This past weekend, SLU’s club volleyball team competed in the Billikens Ranking Tournament at Simon Rec Center, taking home first place and only dropping one set. The Bills defeated Bellarmine in the final game, winning 25-18, 25-21.
The team started out the day by dominating in pool play, winning all three matches. They defeated SIUE, 17-25, 25-13, 15-6. Their stellar performance helped them sweep the other competition, taking down Lewis, 25-14, 25-18, and Illinois State, 27-25, 25-18. The matchup against Illinois State in pool play was a big win, as it was their toughest competitor of the day and gave them a ticket into the gold bracket.
Due to pool play results, SLU drew Illinois State in the first round of the playoffs. They had no problem beating them a second time, 25-17, 25-18. Then, the women faced Arkansas in the semifinals, winning 25-21, 25-17. SLU took first place over Bellarmine to end the tournament.
The squad has been competing all year, having full rosters for an A and a B team. Both teams are stacked with former high school players that chose to try out for the club team, bringing their competitive energy and dedication back on the court. Sophomore Jen Brennan is currently an outside hitter for the A team. “Since I wasn’t playing a varsity sport in college, I wanted to continue playing at a high level,” she said.
Brennan further commented on the team’s success this past weekend. “This was one of the best I’ve seen us play. I’ve watched these girls practice for about two years now, and the communication, execution and energy was all there,” she said.
They will continue to compete this semester in another ranking tournament at Ohio State this weekend, then again in Cincinnati after SLU’s spring break. Their end goal, the national tournament, is in Kansas City. Their results in the ranking tournaments will determine their placement in the nationals bracket.
The team is striving to continue their success and ultimately go as far as possible in nationals. “Our team is really dedicated and passionate about the game,” Brennan said. “We work well as a team and do the best we can every chance we have to play. Speaking for the team, I believe we want to continue playing the best volleyball we can and come out on top.”
