SIU Volleyball faced a two-match slate over the long weekend, the first of which came against the University of Illinois-Chicago on Friday, Oct. 10, and the second against Valparaiso University on Saturday, Oct. 11.

UIC vs. SIU – Friday, Oct. 10, 2025

The first set between the Salukis and the Flames began neck-and-neck, both teams exchanging kills and leaving the set tied at 10 points apiece. However, an influx of SIU errors allowed the Flames to break away and, despite a strong offensive performance by Kelly Franklin, take the set 25-20.

The beginning of the second set was all about the Salukis as they capitalized on UIC errors and smashed a few kills of their own. Similar to the first set, the Flames marched back and took control with a dominant offensive performance. Long rallies and a late scoring run by UIC secured the set win by a score of 25-19.

The third set was underway, and the Salukis had to find a way to string together some points to force another set, and they came out swinging. Multiple hitters tallied kills to put SIU in the lead early, but the relentless UIC offense would not quit, going on yet another run and forcing the Salukis into some errors. The Flames persisted and coasted to a 25-17 set victory, taking the match 3-0.

Valparaiso vs. SIU – Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025

On Saturday, the Salukis looked to bounce back, and they were off to a hot start. The beginning of the first set was highlighted by a pair of aces from Ceci Bulmahn and emphasized with multiple kills coming off the hands of Annabelle Sulish and Kelly Franklin. The Salukis did not look back after gaining the lead at 4-3 and mashed their way to an exciting 25-23 set victory.

Set two began with an early SIU lead, fueled by Valparaiso errors and an impressive front row display of attacks for the Salukis. The Beacons never fell far behind and managed to knot the score at 23-23, making the second set another nailbiter. A big block and a couple of kills secured a second-set victory for the Salukis at 26-24.

The Salukis looked to finish off Valparaiso in a quick 3-set victory, but the Beacons had other plans. An offense-heavy third set featured a run of 10 straight points earned by kills for both teams combined. The battle would keep the contest close, but a 5-point run would lead to a Valparaiso victory by a score of 25-22.

The fourth set began with a strong Beacon performance, as they jumped out to a 13-6 lead, putting pressure on the Salukis. Multiple attack errors for SIU allowed Valparaiso to cruise to an easy 25-13 victory, knotting the match score at two sets each.

The 15-point, winner-take-all fifth set had the Davies Gym fans on edge. A block assist and a kill from middle blocker Larissa Seger gave the Salukis hope, but the Beacons were not ready to fall. A barrage of kills led Valparaiso to secure the fifth set, winning the match 3-2.

SIU volleyball looks to get back in the win column with a non-conference match against Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Cape Girardeau. The Salukis now have a record of 2-4 in conference play and an overall record of 8-11.

Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com.

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