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IOWA CITY, Iowa – Chicago State volleyball fell 25-7, 25-14, 25-13 to South Dakota State and 25-14, 26-24, 25-15 to Southeast Missouri State on Saturday (Aug. 25) during the second and final day of the Hawkeye Challenge hosted by the University of Iowa.
Southeast Missouri State recap
The Cougars played their best volleyball of the trip in the nightcap against the Redhawks, a club which defeated Iowa earlier in the day.
Southeast Missouri State held a 7-2 advantage in the second set only to see the Cougars chip away and eventually tie it up at 14. The Redhawks took the lead back and held it for most of the set until the Cougars knotted it at 21 on a kill by junior
Paula Sioto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo) (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo/Martin Methodist College). Sioto and freshman
Alyssa Podwell (Homer Glenn, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Homer Glenn, Ill./Providence Catholic) combined on a block to give the Cougars their first lead at 22-21. Redshirt sophomore
Valeria Desiderio (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom Township) hammered down a kill for point 24 to give Chicago State their first set point of the season at 24-22. However it would be the final point for the Cougars in the frame. The Redhawks turned away a pair of CSU set points and finished the frame on a 4-0 push to take the set.
Southeast Missouri State finished the match with a 25-14 victory in the third set. The victory also gave SEMO the Hawkeye Challenge Championship.
Seven Cougars recorded a kill in the match. Sioto had a team-high seven kills with 12 assists while sophomore Kimberly Linder (Antigo, Wis./Antigo/Colby CC) added five of her own. Podwell recorded five block assists. Sophomore
Mia Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) recorded a match-high 20 digs. Townsell was named to the all-tournament team for her play over the two days. The libero averaged 4.75 digs per set in the Cougars' four matches.
The Cougars' 30 kills, 55 digs and seven blocks were the most of the weekend's four matches.
“I thought we turned the momentum in the right direction,” head coach Bob Eskew said of his club's performance against SEMO. “We're looking toward these next few matches where we expect to do well.”
South Dakota State recap
South Dakota State stormed to an opening set victory but the Cougars bounced back in the second frame. A kill by senior
Sydney Van Munster (Hudsonville, Mich./Portland) (Hudsonville, Mich./Portland/GrandRapids CC) made it a 9-7 Chicago State advantage in the second. The 7-2 run was highlighted by back-to-back aces and a kill from Desiderio. The Jackrabbits responded with six consecutive points to take the lead back for good to win the second and eventually the third frame.
Sioto led Chicago State with five kills.
Following the two losses, Chicago State is now 0-4 on the season. The Cougars return to the court on Tuesday for the 2012 home opener against Judson. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Students will receive free pizza during the intermission of the match.
