COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team will be busy again this week with two doubleheaders over the weekend. The Lions will play two matxhes on Friday in Pueblo, Colo., and two matches on Saturday in Colorado Springs. Two of the Lions' opponents are nationally ranked while the other two are the host schools.
 
Steel & Silver Classic- Pueblo, Colo.
WHO (Match 1): A&M-Commerce (2-2) vs. No. 12 Wayne State (3-1)
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. CDT
WHO (Match 2): A&M-Commerce (2-2) at Colorado State-Pueblo (1-3)
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. CDT
WHERE: Massari Arena in Pueblo, Colo.
LIVE STATS (Match 1): Click HERE
LIVE STATS (Match 2): Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: portal.stretchinternet.com/csu-pueblo/
 
Steel & Silver Classic- Colorado Springs, Colo.
WHO (Match 1): A&M-Commerce (2-2) vs. No. 22 Colorado School of Mines (3-1)
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m. CDT
WHO (Match 2): A&M-Commerce (2-2) at Colorado-Colorado Springs (0-4)
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. CDT
WHERE: Gallogly Events Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: portal.stretchinternet.com/uccs/
 
The Lions are coming off of an up-and-down first week of the season. They swept Southwest Baptist and Maryville but were swept by No. 18 Central Oklahoma and No. 23 Rockhurst. Head coach Craig Case was pleased to get two sweeps but was not satisfied with how his team fared against their ranked opponents.
 
"Our goal this season is to take advantage of the opportunities we have to beat top 25 teams and to move our program forward to where we are a perennial powerhouse and a perennial top-25 team," he said. "I told our team at practice, if we had played the way we did against Maryville and Southwest Baptist, against UCO and Rockhurst, I think we would have won those matches."
 
Case noticed a change in his team between Friday and Saturday's matches after challenging his team to come out with more energy. Although his team lost in straight sets to Rockhurst, each set went to the wire, which he sees as a positive step.
 
"Against Rockhurst, we lost all three sets 25-22," he said. "Well, if instead of somebody getting dug, if they get a kill, that flips the score one point our way. If that happens three times, we are winning 25-22. We are inches away from beating a really good volleyball team. We've got to make sure we understand how close we are. I was pleased with that."
 
Case discussed earlier this season the possibility of his team taking some early lumps. Now with four matches under their belts, he is confident his team will continue to grow. After playing against two top teams, his team can now see the level at which they need to play in order to get where they want to be by season's end.
 
"The good thing is neither of those losses came against regional opponents," Case said. "It was one of those opportunities though to advance our program. Unfortunately we didn't. Now we've got to move forward and now we see, if we want to play at that level, that's where the bar is."
 
The Lions face a tough test this week with another four-match tournament on the road, which includes two more top-25 opponents. With several top-25 opponents in the Lone Star Conference, Case knows these games are critical to sharpen his team for conference play, especially with two top teams to open conference action next weekend.
 
"The thing I do like about our schedule is that it is stepping," Case said. "I think we played some really quality opponents this past weekend and we are going to have to get better going into this weekend. We want to enter conference play playing really well with the opportunity to get even better. I think this upcoming weekend, having two national ranked opponents is huge."
 
The Lions begin against Wayne State on Friday, who is ranked No. 12 in the current AVCA rankings. After facing host school CSU-Pueblo, the Lions will then travel to Colorado Springs to battle No. 22 Colorado Mines before ending against Colorado-Colorado Springs.
 
"Wayne State is always near the top 10 in the nation," Case said. "Every year they are a phenomenal program. Colorado School of Mines played in the regional finals last year. They are a really good opponent. And then the two teams that aren't nationally ranked, we've got to play them at home so they are going to be true road games. That cranks up the difficulty. You want to win a lot in your preseason and that is what we are trying to do. But it also should help prepare you for the rigors and the challenges of your conference opponents."
 
The Lions will return home after this weekend for their home opening match against Dallas Baptist on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. The Lions will then begin conference play against nationally ranked rival Angelo State on Sept. 15.