Some teams always seem to bring their "A" game for a big match. Others insist on playing down to the level of inferior competition.
The problem for the UH volleyball team (11-10, 6-4 Conference USA) is that it does both.
The Cougars will try to reverse that trend and bring their "A" game in two home matches this weekend, starting with a match against a struggling East Carolina squad at 7 p.m. today at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
UH will follow that contest with one against C-USA frontrunner Marshall at 1 p.m. Sunday. Marshall, which has won 10 of its last 11 matches, will be a tougher opponent.
"We’re trying to get a better average of how we play," UH junior outside hitter Justine Farmer said. "We want to play at the level where it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. Our main focus in practice this week is staying at a consistent level in everything that we do."
East Carolina (12-13, 3-7 CUSA) is in the midst of a five-match losing streak. The Cougars and Pirates met once last season in Greenville, N.C., with ECU taking the spoils in a 3-1 victory.
In that match, Farmer led all players with 30 kills. ECU senior outside hitter Kelley Wernert had a team-high 16 kills and was one of three Pirates to record double figure kills.
Wernert will once again lead ECU and try to break her team out of its prolonged slump.
Houston will have its hands full trying to take down Marshall (16-8, 9-1). Not many teams have been able to stop the Thundering Herd lately. Marshall has suffered only one loss since Sept. 15.
UH sophomore outside Ashley Calhoun is excited to play Marshall, but says that the Cougars cannot afford to look ahead to Sunday.
"We’re going to have to be ready to go all weekend," Calhoun said. "(Marshall) is a hot team right now, so we’re going to have to come out with a lot of defensive intensity and stay excited."
Defense could be the key if UH wants to contain Marshall senior outside hitter Kelly-Anne Billingly, who was named C-USA Player of the Year the last two seasons.
The last time these two teams met was in the quarterfinals of last season’s C-USA tournament.
UH got the best of Marshall in a 3-2 win. Farmer had a team-high 27 kills to go along with 10 digs.
Billingly went nuts with 44 kills and 15 digs. It wasn’t enough as UH sophomore outside hitter Erin Rice owned the net with 13 blocks, which set a tourney single-match record.
"We’re going to have to come in with the right attitude and be ready to play, especially on a Sunday morning game," Rice said. "In practice, we’re working on correcting some of key things that will give us the confidence to get a couple of wins this weekend."
