Jam The Gym vs UNI ($3 Tickets)

[WuDrWu]

I don't know about everyone else, but they really looked flat to me last night. A repeat of that performance and UNI will be on the bus by 8:15 and the Shocks will be back in 4th place.

I think our team believes they can "turn it on" when they need to.....UNI (and other top flight teams) just always stay on.

Maybe there were a lot of reasons for a thin crowd last night, but that was disappointing to say the least. Maybe 1800 and I think that's being generous.

I suspect that '72 and I are going to be profoundly sad at the turnout tonight, but we'll be there.

Go get 'em ladies!

[flyingMoose]

Maybe there were a lot of reasons for a thin crowd last night, but that was disappointing to say the least. Maybe 1800 and I think that's being generous.

The box score has 2427 for an attendance, but I would have thought more than that based on the parking lot. But maybe getting there later than normal made the lot seem fuller.

[flyingMoose]

http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/29/208...u-victory.html

This article has most of the points made in Lambo's post-game show.

I had forgotten. One comment from the post-game is that Sam is nursing a strained rotator cuff.

[1972Shocker]

I had forgotten. One comment from the post-game is that Sam is nursing a strained rotator cuff.

That seems to be showing up in her numbers lately. Not surprising she would have that injury based on the violent swings she takes at the ball. Not sure if the Boomer can devise some strength and flexibility exercises for Sam that will help her with that although there are probably no short-term cures.

[1972Shocker]

I don't know about everyone else, but the really looked flat to me last night. A repeat of that performance and UNI will be on the bus by 8:15 and the Shocks will be back in 4th place.

I think our team believes they can "turn it on" when they need to.....UNI (and other top flight teams) just always stay on.

Maybe there were a lot of reasons for a thin crowd last night, but that was disappointing to say the least. Maybe 1800 and I think that's being generous.

I suspect that '72 and I are going to be profoundly sad at the turnout tonight, but we'll be there.

Go get 'em ladies!

I was not able to attend the Bradley match (and believe me that is a rarity for me) but my wife had a work-related social function that I felt I should support her at. However, had we played UNI on Friday she would have been on her own. Sorry Dear. At least we were counted in the attendance as season ticket holders. I know at least one other couple that are season ticket holders that were also at this function. Both my wife and I and this other couple will be there tonight.

When watching the highlights of the Bradley match on goShockers.com I was struck by the very light crowd in the portion of the arena I could see. If the announced attendance was 2,400 and the actual attendance a generously estimated 1,800 then we apparently had 600+ season ticketholders that did not make the match. The 7th game of the World Series could have been a significant factor in that along with High School playoff football. I would expect most of those missing season ticket holders to be in attendance tonight. In fact, I will be bringing a group of 13 in addition to my wife and I tonight.

We should have a good crowd tonight although I will no doubt be disappointed. Of course, I am hopelessly naive and optimistic that one day Shocker Nation will rise up and show-up en masse to one of our MOST IMPORTANT matches for one of our most successful sports. If only we had an ouststanding, highly-ranked opponent coming in to play a match with huge post-season implications.

Wait a mintue, we do - the #12 ranked UNI Panthers (23-1, 12-0) and their gaudy 48 match MVC winning streak are coming in tonight. Furthermore, UNI has has RPI of around #4 or #5.

Too bad UNI doesn't have a superstar worth the price of a measly $3 admission. Wait a minute, they do - Bre Payton picked up her 3rd triple double of the year last night with 15 kills, 47 assists and 10 digs in UNI's 5 set win over MSU in Springfield. One of the UNI fans referred to her as the Bre Payton Manning of the MVC and I think it's an apropo description. She is a coach on the floor and has the ability to will her team to win tough matches. She undoubtedly will finish her career with her 3rd consecutive MVC POY award.

Too bad the Shocks have no chance in this match against such a tough opponent. Wait a minute, they do - they took the Panthers to 5 sets in Cedar Falls losing the last 3 sets 23-25, 23-25 and 13-15. The Shocks will have to bring their A+ game but we are capable of making the upset.

Too bad this match doesn't have the possiblity of being entertianing and exciting as hell -- Wait a minute - are you kidding me?

What better time than tonight to Jam the Freakin' Gym.

:poster_shocks:

[1972Shocker]

Got to see an ouststanding college volleyball team on the court tonight. Unfortunately, that team was not the Shockers.

Shocks did not bring their A game tonight and that simply won't do the trick against UNI.

Shocker fans did have a strong performance tonight with 4,528 fans in attendance.

I had four of my grandkids in the Halloween costume contest. 2 ninjas and Woody and Jessie (the cowboy and cowgirl). Woody and Jessie made the finals but when it comes to the applause meter for these Halloween contests you always know that little means louder.

