks, one off her career best.
  • Jordyn Gove (Amarillo, Texas/Randall) posted a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs, while also pacing the Beacons with three service aces.
  • Olivia Wagner (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South) tallied a match-high 29 assists and set a career best with four blocks.
 
Next Up
Valpo (9-7, 1-3 MVC) returns home to the ARC next Thursday to host Evansville at 6 p.m.
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