Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Volleyball	SIUE Volleyball SIUE Athletics

Todd Gober

November 12, 2007 Cougars To Face NKU in NCAA Tourney          EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. -- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville volleyball has earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third consecutive year and will face Northern Kentucky in the opening round of the 64-team national tournament.          The opening round match is set for 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET at the Grand Valley State Fieldhouse in Allendale, Mich.          The tournament is divided into eight regions of eight teams with the Cougars receiving the No. 5 seed for the Great Lakes Regional tournament to be hosted by Grand Valley State. The Great Lakes Regional first round matches include No. 5 SIUE vs. No. 4 Northern Kentucky (4 pm CT), No. 1 Grand Valley State vs. No. 8 Charleston (6:30 pm CT), No. 2 Lewis vs. No. 7 Ashland (1:30 pm CT), and No. 3 Indianapolis vs. No. 6 Hillsdale (11 am CT).          SIUE Coach Todd Gober said he feels his team is playing strong volleyball at this point in the season.          "We're very loose and very excited," said Gober. "We feel we have a shot to compete very well in this tournament."          First things first, SIUE, 26-6, plays Northern Kentucky, 26-8, Thursday. The Norse defeated the Cougars in four games back on Sept. 28 in Highland Hts., Ky. The Norse are led by middle hitter Liz Holmes, the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year, and outside hitters Tristen Dye amd Kristina Eisenmenger.          Of SIUE's six losses this season, all have been to teams ranked in the top 25 of the AVCA/NCAA Division II national poll.          Gober said this year's NCAA Tournament team has had an outstanding season.          "We're a more balanced team, and it's also a very athletic team," he said. "In the past, we've always had a go-to player. This year, our go-to player changes constantly. Everyone has the ability to be the go-to player.          SIUE setter Mallory Clements (Mt. Pulaski) has shown she is one of those go-to players. A two-time GLVC Player of the Week and a second team All-GLVC selection, Clements led all GLVC setters with 2.07 kills per game along with 11.59 assists per game. Clements has posted five triple-doubles for the season.          The Cougars have six players averaging two or more kills per game. Kelsey Hubert (Freeburg) leads the list with 3.14 per game and a team-leading 1.23 blocks per game.          Outside hitter Emily Rahn (Waukesha, Wis.) is second in kills with 3.05 per game and is third on the team in digs at 3.17 per game.          Middle hitter Samantha Schulte (Kenosha, Wis.) leads the team with a .291 hitting percentage along with 2.97 kills per game. Schulte is second on the team in blocks per game at 1.21.          Outside hitter Kate Hofeldt (Antioch) and right-side hitter Sydney Winslow (Farmington, Mo.) are averaging 2.35 and 2.21 kills per game, respectively.          The Cougars also have excelled on defense with 19.74 per game, which will easily break the single-season team record set last year with 18.53 per game. Sophomore libero Tiffany Turner (Mt. Pulaski) leads the Cougars with 4.01 digs per game.          SIUE is averaging 15.99 kills per game this season with 2.75 blocks per game. The team's 1,983 kills is the third most all-time.                   -siue cougars-