Sept. 9, 2009

Saluki Invitational Tournament Central

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball team travels to Southern Illinois this weekend for three matches at the Saluki Invitational.

The Blazers open the event Friday with a 7 p.m. match against the host Salukis. UAB then plays twice Saturday, facing Valparaiso at 10 a.m. and Murray State at 5 p.m.

Live stats will be available for all three matches through Gametracker at uabsports.com. A live video stream of Friday's UAB-Southern Illinois match will be available for $6.95 at siusalukis.com.

After splitting four matches last weekend, UAB enters the tournament at 4-3 on the season.

Freshman Alison Woods has made her presence felt since taking over the primary setting responsibilities early this season. The Franklin, Tenn., native has posted four double-doubles in the past five matches and recorded a career-high with 53 assists twice at last weekend's Magnolia Invitational hosted by Ole Miss.

Woods nearly set an NCAA record by serving 20 consecutive points in the opening set of last Friday's victory over Alcorn State. The record is 22, set by Mercer's Chelsea Gebben in a 2006 match against Savannah State.

Patty Paniagua and Heather Thomas each earned all-tournament recognition at Ole Miss. Paniagua tallied 18 total blocks on the weekend and led the team with a .330 attack percentage. Thomas racked up 74 digs over the four matches, including a career-best 28 in Saturday's win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Southern Illinois enters its tournament unbeaten at 7-0 after claiming the title last weekend at Stetson's Holiday Inn Invitational. Valparaiso, fresh off a second-place Horizon League finish in 2008, is 3-3 on the season, while Murray State comes into the weekend at 0-6.

UAB has faced Murray State seven times in program history and owns a 5-2 advantage, but the Racers earned a 3-0 sweep in the most recent meeting in 2004. The Blazers have met this weekend's other opponents just once each, defeating Valparaiso, 3-0, in 1991 and falling to Southern Illinois, 3-0, in 1994.