RICHMOND, Ky. - First-year head coach Lori Duncan and her 1998 Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team closed out the season over the weekend with losses at Tennessee Tech and Middle Tennessee. The Colonels finished the year with a 3-23 overall record, posting a 3-15 Ohio Valley Conference mark.

The Colonels lost to Tennessee Tech last Friday in straight sets (3-15, 8-15, 9-15), before dropping their final contest of the 1998 season to Middle Tennessee (8-15, 11-15, 15-13, 11-15).

"We had the chance to play the spoiler this weekend and did not take advantage of that," said Duncan. "I was expecting to play that role on Friday, and I feel our kids should finish strong whether it's a match, a weekend, our season, whatever."

Against Tennessee Tech, the Colonels were led by sophomore outside hitter Courtney Bowen, from Pittsburgh, PA, who recorded a team-high 10 kills and 13 digs. Freshman setter Sharon Moreno, also a native of Pittsburgh, PA, added 19 assists and seven digs.

On Saturday, at Middle Tennessee, the Colonels found themselves without their second leading attacker in outside hitter Mary Lee Keranko, from Washington, PA. Following warm-ups, Keranko felt something pop in her ankle as she stood up. She was unable to compete, leaving the Colonels lacking a solid offensive threat.

"There are three kids on this team that we simply cannot be without at this time," continued Duncan. "Those are Bowen, Moreno and Keranko. In the locker room before the match, I said one of two things are going to happen. Either we are going to come out and rally around the kid who is going to take over for Mary Lee, or we are going to just fold. I don't think we fell into either category right off the bat, I think we were just in the match, just going through the motions. In game three, our kids got fired up and played really well. In game four, we were not able to hold leads.

"Now we are 3-23, we are ninth in the conference and I don't feel like that. I don't feel discouraged, I don't feel like we don't have a lot to work with next year. I've got to keep putting in perspective that it is our first year. We were not able to bring in a recruiting class and a lot of people are playing roles that they won't be playing in the future.

"I think our work ethic will be very intense in the next six to eight months and we will be ready to take on the challenges that await us."

Duncan and her staff have a challenge ahead of them, but it will not be as difficult as one would expect. This Colonel squad loses only one player to graduation, senior outside hitter Amanda Deerhake. All other 14 players will return for another campaign. The staff will be looking to add a couple middle blockers, an outside hitter and a defensive specialist during the off-season of recruiting. Duncan plans to bring in up to five recruits for the 1999 season.
 

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