CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University volleyball team heads to Martin, Tenn. to tangle with the UT Martin Skyhawks on Tuesday, Aug. 30. First serve for 6 p.m. The Salukis have won six-straight over the Skyhawks, which includes last season’s five-set comeback win in Carbondale on Sept. 3, 2021.
All-time vs. Skyhawks
- Southern is 15-3 all-time vs. UT Martin and have won six-straight over the Skyhawks.
- The Salukis defeated the Skyhawks at home, 3-2, on Sept. 3, 2021.
- Southern is a perfect 12-0 all-time against UT Martin on its home floor in a streak that dates back to 1975. The Salukis have done so, historically, in convincing fashion, as they dropped just seven sets to UT Martin (32-7) during that stretch.
- SIU’s last loss in the series came in 2011, a 3-2 loss in Starksville, Miss.
Last time vs. UT Martin
- The Salukis overcame a 2-1 deficit to stun UT Martin, 3-2 (25-27, 25-12, 23-25, 30-28, 15-7) on Sept. 3, 2021 inside Banterra Center.
- Four different Salukis put down double-digit kills, led by a career-high 22 from Nataly Garcia.
- Defensively had four players reach double figures in digs, which included a match-high 29 from Katy Kluge.
- Anna Jaworski piloted SIU’s attack marvelously and finished with 71 assists, eight digs and two kills. Jaworski’s 71 assists were the most by a Saluki in a match in the rally scoring era (since 2000), and overall are the seventh-most in any match in school history.
Automatic on the outside
- Tatum Tornatta hit at a .375 clip and averaged 3.22 kills and .89 blocks per set in SIU’s two matches over the weekend.
- The junior outside hitter racked up double-digit kills in each of Southern’s two matches, which included a season-high 15 kills against Grambling on Saturday.
- The Evansville, Ind. product put down 14 kills to go along with five digs and five blocks against SIUE on Friday and followed with 15 kills on a career-best .565 hitting percentage against Grambling on Saturday.
- Tornatta currently ranks sixth in the MVC in hitting percentage (.375) after the first weekend of the 2022 season.
Back in the middle
- Imani Hartfield made her presence felt in the front row defensively for the Salukis in their two matches over the weekend.
- The redshirt sophomore averaged a robust 1.11 blocks per set and also chipped in 2.44 kills and .78 digs per set.
- Hartfield finished with 16 kills, six blocks and four digs against SIUE and followed with four kills, four blocks and three digs against Grambling on Saturday.
- Hartfield’s 1.11 blocks per set average is the fifth-highest average in the MVC after the first weekend of play.
What a debut
- This Bulmahn had a historic debut for the Salukis against SIUE on Friday, Aug. 26.
- Bulmahn’s 15 kills were tied for the most kills in a season debut by a freshman in school history.
- Buhlman tied Haley Hann’s 2003 school record of 15, which Hann set against Austin Peay.
- Buhlman put down 10 kills against Grambling on Saturday and her 2.75 kills per set average is currently the highest among Valley freshmen.
