Two weeks ago, lost in the hustle and bustle of the beginning of the college basketball season and the end of the college football season, the Saint Louis University volleyball team headed east for Louisville, Ky. and the Conference USA tournament.
With a solid grasp on the seventh seed, the Billikens first squared off against South Florida, typically a perennial power, but who just so happen to be in the middle of a rebuilding year. Awaiting the winner in the quarterfinals was conference superpower Cincinnati, headlined by C-USA player of the year Julie DuPont. But first things first: USF.
One of the mantras for the Billikens this past season has been taking a match the full five games only to barely lose in the end. It happened a handful of times this past season and it looked to, again, be the case this day.
The Billikens had played the Bulls of USF not two weeks before and the results were far from impressive. In fact, the Bulls pasted the Bills, 3-0.
In fairness, the Billikens were right in the middle of their injury-riddled run and were a completely different squad than the one they fielded in the tournament. Paced by Lauren Boissevain's triple-double and recently named first-team all-conference middle hitter Aida Antanaviciute, the Billikens had all of their top pieces in place. After faltering out of the gate and dropping the first game 30-24, the Billikens broke back and evented the match by taking the second game 30-26. They were not, however, able to hold the momentum and they dropped the third game 30-28.
Thus, one game away from elimination, the Billikens came alive, winning the fourth game, 30-24, and perservering in the hotly contested rubber game, finally pulling out the 16-14 win.
During the match, Boissevain accounted for 35 assists, 16 digs and 11 kills. Antanaviciute broke the Billikens single season record for kills, notching her 655th in the third game of the match and ending the match with 668.
The win was a huge boost of confidence for the Bills heading into the Cincinnati game, and the Bills were going to need every ounce of momentum regardless, as the Billikens were one of the only blemishes on the Bearcats season when they upset them early this year. Unfortunately, lightning was not to strike twice.
The Bearcats came prepared to avenge their only home loss of the season and with all said and done, the Billikens had been swept by Cincy to end their season and the Bearcats were comfortably moving on to the semifinals.
The game marked the end to the incredible careers of seniors Jessica and Kayla Kmitta and Alexis Cooley, who will all graduate this year. And while first-year coach Anne Kordes has brought in some more-than-capable new recruits for next season, the leadership and athleticism of all three players will be sorely missed.
The Billikens ended their season ranked seventh in C-USA, with a 15-17 record.
