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  • Shockers Travel to Memphis, SMU

    Match Notes and Media Links

    The Wichita State volleyball team (3-11, 0-2 American) will look to snap an eight-match slide when it travels to Memphis (11-3, 0-2 American) and SMU (7-5, 0-2 American) for a pair of conference matches Friday, Oct. 4 at Memphos at 7 p.m. before taking on the SMU in Dallas, Texas, at 1 p.m. Sunday.

    About Memphis
    The University of Memphis Tigers enter the weekend at 11-3 overall and 0-2 in The American after dropping conference matches at Tulane, 3-2, and at home vs. Houston, 3-2...Through 14 contests, the Tigers are paced by junior right side hitter Hannah Flowers (170 kills, 3.40 kills/set, .343 attack pct., 33 aces, 32 digs, two block solos, 22 block assists), sophomore setter Sabrina BIanco (567 assists, 10.50 assists/set, 13 aces, 137 digs, 15 block assists), sophomore libero Kaitlyn Gehler (203 digs, 3.98 digs/set, 25 assists, 13 aces) and freshman middle blocker Sabria Cooper (102 kills, 12 aces, four block solos, 34 block assists, 0.75 blocks/set)...Flowers currently ranks fourth in the nation in aces per set (0.62) and fifth in total aces...Memphis was picked to finish 12th in The American preseason poll.

    About SMU
    The SMU Mustangs come into the weekend at 7-5 overall and 0-2 in The American after dropping a pair of road matches at Houston, 3-2, and Tulane, 3-2...Through 12 matches, the Mustangs are led by sophomore outside hitter Hannah Jacobs (148 kills, 3.79 kills/set, .228 attack pct.), sophomore setter Lily Heim (485 assists, 11.28 assists/set, 10 aces, 135 digs, 3.14 digs/set, 13 block assists), senior libero Montana Watts (199 digs, 4.85 digs/set, 44 assists) and junior middle blocker Meryn Kennedy (nine aces, six block solos, 25 block assists, 1.15 blocks/set)...Heim currently is eighth in the nation in assists per set...SMU was tabbed fifth in The American preseason poll.


    No predictions from me on this one. Despite being picked 12th in the AAC preseason poll the Tigers appear to be much improved. They lost two 5-setters last weekend losing 14-16 at Tulane in the 5th sets and losing 15-17 at Houston in the 5th set/

    At best I would think each of these macthes would be 50-50 although it would not surprise me that the Shocks will be underdogs in both matches.

    On his Monday radio show Lambo said that the lineup they thought would be their best one coming into the fall turned out not be work as they had hoped. I think Lambo believed having Chinelo and Sophia in the staring lineup would give the the best talent on the floor and they were committed to that coming into the fall. Unfortunately, that did not work out as planned and combined with the struggles at the setter and libero/DS positions they have been searching all year for something that will work. Some opposing coaches said the Shocks are very hard to scout because they never use the same lineup form match to match. Obviously, that is a problem.

    This team could really use a win. Hopefully, the get one this weekend.

  • #2
    I was unable to listen or follow the Memphis match but the Shockers did manage to pull out a very competitive 5-set win over Memphis Friday evening to beak an 8 match losing streak.

    Scores were 26-28, 25-17, 27-29, 25-19 and 15-12.

    https://goshockers.com/news/2019/10/...s-in-five.aspx

    Looks like the Shocks went with a 5-1 all the way with McKayla handling the setting duties.

    In a good sign, Emma led the way on the offensive attack with 16 kills and only 2 errors on 26 atacks for a career high .538 hitting percentage. Chinelo who did not play against Cincinnati chipped in a 9-2-25 = .280 as the Shockers finally got their middle attack working and relatively busy. Sina and Nicole were not busy on the attack combining to hit 0-1-6. Good to see Chinelo playing. We need to get her as much experience as possible for next year.

    On the pins Megan had 15 kills but also had 10 attack errors and only hit .111 while Brylee had 14 kills with 6 attack errors and hit .235.

    Overall the Shockers only hit .223 but they held Memphis to a .165 hitting percentage. The Shockers out-blocked Memphis 16-10 with Chenelo (7), Brooke (7), Emma (6) and Brylee (5) contributing 25 of the Shockers' 30 block assists. Megan added a solo bllock and 1 block assist.

