Box Score
Box Score (PDF)

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Despite falling behind 2-0 against Southern Illinois, the University of Evansville volleyball team showed great fight in a 3-1 defeat to the Salukis in Friday's Missouri Valley Conference opener.
 
Ashley Ring finished with 13 kills to lead the Purple Aces (4-9, 0-1 MVC) while Genesis Miranda was just behind with 12.  Cathy Schreiber was next on the list for UE with six.  Leading all players offensively was Taylor Pippen, who had 14 kills.  Abby Barrow was next up for the Salukis (6-6, 1-0 MVC) with 13.
 
The Salukis began the opening set on a 9-1 run and never looked back, cruising to a 25-9 win.  Evansville fell behind 20-4 at one point as SIU hit .240 as opposed to -.172 for the Aces.
 
Following the tough defeat in the opening frame, Evansville came back strong, going up 5-1 as a Schreiber kill capped off the early rally.  Southern Illinois made its way back, taking its first lead at 9-8 on a Barrow kill.  A Pippen tally gave SIU what would be its largest advantage of the set at 13-9 before the Aces came back to tie it up at 16-16 on a Schreiber ace.
 
Late in the frame, SIU retook its advantage, going up 23-20.  A pair of points for UE got it within one before the Salukis reeled off the final two points en route to the 25-22 win.
 
Evansville jumped out to another early lead in the third set and saw that edge translate into a 25-17 win.  The Aces forced four SIU errors in a row as they took a 7-2 lead.  After the Salukis got within two points at 10-8, the momentum swung back to UE.  Evansville scored the next four points as Grace Carter served for UE in the run.
 
Another 4-0 stretch, led by Schreiber's serving, saw UE go up 21-11 before settling for the 25-17 win.  Evansville hit .435 in the frame as Ring posted five kills.
 
For the third game in a row, Evansville had the early momentum, going up 7-4 thanks to a pair of Miranda kills in the fourth set.  Southern Illinois punched back to take its first lead at 9-8 on a Leah Edgerton service ace.  Later, it was Edgerton striking again as her second ace of the set gave the Salukis their largest lead of 21-14.  From there, they were able to cruise to a 25-20 win to seal the match.
 
Evansville will be back on the road next weekend, continuing MVC play at Indiana State on Friday and Illinois State on Sunday afternoon.