Shocks need to rebound and win all six of their remaining regular season MVC matches.

[flyingMoose]

Got to see an outstanding college volleyball team on the court tonight.

I second that motion!!

[WuDrWu]

Really good crowd last night. Thanks to everyone that support this program.

[1972Shocker]

I think the way the 3rd set ended with the Shocks unable to put away the set after leading 23-19 and pretty much just collapsing at that point put a really bad exclamation point on the match and could be damaging to the psyche of the Shocker players (and fans).

While UNI is probably a little more talented than the Shockers they seem to be light years ahead of the Shocks in the mental toughness and will to win departments. They simply do not make very many mistakes.

[1972Shocker]

In his post-match comments last night Lambo said he didn't think MVC Tournament seedings really meant very much and were mostly just something for the press and the fans to talk about. In a way I agree with him and in a way I don't. While the #1 and #2 seeds get a first round bye that may not be as big of an advantage as it seems. I suppose it helps stamina-wise if you get into a long match in the finals against a team seeded 3rd or lowerl However, I am not sure it is so bad to play in the 1st round. You get a match in to get work out the kinks and, assuming your win, you take some momentum and positive feelings into the semi-finals.

However, at least this year being the 3rd seems does IMO have a big advantage over being the 4th seed. The 3rd seed will have to go through the #2 seed to reach the finals. The 4th seed will have to go through the #1 seed (UNI) to reach the finals.

That makes this coming weekend very important for the Shocks who now sit in 4th place. CU (10-3) and MSU (9-3) are currently in 2nd and 3rd. CU will host the Shocks and Bears this coming weekend and still have to travel to Cedar Falls to take on UNI. A Shocker win over CU this weekend would give them the tiebreaker over CU if needed and would go a long way towards securing the #3 seed in the MVC Tournament.

If both the Shocks and Bears can win out over their final six regular season matches the Bears would have the #2 seed and the Shockers the #3 seed. So still some important volleyball to be played. Looking forward to see if the Shocks can regroup and use the remainder of the season to continue to work and improve.

:poster_shocks:

[WuDrWu]

Let's just say the highlight of the season so far has been the many personal appearances at Shocker home matches of former Wichita State great Sarah McGee.

[flyingMoose]

While UNI is probably a little more talented than the Shockers they seem to be light years ahead of the Shocks in the mental toughness and will to win departments. They simply do not make very many mistakes.

Perhaps I am quibbling, but I would replace "is probably a little more talented" with "is (a lot?) more talented" and "seem to be light years" with "are light years" - but I also suspect that you are being kind and trying to stay positive.

In the Chalk Talk last night, Lambo noted that the quality of the libero seems to be strongly correlated with how good a team is. When the Shocks were being ranked, they had Karen Augspurger or Kelly Broussard playing that position. When the USA Men's VB team was here this past summer, a Jack Strock(?) from USA Volleyball noted that the five best men's teams in the world had the five best liberos. In the post-game show, he remarked that Waldo had the worst passing night that she had had in a long time. And of course, he went to Jackie in the third set.

[WuDrWu]

I want to be extremely careful not to be critical towards (what I fully believe is) the finest athletic program at Wichita State. I am very proud of the accomplishments of both the players and staff of Womens Volleyball.

That being said, I thought the Shocks were destroyed in 3 areas last night, and they are not unique to last night. Serving, back row defense, and setting the middles. The frustrating thing is these are 3 areas that are mostly correctable, meaning the ability is there to overcome most of the shortcomings.

Am I the only one that thinks we serve soft and short far too often, and that we get a lot less movement on our serves than our opponents?

Am I the only one that thinks we've missed far too often with our middles? Even Bradley seemed to be at least as successful lining up their middles, whether they finished or not.

The back row defense I doubt anyone will challenge. We are average at best back there. At best....and we seem to be a lot better for whatever reason with Church in at libero.

Does anyone else think there was a hint of panic inserting Kelsey for Emily at the end....for just one point I think?

[1972Shocker]

Perhaps I am quibbling, but I would replace "is probably a little more talented" with "is (a lot?) more talented" and "seem to be light years" with "are light years" - but I also suspect that you are being kind and trying to stay positive.

Ok, so you have me figured out.

[flyingMoose]

Does anyone else think there was a hint of panic inserting Kelsey for Emily at the end....for just one point I think?

This happened several times during the match. I thought a couple of factors were involved. They are asking Emily to be a six-position player, but more importantly, asking her to carry a lot of the offensive load. So when she starts getting a little slow reacting in the back row, they sub Kelsey in to give Emily a break - and depending where they are in the rotation, it may only be for one point. And then you have to get Kelsey some big-game experience - it appears that she will be one of the two littles next year unless there is a redshirt that will be factor. So, no, I did not see it as panic.