MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Sometimes the biggest opponent is yourself.

That's what Southern Illinois University Edwardsville volleyball found Saturday in a 25-19, 25-15, 25-16 loss to Milwaukee at the Klotsche Center.

SIUE, 10-9, finished with 34 attack errors while Milwaukee was strong at the net with 13 blocks.

SIUE Head Coach Todd Gober said Milwaukee's serving had as much to do with the Cougars' loss.

"We were out of system too much today. And they were able to set up a big block," he said.

The Cougars were unable to gain momentum from any position. Sydney Winslow led the Cougars with seven kills followed by six from Julia Whitfield.

Karie Downing led SIUE's defense with 10 digs.

Milwaukee, 12-8 overall, used an 8-0 run with the serving of setter Jena Berg in set one to pull away from SIUE. Milwaukee's top three hitters of Kerri Schuh, Elizabeth Egerer and Natalie Schmitting each finished with seven kills.

Gober said he thought the Cougars were even through the first 20 points of each set but would fall to a run from the Panthers.

"There was a consistent lapse in each set," he said.

The Panthers used nine blocks from Schmitting and seven from Schuh to hold the Cougars back.

SIUE next travels to DePaul for a 2 p.m. match Sunday in Chicago. Gober said his team needs to pass better and hit smarter if it hopes to return with a better than .500 record.

"We need to come out and play hard and focus on our side of the net," he said.

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