2008 Woodie Awards
Volleyball drops two in PSAC West, playoff dreams fade
By David Duke
Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: Sports
The Slippery Rock University volleyball team put their playoff aspirations in doubt after losing two tough matches to Edinboro and Lock Haven over the past two weeks.
On Oct. 25 the Rock (24-8 overall, 4-5 PSAC West) was swept by the hosting Edinboro Fighting Scots 30-17, 30-27, 30-15 thus snapping the Rock's season high five game win streak in the process. Top performers for the Rock were freshman Anastasia Urbanik with 12 kills and two blocks, Louise Schultz with 10 kills, and Sara Kirsch with 29 assists and 10 digs on defense.
Coach Laurie Lokash wasn't impressed with her team's performance on the road at Edinboro.
"We couldn't pass the ball against Edinboro," Lokash said. "We came out flat and never woke up. We need to generate more intensity every match from now on because every match could be our last one."
Sandwiched between the two key conference game was a non-conference contest against New Haven (12-15) on October 29 in which the Rock regained its form and dominated the match 3-0 with scores of 30-27, 30-19, 30-22. Urbanik again led the way with 13 kills, while Lindsey Weber added 12 kills of her own. Kirsch added 39 assists.
However, on Tuesday SRU was again blanked by conference foe Lock Haven 3-0 by the scores of 30-23, 30-18, 30-19. Leading the way on offense was Urbanik again with 12 kills, Kirsch with 26 assists and 10 digs, and Gwen Oberlin with nine digs on the defensive end.
"Lock Haven has a good, big team so we must serve and pass much better in order to beat them," Lokash said.
Lokash sees the team's decreased level of play as a result of extended time away from competitive matches.
"We really haven't played on a weekend since Oct. 8, and I think we have lost our competitive edge a little bit because all we play against anymore is ourselves," Lokash said.
With only three playoff spots available in the PSAC West the Rock must come away with a victory against Cal to ensure themselves a spot in the playoffs. If SRU were to lose that match they would fall into a third place tie with IUP and/or Edinboro (22-14, 2-6) in which the Rock would lose tiebreakers to both putting much pressure on tonight's 7:00 p.m. match at Morrow Field House against California. (29-2, 7-2).
"We just need to pass well, serve tough, and control their two star offensive weapons by putting up solid blocks, and digging," Lokash said. "Their team goes as those two go so if we can control them we've got a good chance to win."
A win would put Slippery Rock in the playoffs for the first time since 1994 and ensure them spots in both the conference playoffs as well as the regional tournament scheduled for Nov. 17-19.
On Oct. 25 the Rock (24-8 overall, 4-5 PSAC West) was swept by the hosting Edinboro Fighting Scots 30-17, 30-27, 30-15 thus snapping the Rock's season high five game win streak in the process. Top performers for the Rock were freshman Anastasia Urbanik with 12 kills and two blocks, Louise Schultz with 10 kills, and Sara Kirsch with 29 assists and 10 digs on defense.
Coach Laurie Lokash wasn't impressed with her team's performance on the road at Edinboro.
"We couldn't pass the ball against Edinboro," Lokash said. "We came out flat and never woke up. We need to generate more intensity every match from now on because every match could be our last one."
Sandwiched between the two key conference game was a non-conference contest against New Haven (12-15) on October 29 in which the Rock regained its form and dominated the match 3-0 with scores of 30-27, 30-19, 30-22. Urbanik again led the way with 13 kills, while Lindsey Weber added 12 kills of her own. Kirsch added 39 assists.
However, on Tuesday SRU was again blanked by conference foe Lock Haven 3-0 by the scores of 30-23, 30-18, 30-19. Leading the way on offense was Urbanik again with 12 kills, Kirsch with 26 assists and 10 digs, and Gwen Oberlin with nine digs on the defensive end.
"Lock Haven has a good, big team so we must serve and pass much better in order to beat them," Lokash said.
Lokash sees the team's decreased level of play as a result of extended time away from competitive matches.
"We really haven't played on a weekend since Oct. 8, and I think we have lost our competitive edge a little bit because all we play against anymore is ourselves," Lokash said.
With only three playoff spots available in the PSAC West the Rock must come away with a victory against Cal to ensure themselves a spot in the playoffs. If SRU were to lose that match they would fall into a third place tie with IUP and/or Edinboro (22-14, 2-6) in which the Rock would lose tiebreakers to both putting much pressure on tonight's 7:00 p.m. match at Morrow Field House against California. (29-2, 7-2).
"We just need to pass well, serve tough, and control their two star offensive weapons by putting up solid blocks, and digging," Lokash said. "Their team goes as those two go so if we can control them we've got a good chance to win."
A win would put Slippery Rock in the playoffs for the first time since 1994 and ensure them spots in both the conference playoffs as well as the regional tournament scheduled for Nov. 17-19.
