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Sept. 21, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
Looking to record their first Missouri Valley Conference wins of the season, the Illinois State volleyball team (4-7, 0-2 MVC) hits the road this weekend to face two foes they have historically dominated.
The `Birds, who dropped their first two Valley contests at home last weekend to Wichita State and Missouri State, seek to reach the .500 mark in conference when they travel to Evansville on Friday and Southern Illinois on Saturday.
ISU enters the match against the Purple Aces with a perfect 24-0 record in the all-time series. The Redbirds also own a commanding 55-5 advantage all-time against the Salukis.
Though history has been on the side of Illinois State in the encounters with these two teams, head coach Sharon Dingman knows her squad needs to focus on the present - that being two hungry teams in Evansville and SIU.
"It (all-time series records) is not something we really talk about as a team unless we really have to," Dingman said. "This Evansville team is a surprise to everyone. They picked up huge victory for our league earlier this year by beating Western Kentucky and went five games with Winthrop, which we did as well.
"Last year we went to Evansville and had a good match with them. It was a struggle, but fortunately we had enough talent to pull through. We are still a program that teams get up for and I'm sure with the success Evansville has had, they would sure like to be the first team to beat Illinois State."
Dingman knows both of the teams this weekend will be especially tough because they challenge the `Birds in the middle, an area that both Wichita State and Missouri State had great success scoring points.
"We need to defend the middle better than we have been," Dingman said. "They (Evansville) have some middle hitters that are putting up big numbers.
"Southern Illinois has Johannah Yutzy who was a preseason all-Valley selection at middle blocker and is playing like it. She (Yutzy) leads them in kills and has a great hitting percentage. The two teams will bring their strengths which at time times has been our weaknesses."
Friday's match with the 7-6 Purple Aces is slated to start at 7 p.m. Evansville is 1-1 in the Valley after splitting matches last weekend on the road against Creighton (0-3) and Drake (3-0). The Aces, picked eighth in the preseason MVC coaches poll, have received tremendous play this season from the Walroth twins, Elaine and Julie. Elaine is third all-time on the Aces' assist leader board with 1,281 and is second on the team with 308 assists (5.50 apg), while her sister Julie, a libero, leads the team in digs with 277 (4.95 dpg).
The Redbirds turnaround and travel to Southern Illinois on Saturday for a match with the Salukis that is set to begin at 7 p.m. SIU (6-6, 1-1 MVC) has been successful at home, sweeping matches against Austin Peay, West Virginia and Southeast Missouri State. Last weekend, the Salukis split matches on the road defeating Drake 3-0 on Sept. 15, before falling at Creighton 3-1 on Sept. 16. SIU features Yutzy who has 137 kills (3.26 kpg), digs leader Kristy Elswick 226 (5.38 dpg) and Oregon transfer Erika Bartruff who is tops on the team with 363 assists (8.85 apg).
