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Balance is key for Salukis

Lindsay Stalzer put up big numbers before, but not like this.

Bradley's 2004 preseason all-Missouri Valley Conference team selection had 22 double-digit kills last season, including 13 matches with 15 or more kills.

But against SIU Saturday, the junior middle blocker took it to another level.

Stalzer burned the Salukis for a career-high 30 kills on 62 attempts, the most for a Brave since 1999. Her career-night was for naught though as the Salukis capitalized on - unforced Bradley errors for a 3-1 victory.

While any team would love to have an explosive player such as Stalzer, SIU head coach Sonya Locke said the Salukis' balanced attack separated them from Bradley.

"They don't know where the offense is going to come from so they can't key on any one person," Locke said.

Carrie Shephard and Holly Marita led the Salukis with a pair of double-doubles. Marissa Washington and Haley Hann added 26 kills between them. Jené Pulliam chipped in with six kills and Ashley Saverine hit a career-best .600 with three kills.

Double-dips

In three years with the Salukis, Carrie Shephard had never experienced the feeling of a double-double.

But the senior from Overland, Kan., has recorded three double-doubles already this season, including back-to-back double-doubles against Wichita State and Evansville.

Shephard had 16 kills and 11 digs against the Shockers and 13 kills and 12 digs against Evansville, and Bradley had no answer for her Saturday as she lit the Braves up with career-highs of 17 kills and 14 digs.

Shephard credits her stat-stuffing performances to a lineup change, which allows her to play in both the front and back rows.

"Now since I'm allowed more playing time, that's more kills and more digs you're going to get because you're in the game longer," Shephard said.

Shephard's three double-doubles are third on the team behind Jené Pulliam, who has four, and Holly Marita, who has a team-leading seven.

Salukis getting defensive

On Friday, Northern Iowa became just the fourth SIU opponent to have more digs than the Salukis.

SIU has had as many or more digs than its opponents in 14 matches. The Salukis had a season-high 102 digs in a 3-2 win against Southwest Missouri State Sept. 17 and have had 80 or more digs three times this season. Senior Erica Miller leads the Salukis in digs with 4.31 a game, good for sixth-best in the MVC.

Losing streak

The Salukis' seven-match losing streak was the team's longest since in four years. In 2000, the Salukis began 6-0 but lost its last 14 matches. Two years later, the team that was made up primarily of sophomores - just like this year's team - had the best season in school history, advancing to the championship match of the MVC tournament.

Panther domination

Northern Iowa continued its dominance over SIU with Friday's sweep.

UNI has won the last 24 matches and hasn't lost to the Salukis since 1993. The Panthers' have a 33-7 stranglehold on the all-time series and head coach Sonya Locke is now 1-27 against UNI in her 14-year coaching career.

The two will meet again Nov. 6 in Northern Iowa's West Gym, where the Panthers' 74-match home winning streak - the second longest streak in Division I volleyball history - was snapped Oct. 3 when they were swept by Wichita State.

MVC tourney bound

If the season ended today, the Salukis (5-13, 3-4) would be the sixth and final seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

The Salukis have made just two tournament appearances in the last five years.

"We're not satisfied with just being in it by a little bit," Shephard said. "We want to be higher up and just have a secure spot."