Following a win against Murray State to begin conference play, SIU volleyball returned to Carbondale on Saturday and faced off against the University of Evansville Purple Aces on Sept. 27, 2025.
The first set of the evening’s matchup featured an extremely efficient offensive performance by the Salukis. SIU made a statement, jumping out to an 18-8 lead, propelled by a multitude of kills and aided by attack errors from Evansville. Outside hitter Annabelle Sulish led the offensive charge with four kills, allowing the Salukis to coast to a dominant, 25-12 first-set victory. The barrage of kills, combined with the meager two attack errors, worked in favor of SIU.
Advertisement
The Purple Aces did not quit to begin the second set, jumping out to an early 5-point lead at 13-8. The set featured riveting rallies, with the defensive players contributing heavily to the action. Ultimately, SIU could not overcome the firm lead Evansville established and dropped the set by a score of 25-18.
Set 3 was underway, and it was another offense-heavy contest. The Salukis persisted at the net, racking up a total of 16 kills, four from middle blocker Larissa Seger, and three from outside hitter Ella Swansiger. In addition to the attacks, SIU took advantage at the service line, shelling out an impressive four aces on their path to a 25-19 win.
The last set was one to remember for the Salukis, a dogfight featuring an astonishing 10 lead changes. The score swung back and forth, with quick sideouts from both teams. After a score of 19-17 in favor of the Salukis, the point margin never grew above 2.
Advertisement*
Outside hitter Kelly Franklin tallied five kills in the set, and the SIU defense put up blocks when it mattered most. The score was 25-24 when a Ceci Bulmahn kill, an Aces attack error and an SIU block sealed the match at 27-25 with the fans at Davies Gym on their feet.
The exciting match between the two Missouri Valley teams leaves SIU with a conference record of 2-0 and an overall record of 7-7. SIU Volleyball looks to continue the winning streak as they travel to face off against the University of Memphis on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at [email protected].
Advertisement
