The SIUC women’s volleyball team ended its 1995 regular season on a positive note Sunday afternoon by defeating conference foe Indiana State University.

Led by senior outside hitter Alicia Hansen, the Salukis were victorious in five games 10-15, 16-14, 15-6, 5-15 and 15-11 to improve their record to 13-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Hansen contributed a total of 15 kills and seven digs in the match.

The Salukis ended the regular season clinching the number five spot in this year’s conference tournament.

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SIUC coach Sonya Locke said making the tournament this year is a big relief to her.

We’re going into the conference tournament for the first time since I’ve been a head coach and that’s a big monkey off my back, Locke said. We’ve accomplished a major goal getting into the tournament.

The Salukis will travel to Normal to take on Southwest Missouri State in the opening round of the MVC volleyball tournament Friday. Following SIUC’s match, Bradley takes on Illinois State. Northern Iowa awaits the winner of SIUC’s match, and Drake plays the ISU – Bradley winner.

The Lady Bears closed out their regular season in fourth place in the MVC with a 14-6 record. SIUC split a pair of matches against SMSU during the regular season.

Senior outside hitter Heather Herdes said finishing the regular season on a winning note can only be to the spikers’ advantage heading into the tournament.

I’m thrilled that we’ve made it, Herdes said. I think if we do things right, and things are clicking and we have everything going well, it will give us a stronger chance in the tournament.

Locke said experience playing in the tournament will be a major factor for all teams.

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Going into something like this where you’re playing teams who have experienced it before, and these kids haven’t, they are going to have go in with some sort of an attitude, Locke said. The other teams have already been there.

We’re the ones who haven’t been there before, and it’s important that they go in with the attitude that regardless of what happens, we will win.