Normal, IL (U-WIRE) -- The ISU volleyball team will be very pleased to return home to Redbird Arena this upcoming weekend, because the road has not been a happy place the last two weeks. The Redbirds (4-5, 0-2) fell to defending Missouri Valley Conference champions Wichita State 3-1 Friday night and were handed another loss the following night at Missouri State 3-0. ISU is now a combined 1-4 since winning the Barker GMC Classic at home three weeks ago.

Things got started on the right foot for the Redbirds against Wichita State, as they came back from a nine-point deficit to win game one 30-26. However, that would be the lone victory of the whole weekend.

ISU had leads in the following three games at times but the Shockers were the ones to come out on top at the end, winning 30-26, 30-26, 35-33. Game four featured a neck-and-neck battle all the way as the two teams were tied for nearly every point towards the end. The Shockers finally put together two straight kills to win both the game and the match.

Transfer Manoela DaCuhna had a big night against Wichita State with 15 kills, while Laura Doornbos and Kari Staehlin led the team with 16 each.

"We are good in places but we were reaching for balls when we shouldn't have been, we passed balls we should have hit and some balls fell to the floor that shouldn't have," ISU head coach Sharon Dingman said in an ISU press release. "We have been so close, but there are reasons we aren't able to finish some of our games."

Staehlin added another 13 kills the following night at Missouri State, but once again the outcome was not what the Redbirds were looking for. ISU beat themselves more than the Bears did, as numerous hitting errors led to the 30-26, 30-25, 30-27 defeat on Saturday night.

Much like Friday night the Redbirds played close in the final game, as the Bears lead was cut to one at 28-27. However an ISU service ace followed and Missouri State converted on match point.

"I just felt like Missouri State came out and pushed us around at times," Dingman said in an ISU press release. "We have to get mentally tougher. But we'll go home and get back at it. This team can mature."

ISU returns home this weekend for a Friday night match-up with Drake that begins at 8 p.m.

(C) 2004 The Daily Vidette via U-WIRE