Box Score
MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois volleyball team won its first game of the 2009 season Tuesday night, defeating Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 3-1 at Western Hall.
The Fighting Leathernecks (1-4) beat the Cougars (0-5) 25-16, 20-25, 25-20, 25-22, to break a streak of four consecutive losses at Western Hall and take the team's first win in a home opener since the 2006 season.
"I think we all kind of took a deep breath after that 25th point was official," Western Illinois coach Kym McKay said of the match's final set.
McKay said the win felt good, but the team realizes that it still has some room for improvement. For the fourth match in a row, the Leathernecks came out with a win in the first set only to drop the second.
"That shift of focus needs to stop," McKay said. "The coaches are trying to make sure we play with the same amount of intensity and the same amount of confidence regardless of the score, the game or the location. If we do that, we can play great ball."
After a strong first set in which the Cougars never challenged the Western lead, Western had lapses in the remaining three sets. With the score tied 19-19 in the second, SIU-E finished the set on a 6-1 run. Western came out to a 7-1 start in the third set, only to have the Cougars come back and briefly take the lead before the Leathernecks put them away. In the final set, Western held a 20-15 advantage only to have SIU-E sneak back within two points before the Leathernecks closed out the win.
McKay said the lapses throughout the match were things the team needs to work through.
"We definitely need to work on being more consistent with our energy and intensity. When it's not there, that's when the errors come," McKay said.
McKay pointed out setter Ellen Miller as a bright spot for Western, as the junior recorded her second-straight double-double with 38 assists and 15 digs.
"Ellen did a great job of creating energy in the moment that we needed it," McKay said.
Additionally, sophomore left side hitter Allison Gilbert recorded a 16 kills to lead the Leathernecks' attack while Megan Toczek added 10 kills.
"Ally took some big swings throughout the night," McKay said.
Western finished the game with a 51-47 advantage in kills and a 8-4 edge in blocks while the Cougars recorded more digs by a 57-54 margin.
The Leathernecks next head to Chicago to play in the DePaul Challenge. Western faces the host Blue Demons at 7 p.m. Friday before facing Clemson at 10 a.m. and Loyola at 5 p.m. Saturday.
