Losing is never easy. It becomes even harder when expectations are high during the season. After starting out with a 10-0 record, the Saint Louis University women’s volleyball team has completed its regular season on a bit of a downside. When the brackets for the 1999 NCAA volleyball championship were announced, SLU was not among them.
“I think it was hard on everybody,” said head coach Marilyn Nolen.
While the Big Ten placed eight teams in the field, the last of which was Michigan with a 17-15 record, the Billikens were left out in the cold with their record of 23-10.
“We lost close; we just didn’t pull through,” Nolen said.
The Billikens were eliminated from the Conference USA tournament in November by a surprising UAB team in four sets.
“I don’t think UAB thought they could beat us,” Nolen said. “We really could have won against UAB.”
The Bills took the first game, but the Blazers were upset minded and took the next three sets.
After the UAB debacle, the Billikens set their sights toward Houston for the Conference USA Challenge. The Bills were still hopeful that a good showing would convince the NCAA selection committee to give them a bid to the tournament.
The Billikens’ first challenge was to topple the 24th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. The Bills hung tough in the first game, falling 15-12.
As the match went on, the Razorbacks became stronger and the Bills became weaker. Arkansas took the second set 15-8 and then pummeled the Billikens in the third, 15-1.
Senior middle hitter Laura Risley led the Billikens with 17 kills and added six digs and a service ace.
Freshman outside hitter Brooke Minniear led the Bills with 10 digs. Freshman setter Beth Middendorf got her second start of the season and led SLU with 40 assists.
The battered Billikens had little time to recuperate as the University of Arkansas-Little Rock was waiting for them the next day.
The Billikens bounced back and took down a tough UALR in straight sets, 16-14,15-13 and 15-9.
Risley continued her stellar play by leading the team with 18 kills and with 13 digs. She only committed two errors in 45 kill attempts.
Middendorf started again and posted a game high 49 assists. She also added 11 digs. Junior outside hitter Jessica Moss put up 13 kills, 10 digs and a service ace.
Sophomore middle hitter Cristal Leonard and Minniear posted 11 digs each.
Risley and sophomore setter Beth Martin both added two aces for the Billikens.
“There’s some pride to be had in beating Arkansas-Little Rock in straight sets,” Nolen said.
While the team prepares for next season, Risley, the lone senior, will still be around. She has used all of her eligibility but will be a presence on the Billiken bench as a student assistant coach.
Risley was also named co-MVP of the conference. She is the first athlete to be named MVP at Saint Louis University.
She finished her career with 632 kills, just missing the single-season record of 639. She is only the third player to post over 600 kills in a season. She ranks third all time with a total of 1,636 kills for her career. She also recorded 503 blocks in her career, placing her at fourth on the all time list.
Nolen is confident the Billikens will improve next year.
“We definitely have a young squad. If they can grow and mature, we’ll have a good team,” Nolen said.