    Looks like the Shocks may have won the serve/receive game as they had 8 acces vs 13 service errors vs 6 aces and 17 service errors for Memphis. Arianna led the way with 3 service aces and Nicole chipped in 2. The Shocks also out-dug Memphis 77-62 with Kara leading the way with 23 digs supported by Nicole and Sina with 13 digs each and Arianna and McKayla with 9 digs each.

    The Shocks kill percentage of 38.9% was okay but their error rate of 16.6% was a little high.

    Overall though a badly needed win with for the combined psyche of this team. Now let's see what happens at SMU on Sunday.

    SMU beat Tulsa in 5-sets last night in Dallas. Scores 18-25, 25-13, 25-22, 23-25 and 17-15. SMU only hit .181 but held Tulsa could only manage a .134 hitting percentage.







    Last edited by 1972Shocker; October 5, 2019, 07:31 AM.

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    • #3
      Memphis is competitive. We're starting to see how much volleyball has grown throughout the country with more and more teams having elite players.

      I agree completely with you on Chinelo. She has to play and just get through it and get better. She's by far our most talented athlete and we need her to be dominate just to compete in this league.

      Not sure about the setting, but giving McKayla the keys for now might settle things down a bit. Not sure it's the best thing long term but it's probably better for today. I thought the girls played with a lot of heart, not great but good enough. Certainly could have been a Shocker sweep as they definitely should have won game 2. Mucked up the last 3rd of it for sure then had a service error on set point (among others). Blocking game was on point. Brooke and Chinelo are really solid.

      Probably not a turn around, but man were they pumped about the win. Moments like that are worth everything.

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      • #4
        7 matches so far in AAC play between Western Division teams. All 5 have gone 5 sets. As I mentioned before SMU beat Tulsa at home in 5 and, in addition, Houston knocked of Tulane in 5 in New Orelans on Friday.
        Last edited by 1972Shocker; October 5, 2019, 08:56 AM.

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        • #5
          Lambo had a good laugh about that tonight. I still get the feeling he believes our A game beats everyone but UCF and Cincy for sure, and gives us a punchers chance against both of those.

          Getting SMU on Sunday would be a huge step forward for this team.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by WuDrWu View Post
            Lambo had a good laugh about that tonight. I still get the feeling he believes our A game beats everyone but UCF and Cincy for sure, and gives us a punchers chance against both of those.

            Getting SMU on Sunday would be a huge step forward for this team.
            The thing is I'm not sure Lambo really knows what this team's A game is at this point but sounds like he is at least going to give the approach he used tonight a chance for a while anyway.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post
              In a good sign, Emma led the way on the offensive attack with 16 kills and only 2 errors on 26 atacks for a career high .538 hitting percentage.
              Away with family much of the week, so only got to LS and view bits and pieces. In the post-match, Lambo seemed to say Emma is hitting a larger number of slides. The sets for quicks in the middle were not doing a good job of matching her "skill" (what she sees and does well) swings in the middle.

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              • #8
                The Shocks pretty much get wiped out at SMU losing in straight sets 14, 20 and 18.

                The SMU Mustangs used a blistering .375 attack percentage to defeat Wichita State volleyball in straight sets Sunday afternoon in Dallas.


                When you get outhit .375 to .167 you simply are not to find success.

                The middle wasn't there today for the Shocks as Emma, Chinelo and Dmadj combined to hit 8-7-31 = .032.

                Brylee had a good day on the outide at 13-3-30 = .333 and Sina was 3-0-7 =.429 but Megan struggled at 7-5-20 = .100 as did Nicole at 2-1-10 = .100.

                In addition the Shocks were out-blocked 9-5, out-dug 44-31 and out-aced 3-2.

                Lambo post-game comments: Back to the starting point on setter vs setter and libero vs libero. Not from a lack of effort. McKayla giving it everything she has. Shockers were hoping to win and SMU expected to win. May have to go back to the 6-2. Complimented the play of Brylee this weekend. Also complimented Sina on her 4-0-7 hitting and said if she could bring that consistently she would never come out.

                Not sure it's going to happen for the Shocks this year. The talent level, experience and consistency just may not be there. Brylee showing good progress however. But she is about the only one.

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