The earmark of a successful team is consistency. The flow of consistency develops a rhythm that usually leads to victories.

Consistency has not been a glowing feature of the women's volleyball team this season.

After defeating Wisconsin-Green Bay on Wednesday, the team continued its on-again, off-again style of play by losing to Syracuse on Saturday in four games at the Al McGuire Center.

"People need to be consistent," said senior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin. "Some people are waiting for other teammates to bring them up, which cannot happen. If myself and two other teammates are excited, it is so much effort to get everyone else excited."

Syracuse was able to reap the benefits of hitting at 44 percent in the first set on their way to a 30-27 victory. The two teams were tied at 19, but Syracuse pulled away to earn the victory.

The Orange's primary focus was the middle of the Golden Eagle's defense, and they exploited it to great effect.

"Being able to shut down that middle, you have to come to the match with a competitive attitude," said head coach Pati Rolf. "We started tense, and we have to be more competitive when the game starts out."

The Golden Eagles closed up the middle of their defense in game two and held Syracuse to a hitting percentage of 32. But it was not enough for the Golden Eagles, as they lost 30-24.

Facing elimination, the Golden Eagles forced the issue in game three and won 31-29. Coughlin closed the game with a kill.

The fourth game was too much for the Golden Eagles to handle as they hit at eight percent while Syracuse hit at 28 percent. The Golden Eagles had only four players with a positive hitting percentage and were out-blocked by Syracuse 4-1.

Coughlin was the center of attack for the Golden Eagles and tied her career best in single-match kills with 29. The senior's efforts were not enough as the team dropped to eighth place in the Big East. Syracuse moved up to a tie for fourth place with the Saturday win.

The past series of matches has been a role reversal from the Golden Eagle team at the beginning of the season. At the beginning of the season, the team came out of the gate strong but had trouble putting teams away.

Recently the Golden Eagles have started poorly and turned it on later in the match, as was the case on Saturday where it proved too little, too late.

"It started at Colorado where we struggled and couldn't recover from it," Rolf said. "Life got us down at Colorado, and I don't think we have gotten over it yet."

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 18, 2005.