2008 Woodie Awards
Not over 'til it's over
Volleyball comes back to gain victory over No. 6 Truman State
Jacob Boone
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Sports
Trailing 2-1 to the 6th ranked team in the nation, the No. 17 SIUE Volleyball team won two games in a row to defeat Truman State University 3-2 Tuesday at the Vadalabene Center.
The Cougars won the first game of the night 30-20, gaining the early advantage over the Bulldogs, but dropped the second and third games 30-19 and 30-21.
"If you watched the game, in game three it looked like we were dead," said SIUE Head Coach Todd Gober.
But Gober said that when the team got a look in their eyes when they huddled up and they showed they could come back.
SIUE started the come back by getting a lead after a 1-1 tie and never looking back, winning the fourth game 30-23.
"They (the team) were as loose as I've ever seen them," Gober said.
The Cougars were down 7-4 at one point in the fifth game before making a run to take the lead and to eventually win 15-11 to take the match 3-2.
"You've got to elevate your game and they did that tonight," Gober said. "We gained some character tonight."
Junior Samantha Schulte, who had 13 kills on the night, credited her team for battling back from the 2-1 deficit.
"People stepped up and made key plays when we needed it the most," Schulte said.
According to Schulte, the Cougars have the ability to come from behind.
"I think that our team is just a really good battling team," Schulte said.
With Truman State coming into the game ranked as high as it was, Gober said the Cougars were the underdogs.
"We were relaxed tonight," Gober said. "For once, we were in the underdog role."
Junior Mallory Clements who leads the team in assists with 59 said she couldn't remember a bigger home win.
"This is probably the greatest home win since I got here," Clements said.
The win, according to Gober, was against the highest ranked team that's come into the Vadalabene Center that the Cougars were able to beat.
"We really needed this win because it gives us another win over a top 10 team," Gober said, adding that the win should refresh people's memories that SIUE has a pretty good team.
The Cougars won the first game of the night 30-20, gaining the early advantage over the Bulldogs, but dropped the second and third games 30-19 and 30-21.
"If you watched the game, in game three it looked like we were dead," said SIUE Head Coach Todd Gober.
But Gober said that when the team got a look in their eyes when they huddled up and they showed they could come back.
SIUE started the come back by getting a lead after a 1-1 tie and never looking back, winning the fourth game 30-23.
"They (the team) were as loose as I've ever seen them," Gober said.
The Cougars were down 7-4 at one point in the fifth game before making a run to take the lead and to eventually win 15-11 to take the match 3-2.
"You've got to elevate your game and they did that tonight," Gober said. "We gained some character tonight."
Junior Samantha Schulte, who had 13 kills on the night, credited her team for battling back from the 2-1 deficit.
"People stepped up and made key plays when we needed it the most," Schulte said.
According to Schulte, the Cougars have the ability to come from behind.
"I think that our team is just a really good battling team," Schulte said.
With Truman State coming into the game ranked as high as it was, Gober said the Cougars were the underdogs.
"We were relaxed tonight," Gober said. "For once, we were in the underdog role."
Junior Mallory Clements who leads the team in assists with 59 said she couldn't remember a bigger home win.
"This is probably the greatest home win since I got here," Clements said.
The win, according to Gober, was against the highest ranked team that's come into the Vadalabene Center that the Cougars were able to beat.
"We really needed this win because it gives us another win over a top 10 team," Gober said, adding that the win should refresh people's memories that SIUE has a pretty good team.
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