The volleyball team has faced extreme highs and lows this season after playing different caliber teams.

After being defeated in their first tournament this season, the Racers came home last weekend with a tournament win under their belt, beating all three teams they faced.

Head Coach David Schwepker was ecstatic about the team’s success.

“I loved it, of course,” Schwepker said. “We pulled a really hard match out on Friday night, and then we stayed very stable for most of the day on Saturday.”

Schwepker said there was a major difference in the way the Racers played in the first tournament and the tournament they competed in lsat weekend.

“I think what we did was we gave a lot of good offense to the teams instead of just giving them easy balls,” Schwepker said.

He said during the previous weekend, the team was always on the defense, but for this tournament, the Racers put other teams on the defense.

However, after coming home with spirits high, the Racers took a tough loss against Evansville Tuesday night.

Schwepker said he was disappointed because of the way the team lost.

“There was a point where I think we gave up,” he said. “We can take a loss if we can learn from it. It’s kind of hard to take losses if we keep doing the same thing over and over.”

Schwepker could not deny that the Racers faced a hectic week.

“It’s just kind of a whirlwind week,” Schwepker said. “We don’t really get a lot of down time to work on anything.”

The Racers will continue the busy week with a tournament in Dayton, Ohio, this weekend.

“It’s a rough time for athletes when there’s a bunch of traveling,” Schwepker said. “Sometimes I think being at home is more distracting, though. Crowds are awesome, but a lot of times when you’re on the road you’re in your own little bubble.”

Schwepker said he is optimistic about the upcoming tournament, when the Racers will meet Indiana State, Wright State and Robert Morris.

“We’re going up there to compete and we’re going up there to win,” Schwepker said. “I would like to think that every tournament we’re in we have a chance to win.”

The Racers will take the floor at 3:30 p.m. today against Indiana State and finish off the tournament Saturday against Wright State and Robert Morris.

Story by Taylor Crum, Assistant News Editor