VOLLEYBALL TEAM RETURNS FROM COMPETITIVE MATCHES IN WISCONSIN TOURNEY

by Dave Kinworthy

The women's volleyball team had several tough matches while playing at the Wisconsin-Parkside team meet.

The team played against teams from the Great Lakes International American Conference. The first non-conference opponent was Rollins University from Florida. The Riverwomen decisively won 3-0.

The next opponent was Wayne State, a team from Michigan who are ranked #2 in the region. Wayne State soundly defeated the Riverwomen 3-0.

Later on Saturday, UM-St. Louis played rival Ashland from Ohio. UM-St. Louis lost in five games 3-2 with the tie breaker ending in a close 15-13 game.

"It was a very even match. It was definitely a match though that we could have and should have won," said Erik Kaseorg assistant volleyball coach.

The following match was against Saginaw State College from Michigan in which the Riverwomen easily won 3-1.

"If we played Ashland with the same intensity as Saginaw, we would have won that match," added Kaseorg.

Some of the intensity may be a result of the return of senior setter Laura Gray.

"Laura is healthy and did the majority of the setting last weekend. Leslie Armstrong stepped in and did a nice job. The offense just flows a little more smoothly when Laura is in the game as she returns for her third year of play," Kaseorg said.

The team will travel to play their first conference game of the season against Wisconsin-Parkside on Sept. 12. They then play Lewis University Sept. 13 completing the team's first conference road trip. The team will have to wait several weeks before playing their first home game. Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne will visit on Sept. 19 to begin the home season for the Riverwomen.