After another disappointing season last year, where they finished 14–15, 7–11 in the MVC, the volleyball team looks to start the season strong and reverse last season’s losses.
Selected seventh in the MVC preseason poll, UE will begin with IUPUI at 6 p.m. Saturday at the IUPUI Tournament in Indianapolis.
The Jaguars upset the Aces last year in straight sets, and Coach Mike Swan said his players are extremely motivated for the rematch.
“We’d like to go into that weekend and come away with three wins,” he said.
Tulsa and Jacksonville State round out the tournament. The Aces face the Hurricanes at 9 a.m. Sunday, followed by the Gamecocks at 3:30 p.m.
“We’re excited to avenge some close losses and make the conference tournament,” setter Katie Kincaid said.
Swan said two new 6-foot setters bring opportunities to the offense to try a 5–1 offensive formation. This formation has one person setting and three front-row attackers.
“I think every position is going to be very open and very competitive,” Swan said.
With a number of players returning healthy, Swan said he is content with what he sees in practice. Outside hitter Ginta Gabruseva suffered from knee injuries last year, but Swan hopes the surgery in the off-season will help her remain healthy.
After the IUPUI Tournament, the Aces face Belmont at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn. The team’s first home match is against Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. Sept. 10 at Carson Center.
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The cross-country season begins again with UE’s own Mid-America Opener at 10 a.m. Saturday at the UE Cross-country Course, 20404 Barton Road. The men and women will try to better their second-place finishes from last year.
With a growing number of teams competing and little more than a week of practice, the men need to be in top shape to run the 6K and the women the 4K.
Coach Don Walters said UE’s performance early in the season hinges on how in shape runners stayed over the summer.
The men are led by junior Greg Pulscher, who posted two 8K times under 26 minutes last season and went on to run a 32:55 10K at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional.
“Everyone else is pulling up the gap,” Walters said, noting that he will have to see where the four incoming runners stand before assessing the team. “I’m going to cut them loose early in the race to run hard.”
The women’s team also shows potential but it has big shoes to fill after the graduation of Andrea Sonnenschein, who smashed UE’s top 5K times in three separate races. Junior Arrena Svoboda will try to step forward this year.
Walters said he hopes the six newcomers will offer immediate help, and with several all-state runners new to the Aces’ roster, he believes the team may be able to run as a more solid pack in competitions.
“I guarantee the chemistry on the women’s side will be the best it has ever been,” he said.
Both teams will compete in the Queen City Invitational, hosted by the University of Cincinnati, starting at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 6 in Alexandria, Ky., and the Panther Open, hosted by Eastern Illinois, at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in Charleston.
