Wichita State vs Radford University - NCAA Round of 64

[1972Shocker]

So now that the Lady Shockers received what many of us thought (at least I did) was a very pleasant surprise when the NCAA Selection Committee awarded them a 16 seed and hosting honors in the 2017 NCAA D-I Volleyball Tournament its time to get down to business and take care of this great opportunity.

The Lady Shocks open against the Radford University on Friday at 8:00 pm in Koch Arena. That assumes KU and Mizzou go pretty quickly. If KU and Mizzou go 5 sets the Shocks may not get started until 9:00 pm as 5-setters can easily go 2.5 hours. Even a 4 set match between KU and MIzzou probably pushes that start time back. So be prepared for that possiblity Shocker fans.

So what do know about Radford University. Well in my case not much and I assume much of Shocker Nation is in the same boat. Radfords University is located, believe it or not, in Radford Virginia, a burg of around 17,500 fine Virginia folks located in the western part of the state about 15 miles SW of Blackburg, the home of Virginia Tech.

Radford athletics are the Highlanders so the Shocks need to take great care that the Highlanders don't decapitate them.

The Highlanders earned their way into the NCAA Tournament with a win over top seeded High Point in the Big South Tournament. High Point, like the Shockers, also had an undefeated conference season at 16-0. Radford was the #2 seed and was 13-3 in conference play and are 25-4 overall.

Radford's signature win of the season was a 3-2 (15-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-12) come from behind win over Arizona in Tuscson.

The Shockers and Highlanders played two common opponents. Miami (OH) beat Radford 3-0 in Columbia, SC and Radford beat East Tennessee State 3-2 in Blacksburg. The Shockers swept ETSU in Nasville and beat Miami 3-1 in Indianapolis.

[shocks02]

Radford, at #60 in the RPI, would be the second best team in the AAC this year. They're no slouch. Crucial that we don't overlook the Highlanders.

[Cdizzle]

Very excited for everyone involved with the program!

Hoping Shocker fans show up in force!

[1972Shocker]

Here's a look at the Radford players that will most likely see court time agaisnt the Shocks:

Haley Kleespies - 5-8 Jr S - Averages 10.23 assists per set (indicating Radford runs a 5-1). Leads the team with 37 service aces to only 17 service errors. Averages 2.07 digs per set.

Maddie Palmer - 6-0 Sr. OH - Averages 4.04 kills per set while hitting .260. Also leads the team with 3.58 digs per set.

Valerie Gonzalez - 6-1 Jr RSH - Averages 2.75 kills per set while hitting .230.

Stephanie Neast - 6-0 So. RSH - Averages 2.62 kills per set while hitting .277

Mallory McKnight - 5-11 So. MB - Average 2.07 Kills per set while hitting .316. .74 blocks per set.

Amaya Rousseau - 6-1 Jr. MB - Average 1.26 kills per set while hitting .221. Leads the team in blocks at 0.86 per set.

Kaylor Nash - 5-9 Sr. DS - Averages 3.53 digs per set.

Alyssa Caruth - 5-4 Fr DS/L - Averrages 2.80 digs per set.

Jordon Coomes - 5-10 Fr S - Looks like she is doing spot duty as a server and perhaps some back row play. Has 14 service aces and 15 service errors in limited duty and has contributed 1.59 digs per set. She only has 37 assists on the year so she would likely on setting as a secondary out-of-system option.

As a team Radford hit .251 and averaging 13.4 kills per set. They are also averaging 1.5 aces per set. Radford held its opponents to a .149 hitting pecentage and an average of 10.9 kills per set.

The Shocks hit .301 as a team averaging 14.7 kills per set. They averaged 0.9 acers per set. The Shocks held its opponents to a .145 hitting percentage and 12.1 kiolls per set.

[1972Shocker]

Radford, at #60 in the RPI, would be the second best team in the AAC this year. They're no slouch. Crucial that we don't overlook the Highlanders.

I agree that The Lady Shocks simply can not afford to look past the Highlanders. Fortunately, this Shocker team seems to be generally pretty good at focusing on the task at hand and taking care of business.

Yes, Radford would have been the 2nd best team in the AAC this year in terms of RPI. Not sure they would have been the 2nd best team. But they would probably have finished in the top half of the league if not in the top 4. It's kind of hard to say with so few comparison points. Only 2 matches between AAC and Big South teams. Winthrop beat ECU 3-2 and USF beat Presbyterian 3-1.

That said it looks to me like both High Point and Radford were very solid teams this year who would be capable of challenging most teams in the AAC.

[WuDrWu]

I'm to understand ticket sales being described as extremely brisk. I hope this is a strong showing from ShockerNation and not more representative of other fan bases.

[1972Shocker]

I'm sure Shocker fans are doing their fair share of buying. OTOH hard to say what extremely brisk really implies in terms of numbers. One man's brisk is another man's sluggish.

It would be cool though if we could outdraw Nebraska even though that probably requires a lot of help from other fan bases. Probably need 8,500 or so to top the Cornhuskers. Not predicting that will happen just saying it would be cool.

[Cdizzle]

If they market the heck out of it, and the two local schools reach Saturday, I'd like to think that number is in reach. Maybe it isn't. IMO WSU won a dice roll for a regional. Shocker fans showing well and making it lucrative may make the dice loaded in our favor the next time around. I'll do what I can to support not only this team, but also those that built this program to this point, and those that might benefit from it in the future.

