Defending champion Northern Iowa has the top seed. Contender Southwest Missouri State has the other bye. In seven prior six-team tournaments, only the two top seeds have played in the title match. Despite all that, Illinois State coach Sharon Dingman thinks that 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament is within reach for the other four teams.
I think the opportunity is there, said Dingman. Whoever wins it will have to play outstanding volleyball for two days and all the teams have certainly demonstrated that they are capable of doing that.
Just one game in the regular-season standings--No. 3 seed Southern Illinois finished 12-6, No. 6 Illinois State, No. 5 Bradley and No. 4 Wichita State were all 11-7--separated seeds No. 3 through No. 6. Although it took two heroic efforts for Illinois State to sweep the Salukis during the regular season, Redbird coach Sharon Dingman is happy with her teams draw of SIU, the No. 3 seed, in the tournaments opening match at 10 a.m. Saturday in Peorias Robertson Field House.
The Birds came back from an 8-1 deficit in game five to beat the Salukis Sept. 21 in Carbondale behind Jenny Kabbes first career triple-double. The Redbirds won the return match in Normal by a 3-0 count thanks to Erin Jones 24 kills. Dingman called that match one of our best performances of the year.
Still, shes not complaining about having to beat the Salukis for a third time to advance. History is on her side. Five times since 1996, the Birds have faced teams in the Valley tournament that they swept in the regular season. All five times, the Redbirds won the third match, too.
We like the draw, said Dingman. We have confidence and weve played well lately. The last two weeks, our intensity in practice has been huge and thats what you like to see this time of the season.
Dingmans weapons start with senior all-conference selections Jenny Kabbes and Erin Jones. Theyre joined by junior Staci Boyce to give the Redbirds the only Valley team with three players averaging 3.4 kills or more.
At this time of the season, its better to have that balance on offense, said Dingman, whose team has received an added threat in Valley All-Newcomer Team choice Laura Doornbos on the right side in recent matches. Doornbos is hitting .380 over the last seven for the Redbird offense, quarterbacked by an equally-improving sophomore Kelly Rikli.
Teams know about our big three, said Dingman. Lately, theyve had to respect Laura as well. Thats a big thing for us. Kelly has been doing a great job of getting the ball to the right hitters.
But Dingman knows that kills arent the only thing in a tournament where her team would have to win three matches in 30 hours to capture Illinois States 10th conference tournament title in 21 years, but first since 1997.
Its taken two and a half months, but were finally playing defense at a level we should be playing, said Dingman.
Dingman also appreciates how her team finished the league season, playing well in a loss at No. 8 Northern Iowa and winning at Bradley on the conference tournament court.
Im a little disappointed we didnt take advantage of some opportunities we had in games one and two at Northern Iowa, said Dingman. But, we certainly showed we could compete with two strong teams on the road (last weekend). It will take that kind of effort to win this weekend.
