by Rachael Quigley
special to The Current

The struggling for the UM-St. Louis volleyball team continued as they traveled to Indiana and lost to IUPU-Fort Wayne and Saint Joseph's. However, they posted a win against Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Quincy at home to salvage the week.

The Riverwomen lost to IUPU-Fort Wayne, 6-15, 15-5, 0-15, 7-15.

Fort Wayne overpowered the Riverwomen with 53 kills to UM-St. Louis' 36. Three players for Fort Wayne had double digit kill stats, while no one on the St. Louis team managed more than nine kills.

Defensively, the Riverwomen had three team blocks while Fort Wayne posted five.

UM-St. Louis then played St. Joseph's, losing a four setter, 7-15, 15-9, 11-15, 13-15.

Riverwoman Holly Zrout led both teams with 18 kills. Teammates Susan Kleinschnitz and Yorhena Panama had 12 and 11 kills respectively.

St. Joseph's dominated defensively with 102 total team digs compared with 18 by UM-St. Louis.

UM-St. Louis battled Quincy next. The Riverwomen won in five sets, 12-15, 12-15, 15-12, 15-12, and 15-13.

In the first two sets, UM-St. Louis gave up sizeable leads and allowed Quincy to come back and win the sets.

"We started off kind of sluggish," said Head Coach Denise Silvester, "but we were able to pick it up."

UM-St. Louis took the next two sets, which forced a fifth set.

The Riverwomen blocking and defense held off Quincy, and the Riverwomen took home the win.

UM-St. Louis had 15 team blocks and 124 defensive digs. Quincy was held to just six total team blocks and posted 125 defensive digs.

"Our blocking really helped us," Silvester said. "We've been working on it in practice and it really came through for us."

Offensively, UM-St. Louis' Zrout led both both teams with 21 kills. Kleinschnitz had 17 kills and Panama and Michelle Hochstatter each had 13 kills, respectively.

The Riverwomen are 7-12 overall for the season and 3-6 in the GLVC.