The Clarion

Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: unknown Senior Alyssa Hampton spikes the ball during a match at home on Friday [Click to enlarge]

The Pioneer women's volleyball team has had an up-and-down start to the season by losing two and winning one in the Pioneer Classic last weekend. DU opened the tournament with a heartbreaking 3-2 (27-30, 32-30, 30-28, 29-31, 10-15) loss to Ohio on Friday morning and then a 3-0 (25-30, 25-30, 24-30) loss to Long Beach State in the evening. The Pioneers put a nice end to the weekend with a sweep (30-22, 30-23, 30-21) over Washington State on Saturday evening and improved their overall record to 5-7.

"I think we are really close to being a really good team and we had our chances in game four and letting it go to a game five with a top 20 team is not where you want to be," said Head Coach Beth Kuwata after the team's loss to No. 17 Ohio.

DU began the season at the Sooner Invitational and lost to Oklahoma and Alabama before defeating Seton Hall to end the tournament. The Pioneers then hosted the University of Denver Invitational and defeated Auburn and DePaul, before losing to Wichita State to end the tourney. Denver then traveled to Texas for the Nike/Molten Invitational where they beat Georgia Southern and then lost to Lamar and TCU.

DU is now done with their pre-season tournaments and play a non-conference game tonight at Northern Colorado at 7 p.m.

The Pioneers were picked to be the pres-season Western Division favorites in the Sun Belt Conference for the third consecutive season, one point ahead of North Texas.

"I think we put five solid games together against a very solid opponent and I think we can continue to play this well throughout the entire Sun Belt Conference season which it is all about," said Kuwata.

Last season, the Pioneers finished 19-12 overall, the best record in 12th year Head Coach Kuwata's career. DU brings back 11 players from last year's roster including five starters and adds four freshman to the team.

DU opens the conference schedule at home on September 21 when they play Arkansas State at 7 p.m.

The results during non-conference play have not been perfect, but the experience will hopefully lead to a SBC title, Kuwata said.

"Winning our side of the division is one of them, we are hosting the championships this year and winning that and making it to the NCAA tournament is what it is all about," said Kuwata about the team's goals.

The Pioneers play next tonight at 7 p.m. at Northern Colorado.

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