CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Before the University of Charleston volleyball team plunges into the heart of its schedule in the next week, it had to first get out of Fleming Hall in one piece.
Yes, it's the same Fleming Hall where West Virginia State's basketball team raises the roof, and it was loud again. It only takes five or 10 people to do it, and there were perhaps a couple hundred to watch the underdog Yellow Jackets.
UC prevailed 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, coming back from 8-2 in the fourth game. It was a reminder that nothing comes easy, even against the 2-16 (2-6 West Virginia Conference) Yellow Jackets.
"State played really well this evening," said UC coach Bren Stevens. "So we've just got to come out every night and be prepared to play our best volleyball."
The Golden Eagles are 12-8 (6-2 WVC) against a fairly stout schedule. They started 0-4, with three losses during a Labor Day weekend trip to Fairbanks, Alaska, but have lost just four times since and have risen to fourth place in the WVC.
Up next is a two-match homestand this weekend, Friday at 7 p.m. against Shepherd and noon Saturday against Pitt Johnstown. The Shepherd match will be the tougher one, as the Rams are in second place.
After that the Eagles get the ultimate test, trudging to two-time champion Wheeling Jesuit on Tuesday. The Cardinals are 21-4 overall, a perfect 10-0 in the league.
"They're good every year," Stevens said. "You know they're going to be really prepared for the match, so for us to go up there we're going to have to play very well and make very few mistakes. We can't miss serves, we've got to hit the big balls when the game is close."
UC, the conference champ in 2007, is loaded with juniors and sophomores with just two seniors, probably ensuring it will compete well after this season. But the future is now, leading up to the Nov. 11-13 tournament at the Charleston Catholic Athletic Complex.
"Both of those seniors are really good, and they played well tonight," Stevens said. "Emmalee Luther, our middle hitter, she played really well. I thought Chantal Hebron, our outside [hitter], I thought both of them played well and took some big swings, especially at the end of the game when the game's on the line. That's when kids are usually nervous, and they don't want to take those big swings."
UC stays home this weekend to play Shepherd at 4 p.m. Friday and Pitt Johnstown at noon Saturday.
