RICHMOND, Ky -- The Eastern Kentucky University women's volleyball team gets a chance to play some home matches for a change as the Colonels play their next four contests in the friendly confines of McBrayer Arena.

The homestand begins Thursday night when Belmont visits EKU for a 7:00 p.m. game. Then, it's back into Ohio Valley Conference action Friday and Saturday as Tennessee Tech comes in Friday for a 7:00 p.m. match, while Middle Tennessee arrives for a 2:00 p.m. match on Saturday. Kentucky State closes the homestand next Wednesday, Oct. 13, in a 7:00 p.m. match.

This past weekend, Eastern, 4-12 overall and 1-5 in the OVC, went on the road to compete in two OVC matches against Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois. The Southeast Missouri Otahkians defeated Eastern, 3-0 (15-7, 15-6, 15-3). EKU then traveled to Charleston, IL, Saturday where the Lady Panthers beat Eastern, 3-0 (15-4, 15-3, 15-9).

"SEMO has dominated our conference for a decade now. They are a very strong team that plays well. As we were on our way, the team started reliving what had happened last year. As they were concentrating on last year's loss, this year's loss became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Obviously, the team was not mentally ready for this game," said EKU head coach Lori Duncan.

Duncan believes that playing hard should be the team's first expectation and, by doing that, playing well and winning will come.

"I think this team needs to play hard and fight. We should focus on the parts of the game that we control... individual factors, not the scoreboard. When all we look at is the scoreboard, we get four or five good points and then roll over and give up," Duncan noted.

Coming back home will be good for the team, Duncan believes.

"This weekend, we can get in our home rhythm in front of our home crowd. Now the girls have a chance to bring it home and fight for every point-- which is what we do best," Duncan concluded.