By 
By: RANDALL MOSSMAN
Staff Writer
@randmoss
Spirit Week at IUSB aims to be a celebration that evokes the Titan spirit out of the student body. But while many will be reveling in the Spirit Week activities, the seniors on the women’s volleyball team will be looking to savor everything one last time, as they prepare to play their final home game.
The senior night game for women’s volleyball against Purdue University Northwest is one of the major events during spirit week, which is scheduled to run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 5.
The effect of a large, raucous crowd is not lost on seniors Emily Nix, Jenny Stahl and Sierra Conklin, who hope a large turnout will help propel them to victory.
“The support that we would get from it, that would be awesome in my book,” Conklin said.
Nix agrees. “I love when there’s a big crowd,” she said. “It makes me happy. I hope more people come. It’s our last time ever playing volleyball.”
Head coach Jamie Ashmore believes the increased energy level from a boisterous crowd makes the team perform better.
“They tend to play better when there’s more fans,” she said. “We’ve learned that it’s our energy that really fuels us. When we have energy, we’re a lot of fun to watch.”
Nix feels that the energy level can be the difference between winning and losing.
“I think we’re all based on energy, and having a big crowd will really help us,” Nix said.
Coach Ashmore hopes there is a big turnout like there was for the season opener versus Bethel College. She said that the crowd size for that game made other coaches jealous.
The game, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, will be a revenge game for the Titans, as they lost 3-1 to the Purdue Northwest Pride in early October.
“Hopefully we’ll have a big crowd, and that’ll get us pumped even more than we should be to go out and get that revenge,” Conklin said.
However, as exhilarating as the final games will be, reality will soon set in for the seniors that it is all coming to an end.
“It’s very bittersweet,” Conklin said. “You put in four years of hard work and dedication to a program and you’re sad to leave, but at the same time, you’re opening other doors for your future.”
Nix said that she would miss the camaraderie that comes along with being on a team, as well as the release of energy it provides.
“What else am I going to do with my life where I scream as loud as I want and hit something as hard as I want and it be socially acceptable?” she said.
Nix is hoping that senior night will allow her that release one final time.
“I just want to let everything out, all of my energy and all of my emotions,” she said. “Have no regrets. I just want it to be intense.”
Coach Ashmore said that it would be an honor to have a large crowd on senior night, where the three seniors will be honored.
“I hope there’s a lot of people that will come and celebrate these three,” she said. “We hope to see you there.”
While their time as student-athletes is quickly approaching its end, the women are grateful for the support they have received during their time on the team.
“Thank you to all the fans and for the support we’ve had all four years,” Conklin said. “It’s been greatly appreciated that we’ve been able to gain fans all four years to come and watch.”
