Panna Ratkai Named to Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational All-Tournament Team

Saturday, September 16

Fort Wayne, Ind.

11 AM

Purdue Fort Wayne

5-6,0-0Horizon

SIUE

6-6,0-1OVC

SIUE

Purdue Fort Wayne

Panna Ratkai

Photo by: Josh Gales

Panna Ratkai Named to Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational All-Tournament Team

9/16/2023 9:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Panna Ratkai of the Mastodon women's volleyball team was named to the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational presented by Hyatt Place All-Tournament Team on Saturday (Sept. 16).

Ratkai finished the week with 47 kills (4.27 per set) with a .261 hitting percentage and 20 digs (1.82 per set).

Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational All-Tournament Team
Sydney Hummert - SIUE - MVP
Julia Treichel - SIUE
Savannah Christian - SIUE
Mallory Januski - Valparaiso
Emma Hickey - Valparaiso
Chelsea Williams - Miami
Panna Ratkai - Purdue Fort Wayne

GAME 1 - SIUE 3, Purdue Fort Wayne 1 (25-19, 27-25, 25-19, 25-17)
SIUE beat Purdue Fort Wayne 3-1 in the opening match on Saturday to claim the tournament trophy. The Mastodons led 5-2 early on when Jena Medearis and Ashby Willis combined for a block, but SIUE eventually took the lead back. After trading points for a stretch in the middle of the set, SIUE led 19-18, then went on a run. The Cougars scored six of the last seven points of the set.

The second set was full of moves and countermoves as the two teams traded runs. The 'Dons had two 3-0 runs and a 4-0 run late that put them up 20-18. SIUE held off two set points to force overtime, but the Mastodons got three kills from Panna Ratkai, Kennedy McCants and Maggie Castleman in the final four rallies of the frame to even the match. The 'Dons held the Cougars to a match-low .167 in the second set.

After a 4-0 deficit to start the third, SIUE called timeout and fought back to eventually tie the set at 11. A 3-0 Mastodons run was then countered by a 6-1 Cougar run, from which the Mastodons never bounced back. SIUE finished the set with a 7-2 push. Set four saw the visitors go up 22-13 and put the 'Dons out of reach.

Ratkai had a team-high 15 kills. Taya Haffner had a double-double with 42 assists and 12 digs. LonDynn Betts had 18 digs. SIUE was led by tournament MVP Sydney Hummert, who had 16 kills with a .312 hitting percentage and 10 digs. Castleman finished with 11 kills and 10 digs for the third double-double of her season.

SIUE improved to 6-6.

GAME 2 - Valparaiso 3, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-22)
Ratkai finished the last match of the tournament with a game-high 12 kills and 10 digs, but Valparaiso won the final match of the invitational to take second at the event.

The opening set went to Valparaiso after the Beacons went on a 9-0 run to go up 13-3 and never looked back. In set two the 'Dons held tight with the Beacons until the 15-13 mark, then the visitors distanced themselves with a 4-1 stretch that included a pair of aces. Ratkai had six kills on 12 swings in the second set.

Purdue Fort Wayne led in set three 9-7 after kills from Ratkai and Willis, but the Beacons later used an 8-1 run to go up 19-14. The 'Dons responded with five in a row, but ran out of gas. The Beacons out-scored the 'Dons 6-3 down the stretch. Willis had six kills in the final frame.

Valparaiso improved to 8-5 while Purdue Fort Wayne fell to 5-7. The Mastodons will take the court again on Tuesday (Sept. 19) when Oakland comes to town to open Horizon League play.

~ Feel the Rumble ~