Game Notes

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.  -  SIUE volleyball will return to the court Sunday, as the Cougars prepare for the first of two consecutive road matches at Belmont. First serve for tomorrow's match is set for 2 p.m. CT, while Monday's match is set to begin at 5 p.m. CT.

Live coverage of tomorrow's match will be available on ESPN+, but no live video will be available for Monday's match; however, live stats for both matches can be accessed at SIUEStats.com.

444 DAYS
The last time SIUE volleyball took to the court was on November 21, 2019, where the Cougars fell to No. 1 seed Jacksonville State in the First Round of the OVC Tournament. Between then and now, a pandemic has taken hold and pushed the college volleyball season to the Spring of 2021.

FRESH FACES
SIUE volleyball welcomes four new student-athletes to the program in Spring 2021:

• Alyse Drifka, a setter from Richfield, Wis.
• Sydney Hummert, an outside hitter from Quincy, Ill.
• Jenna Taphorn, an outside hitter from Pekin, Ill.
• Julia Treichel, an outside hitter/defensive specialist from Brookfield, Wis.

Head Coach Kendall Paulus on how these newcomers will impact the game this season:

"I think the newcomers will help impact the game because they don't know what to expect. So they don't have this perfect vision of how a perfect day goes. So I think they're open-minded and they're ready to take on whatever comes their way."

GOIN' BACK TO BACK
The Ohio Valley Conference and its 12 member institutions decided to play a conference-only schedule this season, which will see teams play back-to-back matches on consecutive days against the same opponent.

Coach Paulus' thoughts on the new scheduling format:

"I'm really excited to play back-to-back on consecutive days against the same opponent because I think we can handle adjustments really well. I think we'll be able to make changes from Sunday to Monday well because of how many veterans we have on this squad."

VETERAN PRESENCE
In any season, veteran players play a critical role in keeping their team calm and collected, regardless of what the opponent throws their way. That role is made even more essential in a season such as this, where preparing for the unexpected is crucial to the success of any team or individual. Fortunately, the Cougars have an abundance of returning players, having graduated just four from last season.

Coach Paulus on how she expects the returning players to impact the game:

"I expect the returners to help us stay confident and being able to expect the unexpected. If they can keep us calm when we come into some chaotic situations, I think the rest of the team will respond really well."

TURNING THE CORNER
Since moving to the NCAA Division I level, SIUE volleyball has advanced to the postseason just once - an appearance in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in 2017. However, with one of the highest-rated recruiting classes in program history and a number of talented players returning to the squad, the Cougars are widely considered to be among the top teams in the OVC this season.