Volleyball

STLCOP Volleyball Team completes Season at KIAC Tournament

Kaitlyn LaBoube sets the ball for Kelly Plach.

The STLCOP volleyball team made the trip to Richmond, Ind., on Nov. 11 to compete in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament. Ranked seventh of 10 teams going into the tournament, the Lady Euts had to face second-seeded Indiana University East on their home turf with only six STLCOP players able to make the trip. The result was not in STLCOP's favor as the Red Wolves would eventually move on to win the tournament and become conference champions. The scores of the match were 14-25, 11-25, and 5-25. First-year setter Kaitlyn LaBoube had 13 assists and seven digs for the Euts, while third-year Kelly Plach and first-year Kelsey Toler had five kills each.

The Eutectics finished the season with an overall record of 8-18, 2-6 in the KIAC. The team ranked third in the
conference for the aces per set statistical category, averaging 1.6, thanks in large part to LaBoube's killer serve.
LaBoube had 37 aces for the season, averaging 0.5 per set, putting her at the top of the conference for that statistical category (service aces per set). First-year outside hitter Kelsey Toler also contributed in the service aces per set category, ranking seventh individually in the conference with 0.3 per set.

LaBoube also ranked sixth for assists per set (5.1), seventh for total service aces, and eighth for assists (379) and digs/set (3.2).  Toler led the Eutectics in kills for the season, putting down 148, while Plach topped the Eutectic list for blocks (42, averaging 0.6 per set).

Kaitlyn LaBoube Named to STLCOP All-Tourney Team 

Kaitlyn LaBoube

First-year setter Kaitlyn LaBoube was one of six players named to the All-Tournament Team by the coaches of teams competing at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy Volleyball Tournament on October 14 and 15. LaBoube averaged 5.4 assists per set over the tournament and led the Eutectic team in digs (averaging 6.6 per set). She also had six service aces and six kills for the Euts. The Lady Euts finished fifth in the STLCOP tournament, beating out Harris Stowe Sate University. Oakland City University earned the title of tournament champion after defeating Principia College in the championship match on October 15.

LaBoube leads the Lady Euts for the season in assists, aces, and digs, while also finding a place in the top-ten lists for those statistical categories in the KIAC. Several other Eutectic players have also found top-ten rankings in various KIAC statistical categories including service aces (Kelsey Toler and Laura Seier) and blocks per set (Kelly Plach).

Since the STLCOP tournament, the Eutectics have suffered losses to Lindendwood-Belleville, Greenville College JV, Asbury College, and Kaskaskia College. They are currently 7-14 overall with only three matches left in regular season play.  The Euts are ranked seventh of ten teams on the KIAC with a 2-4 conference record. The conference tournament is scheduled for November 4-5 at Brescia University.

Up next, the Eutectics take a trip across town to Harris Stowe State University to play the Hornets on Wednesday, Oct. 26. 

Lady Euts Lose a Tough One to Lindenwood-Belleville 

Morty the Eutectic proudly wears his STLCOP Volleyball T-shirt provided at the tailgate party by SBU.  Photo by Eric Pan.

A huge crowd turned out for the tailgate party thrown by the STLCOP Student Body Union (SBU) on Thursday, September 29, before moving into the Pillbox to cheer on the Eutectic Women's Volleyball team as they hosted the Lindenwood University-Belleville Lynx. SBU ramped up the excitement by providing free t-shirts along with several big attendance prizes for students in the crowd. But, despite the large number of vocal fans supporting them, the Euts could not overpower the Lynx, who went home with the 3-0 win (16-25, 23-25, 12-25).

First-year setter Kaitlyn LaBoube put up 16 assists and had 14 digs and an ace for the Euts during the match. She still leads the conference in service aces per set (0.6) while ranking sixth in assists per set (6.2) and ninth for digs per set (2.9). Fellow first-year Kelsey Toler led the Euts on Thursday with seven kills, moving up to a number-five ranking in the conference for kills per set (2.5). First-year libero Lindsey Becker had nine serves received to lead the Eutectics in that category.

Next up for the Lady Euts is a trip to Stephens College (Columbia, Mo.) on Thursday, October 6, where they hope to avenge their previous loss at home against the Stephens Stars.

Eutectic Team is Small But Strong

Kaitlyn LaBoube leads the conference in service aces per set. Photo by Eric Pan.

With only eight players on the current roster and six of those being freshmen, the Eutectic Women's Volleyball Team is short on numbers and experience. But, those eight players seem to be all the program needs to find success. The Lady Euts have had a steady start to the 2012 season, racking up a 5-6 overall record - the best early season record the Eutectic team has had in recent years. With two conference wins over Brescia University and a loss to both Indiana University East and Indiana University Southeast, the Eutectics have secured a sixth-place ranking (of 10 teams) in the KIAC at this point in the season.

The freshmen have already shown their strength on the court through the KIAC individual statistics rankings. Kaitlyn LaBoube has made her mark at the conference level by leading the KIAC as a freshman in service aces per set (0.8) and fourth in total aces (18). At the position of setter, she ranks fifth for assists per set (6.3) and eighth for total assists (151). Fellow freshman and outside hitter Kelsey Toler  ranks second in the service aces per set category (0.5) and sixth in kills per set (2.5) while junior captain Kelly Plach ranks third for blocks per set (0.9).

STLCOP's Laura Seier goes up for the tip while Kaitlyn LaBoube looks on. Photo by Eric Pan.

STLCOP volleyball fans packed the Pillbox on Thursday, September 1, for the  volleyball home-opener against Blackburn College (Carlinville, Ill.). The Lady Euts defeated the Beavers 25-13, 25-22, 21-25, 25-15 in front of a boisterous Eutectic-supporting crowd.

First-year setter Kaitlyn LaBoube led the team with 33 assists, 15 digs, and five service aces while fourth-year
outside hitter Kelly Plach had 10 kills and four blocks for the Eutectics. First-year Kelsey Toler also racked up
10 blocks for STLCOP.

The Eutectics will be back in action next Thursday, September 8, when they host Harris Stowe State University at 7 p.m.

The 2011 Eutectic Volleyball Team stands for the national anthem before the opening match against Blackburn College.  Photo by Eric Pan.