[shocktheheart]

Any TV or online for these matches?

[1972Shocker]

Any TV or online for these matches?

I think Shocker HD TV (for a price) is the only option. I think Shane Dennis calls the matches on this medium.

However, my recommendation is to get out to Koch Arena if you can. Hosting an NCAA event such as this doesn't come along everyday. This is special and has the potential to be one of those things that 10 years from now you will want to say I can remember when I was there in person for...............

[shocktheheart]

I think Shocker HD TV (for a price) is the only option. I think Shane Dennis calls the matches on this medium.

However, my recommendation is to get out to Koch Arena if you can. Hosting an NCAA event such as this doesn't come along everyday. This is special and has the potential to be one of those things that 10 years from now you will want to say I can remember when I was there in person for...............

Would love to go, but having a baby on Thursday so I don't think that is going to be an option.:tennis:

[1972Shocker]

Would love to go, but having a baby on Thursday so I don't think that is going to be an option.:tennis:

Congratulations. Boy or girl or do you know? In any case best wishes on your new addition.

[shocktheheart]

Congratulations. Boy or girl or do you know?

Girl. Our first girl of a total of eight kids!

[1972Shocker]

Girl. Our first girl of a total of eight kids!

Wonderful. Now that you finally gotten it right you can consider Eight is Enough. 8 kids is a real challenge in this day and age.

She won't be be spoiled at all.

Bet all those boys are excited as well.

Again congratulations.

[flyingMoose]

Per Pablo, this match is Shockers 90%. KU is 60% against Missouri. For the entire weekend, Shockers (65%), Kansas (21%), Missouri (11%) and Radford (3%).

[1972Shocker]

Per Pablo, this match is Shockers 90%. KU is 60% against Missouri. For the entire weekend, Shockers (65%), Kansas (21%), Missouri (11%) and Radford (3%).

With all due respect to Pablo (and if you are smart you will go with Pablo) I think KU probably has to be the favorite in this field. They are every bit if not more experienced than the Shockers. They have played much tougher competition in the Big 12 then the Shocks have faced in the AAC. Yes, they struggled a bit down the stretch losing 3 of 4 but only the West Virginia loss was kind of a head scratcher. Sometimes funny things happen on Senior days. The other 2 losses, to Texas and Baylor, are more understandable. I think KU will be very motivated in this tournament.

Also is there any other national seed (or any other team in the tournament for that matter) who still has an unsettled lineup other than the Shockers. Hard to say who will start at the M-2 position for the Shockers. Emma Wright palyed the 1st match agaisnt Memphis and reallys struggled so Lambo went with Brooke Smith in the season finale agaisnt Memphis and she was signficantly better. My guess is Brooke is going to get the call but who knows. Either way that has been a bit of a weak spot. Alex Koon has really been up and down late in the season to the point that she has been replaced mid-match a few times by Chase Jackson. Chase replaced Alex after the 1st set in the finale against Memphis and perhaps had her best match as a Shocker. Alex seems to struggle some against the bigger more athletic teams. This may not be a problem so much with Radford but may be an issue in the 2nd round of the Shocks get a win over Radford. So will Lambo go with Alex against Radford and only switch to Chase if Alex struggles in either match. Or will he think Chase gives him the best lineup in the 2nd round and needs the playing time against Radford to prepare.

I think it's a testimony to Lambo and the Shocker core that they have been able to work around these weaknesses throughout most of the season but doing that against AAC competition is a lot different than doing that against top tier Big 12 or SEC competition. That said they only have to do that for one match and Lambo usually can come up with interesting schemes to deal with that.

The Shocks certainly are capable of beating all the teams in this regional.. I'm just not convinced they should be the favorites though.

Perhaps the Pablo % at this point reflect KU's bigger challenge of getting pase Mizzou in the 1st round compared to the Shockers task of getting past Radford. It will be interesting to see what he percentages look like when we get down to 2 teams.

[1972Shocker]

Last year the 16 national seeds all won their 1st round games. Pretty common in Women's Volleyball. However, 4 national seeds lost in the 2nd round (all at home and all by 3-2 scores). Creighton beat #5 Kansas, Arizona beat #9 Michigan State, Florida State breat #11 Florida and Ohio State beat #14 K-State.

In 2015, 3 national seeds (#8, #10 and #15) lost in the 2nd round.

In 2014, #16 seed Kansas lost in 5 sets to Arkansas-Little Rock in the 1st round. #11 and #13 went down in Round 2.

[WuShock16]

How did the national seeds do in the second round in 2012? Asking for a friend...

[flyingMoose]

#7 UCLA lost to Michigan State, 3-1.

#9 Florida State lost to Purdue, 3-2.

#10 Louisville lost to Michigan, 3-1.

#11 Kansas lost to Wichita State, 3-1.

You sly fox, you!

[1972Shocker]

KU has has it's share of below seed results over the past 5 years. 2012, 2014, and 2016.

They did get through to the Sweet 16 as a #14 seed in 2013 before being swept by #3 Washignton and in 2015 they made it ot the Final Four as a #9 seed before falling to #4 Nebraska who then beat #3 Texas in the Championship match.

May be less pressure on them this year since they are not seeded. However, the roasted Jayhawk will taste just as good as it did in 2012 IF that comes to pass. Maybe better. A good homecooked meal is always the best.