While Wright State is no longer in a multiple-year conference losing streak, the Raiders are still looking for their first Horizon League win in McLin Gym since 2011 after WSU fell to Cleveland State 3-0 last Saturday.
Wright State is tied for last place in the Horizon League with a 1-8 record. As the season is slipping away, short-term goals such as reaching Horizon League Championships are starting to fade. But WSU head coach Susan Clements said she is seeing progress from her young players.
“We’re very competitive,” Clements said. “(Against CSU), if we had some plays go our way or better serving opportunities, I think the match could have ended up differently. You can see that progression with this group but we just have to pound home the consistency.”
Senior Ashley Langjahr said the young players around her are starting to step up. Langjahr is the only senior and one of three upperclassmen regularly in WSU’s rotation.
“They have been really great about stepping up into a role,” Langjahr said. “It is not easy where they’re literally half of our team and all of them play. They have done a great job and being a part of the team to help us win.”
As her time at WSU comes to a close, Langjahr said she could help this team build for the future in the final three weeks of the season.
“Knowing that we’re helping to build something for the future,” Langjahr said. “As they say, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ With such a young team, in the next few years, once they get an actual team settled in, they will be really good.”
Cleveland State presented the Raiders with a tough challenge, as the Vikings were aggressive of the serve. CSU had six aces in Saturday’s contest compared to three from the Raiders.
“We have to pinpoint our passing because they have a lot of veteran play with their setter and outside hitters,” Clements said. “We didn’t do that well.”
The Raiders were competitive in the first set leading at one point by five. With WSU up 16-13, CSU had a trio of service aces and a kill that took the lead away from WSU. CSU took the opening set 25-20.
After never leading in the second set, WSU responded with a good start to the third set with nine ties and a pair of lead changes. With the third set tied at 17, CSU went on a 7-0 run to put the set and match out of reach.
For the first time all season, WSU stays home back-to-back weekends. The Raiders host Oakland on Friday.
“We have been pretty road worn this year,” Clements said. “We can get our legs back under us.”
