SIU’s volleyball team will play its first home game this weekend, but won’t be playing in its usual gym.

The Salukis (2-5) will be hosting the Saluki Invitational in the SIU Arena for the first time since 2012.

The tournament will be played in the arena to accomodate more teams. The arena will also allow for more spectators.

Junior hitter Taylor Pippen is the only remaining player on the team who played in the arena.

“It’s definitely different than playing in Davies [Gym],” Pippen said. “Davies is smaller. It feels like it’s just packed whenever there’s a crowd.”

Pippen said she likes playing in Davies better because volleyball is the only team that plays there.

“Davies is the volleyball team,” Pippen said. “When we walk into Davies, we just kind of know it’s our gym and this is our place.”

This is the last tournament before conference play starts at 7 p.m. on Sep. 19 in Davies Gym against Evansville University.

Coach Justin Ingram said the team figured out what it needs to work on from the tournaments played so far. He said the team will be ready for conference matches.

The Salukis are tied for eighth in the conference with Evansville. Ingram said he knows how the rest of the conference is doing, but he’s focusing on the weekend’s matches before worrying about conference play.

“We have blinders on,” Ingram said. “We have a pretty narrow focus right now. I don’t get too worried about too much else that goes on.”

Ingram said he hopes fans come support the Salukis this weekend because the acoustics in the arena are slightly different than in Davies.

“If we pack 500 in Davies, it seems like you can’t hear,” Ingram said. “500 in the arena you can still hear. We’re certainly shooting for the above 1,000 and trying to make sure the fans play an impact within the match.”

Freshman outside hitter Abby Barrow will play her first collegiate home match. She said the team will have to create its own energy in the arena, but it shouldn’t be a problem because the first two tournaments were played in big venues.

“Any time you’re home it’s always a lot different,” Barrow said. “You have people you know here and you want to play well for them.”

Barrow said the adjustment was scary for her, but now her team is focused on winning its own tournament.

“It was nerve-wracking at first just because it was my first time playing in a collegiate game,” Barrow said.

Marshall University and Kansas State University open the tournament at 11 a.m. Friday, and the Salukis first play Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne at 1 p.m.

SIU also plays Kansas State at 7 p.m., on Friday and Marshall at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

“That could be a nice little pre-football game to attend our afternoon match,” Ingram said. “I know that may interfere with some tailgating opportunities, but come on in.”

Aaron Graff can be contacted at [email protected], on Twitter @Aarongraff_DE or at 536-3311