The Southern University volleyball team and head coach Nathaniel Denu finally regained a sense of normalcy this week.
With hurricane Gustav bat-tering Louisiana, SU had to cancel its first three matches against Houston Baptist, Dillard and Southeastern Louisiana.
“The hurricane affected the start of our season and the games we cancelled are in the process of being rescheduled,” said Denu.
SU’s first match came in a loss to Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Mississippi Valley State, 3-0 at the Alabama State Tournament in Montgomery, Ala. SU went on to fall to Alabama A&M, 3-0 and Alabama State, 3-2 in tournament play.
SU took on Jackson State Wednesday in Jackson, Miss., losing 3-0.
“We have a pretty young team,” Denu said. “Things didn’t go well at all at Jackson State. We weren’t able to defend. Our defense broke down.”
SU plays today and Saturday in the Mississippi Valley State Tournament before returning home to face South Carolina State Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
SU beat South Carolina State 3-2 in its season opener last year. SU finished (9-17, 1-7 SWAC).
SU was unable to practice Monday and Tuesday because of a campus wide career fair held in Seymour Gymnasium. SU will res-ume practice Monday, Sept. 22.
“We haven’t had an op-portunity to do the things we want to do,” Denu said. “We’ll be able to see what we have once we get a steady practice routine going.”
Notes
Senior Ena Payne was SU’s lone SWAC preseason first teamer this season. Payne was also a 2007 All-SWAC second teamer and All-Louisiana second teamer.
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