The Saint Louis University volleyball team will look for revenge this weekend as the Billikens take on Atlantic 10 Conference rivals Xavier and Dayton-the only teams that have defeated the Billikens in conference play this season.
The Bills have strung together seven consecutive wins in the last two weeks, and they will head into this weekend with a 17-5 record overall and 6-2 record in conference play.
“For each game we have to focus on different things,” sophomore outside hitter Sammi McCloud said. “Xavier is an extremely quick team, and we need to be even quicker, making sure that we control the pace of the game. For Dayton, we need to keep up momentum. The last game against Dayton was a close game and we lost momentum at the end. For both games we have to stay strong and tough.”
Earlier this season, Xavier swept SLU 3-0, and Dayton defeated the Bills in five games. SLU remains one of only four teams to force Dayton into five games.
“Those losses were tough, of course, especially to open our conference play,” McCloud said. “But we have been focused on these games in practice, and hopefully we will be able to pull out two wins this weekend.”
Xavier, Dayton and SLU are the top three teams in the A-10 conference. Xavier remains undefeated in conference play, while Dayton’s only loss came from Xavier. SLU will move up in the conference standings if it can pull of wins against these top conference teams.
“Of course, we want to walk away with two wins this weekend,” sophomore setter Whitney Roth said. “Short of that, we need to hone the skills that we will need to do well in the conference tournament.
Those two wins would certainly mean a lot; we would be in a position to vie for the top spot in the conference, which is certainly where we would love to be.”
The Dayton and Xavier matchups are especially important with the end of the regular season fast approaching. The team has less than three weeks until the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament.
“These two games are huge,” McCloud said. “We have been talking about these games all season, and they are definitely key for us. Since we lost the first matchup with both teams, winning these games would be a huge motivator for us. Hopefully they will help give us that final push for the end of the season and into the playoffs.”
SLU has presented a strong hold at Bauman-Eberhardt athletic center all season. The team is undefeated in its six home games to date, a record that is on track to beat its nine-game winning streak from last season. The team attributes its success at home to the venue as well as the fans that come out to support the team.
“It is a tough place to play because we play there every day,” Roth said. “But we know all of the irregularities, and the environment feels comfortable to us. The other teams do not have that kind of familiarity with the court. Plus, the support of our family and friends really improves that atmosphere.”
McCloud, agreeing with Roth, said that the team’s strength at home stems from its familiarity with the smaller gym and from its fans’ support.
“The gym is smaller than most teams are used to, and we can certainly capitalize on that unfamiliarity,” said McCloud. “While we do not draw a huge crowd to games, the fans that do show up are a rowdy group; they are always a strong and vocal force. I think you can never underestimate that kind of support, and it always helps us perform better.”