2008 Woodie Awards
Home, sweet home
Volleyball opens home season after long road trip
Zachary Groves
Issue date: 9/11/07 Section: Sports
SIUE volleyball players can look forward to playing in front of their home crowd for the first time this season on Tuesday.
The Cougars have wrapped up a three-week road trip and play their first home match of the season Tuesday against Quincy University. SIUE picked up four wins out of seven matches after opening the 2007 season with a 4-0 record.
Junior setter Mallory Clements, who earned All-Tournament honors at the Colorado Premier Challenge in early September, said her teammates are excited about playing on their own court for the first time.
"I think we really miss our own gym, our own fans," Clements said. "I think we miss our atmosphere."
The Cougars atmosphere may give them an extra winning jolt. During the 2006 season, they won five in a row at home after their first home match-up against Drury University and finished 10-2 overall at the Vadalabene Center.
SIUE also continues its conference season after beating University of Southern Indiana 3-1 Saturday in Evansville, Ind. Junior middle hitter Kelsey Hubert led the team with 17 kills, who was one of four Cougars to hit double figures in kills.
SIUE Head Coach Todd Gober said the team burst out of the gates in the first game of the match against USI, but barely held on in the final three because it could not be consistent.
"We come out very focused and execute very well in the first match," Gober said. "We need to find a way to do that every game. We started making errors and they started gaining confidence."
Gober said, however, that the players are keeping their heads high and playing hard day in and day out.
The Cougars finished the Colorado Premier Challenge with two wins against Metro State and Grand Valley State. They would also drop two matches to West Texas A & M and Central Missouri State University.
SIUE fell to CMSU again in Warrensburg, Mo., four days later before topping Oakland City University Friday in Indiana.
Clements said being on the road can have an impact on a team's performance, but the Cougars still need to keep the ball rolling, figuratively, all game long.
"We just really need to work on playing steady," Clements said. "We're a really rollercoaster team."
SIUE entertains a Quincy squad that is on a turnaround campaign. The Lady Hawks have already matched last season's win total with nine entering Tuesday's contest, possibly adding a double pressure to the Cougars.
"I think with it being our first home match, we have to come in ready to play," Hubert said. "We have to come in with our game faces on."
With a lengthy road trip behind them, the healthy Cougars look to continue a conference trek that spans 14 matches for more than a month. Gober said the team's best volleyball is yet to come.
"I feel confident to start the conference season," Gober said. "I think our team is just as ready as we can be."
The Cougars will face Quincy at 7 p.m, Sept 11. at the Vadalabene Center.
The Cougars have wrapped up a three-week road trip and play their first home match of the season Tuesday against Quincy University. SIUE picked up four wins out of seven matches after opening the 2007 season with a 4-0 record.
Junior setter Mallory Clements, who earned All-Tournament honors at the Colorado Premier Challenge in early September, said her teammates are excited about playing on their own court for the first time.
"I think we really miss our own gym, our own fans," Clements said. "I think we miss our atmosphere."
The Cougars atmosphere may give them an extra winning jolt. During the 2006 season, they won five in a row at home after their first home match-up against Drury University and finished 10-2 overall at the Vadalabene Center.
SIUE also continues its conference season after beating University of Southern Indiana 3-1 Saturday in Evansville, Ind. Junior middle hitter Kelsey Hubert led the team with 17 kills, who was one of four Cougars to hit double figures in kills.
SIUE Head Coach Todd Gober said the team burst out of the gates in the first game of the match against USI, but barely held on in the final three because it could not be consistent.
"We come out very focused and execute very well in the first match," Gober said. "We need to find a way to do that every game. We started making errors and they started gaining confidence."
Gober said, however, that the players are keeping their heads high and playing hard day in and day out.
The Cougars finished the Colorado Premier Challenge with two wins against Metro State and Grand Valley State. They would also drop two matches to West Texas A & M and Central Missouri State University.
SIUE fell to CMSU again in Warrensburg, Mo., four days later before topping Oakland City University Friday in Indiana.
Clements said being on the road can have an impact on a team's performance, but the Cougars still need to keep the ball rolling, figuratively, all game long.
"We just really need to work on playing steady," Clements said. "We're a really rollercoaster team."
SIUE entertains a Quincy squad that is on a turnaround campaign. The Lady Hawks have already matched last season's win total with nine entering Tuesday's contest, possibly adding a double pressure to the Cougars.
"I think with it being our first home match, we have to come in ready to play," Hubert said. "We have to come in with our game faces on."
With a lengthy road trip behind them, the healthy Cougars look to continue a conference trek that spans 14 matches for more than a month. Gober said the team's best volleyball is yet to come.
"I feel confident to start the conference season," Gober said. "I think our team is just as ready as we can be."
The Cougars will face Quincy at 7 p.m, Sept 11. at the Vadalabene Center.
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