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Not expecting much of a crowd today being up against the Chiefs and with the Shocks struggling.
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Lambo has stated somewhere that at least one of next year's newcomers in expected to compete for a starting spot as a freshman.Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post
Pablo again. The values are calculated for each team with the average value being 5000. In the AAC, nine of the twelve teams have a value above 5000. In the Valley, only three of the ten teams have a value above 5000.Originally posted by 1972Shocker View PostComment
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Shocks nearly pulled the upset today but fell in 5 sets to Tulane. Scores were 27-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-27 and 11-15.
Shocks served for the match at 25-24 in Set 4 but could not get it done. They also led 9-6 in the 5th and could not get it done as Tulane scored the final 5 points of the match as part of a 9-2 closing run.
It was not really a well played match. Tulane played a little less poorly than the Shocks.
The Shocks simply don't have the firepower to overcome their high error style of play. Ball control was again a problem for the Shocks. The Shocks did serve well today with 9 aces vs 8 service errors.
Lambo went with the youngsters today as both Chinelo and Sophia started and played quite a bit. Chinelo wasn't too bad. Sophia served well and her blocking was okay but she struggled big time on the attack with 2 kills and 6 errors on 17 attempts. Sophia went to the bench after the 3rd set.
Pretty clear with hindsight that Lambo should have redshirted Sophia and fellow freshman, Kayce Litzau, who did not play at all today.
Been a long time since there were less than a 1,000 in attendance at a Shocker Volleyball match but I don't think there was a grand in the building today.
Things get tougther next Friday with UCF coming to town before the schedule eases up a bit down the stretch.Comment
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1398, but I assume season ticket holders are counted as present whether they are actually there or not.Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post
Lambo made the comment in the post-match that the Shocks were afraid to win towards the end - tipping when they had a good set and an opportunity for a good swing, taking the easy sets to the pins and abandoning the middles, maybe something else was mentioned.Comment
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Yes reported attendance is based on tickets sold not butts in the seats. I could be wrong but I doubt there were 1k in the building. Hate to see it but not surprised by it.Originally posted by flyingMoose View PostComment
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This would not surprise me in the least. Although I don't think this year's freshmen have been quite as good as Lambo had thought they would be so that is really hard to predict with any certainty.Originally posted by flyingMoose View Post
But looking at next year there aren't that many positions that you can look at and say there is a lock for someone to perhaps be a starter.
Gio at libero if she is healthy is no doubt a lock. Arianna is improving but she probably will fill the first DS off the bench. However, Lambo does have another DS coming in next year that he is high on.
Megan and Brylee would seem to have the inside track on the outside hitter positions. I know Lambo is very high on Sophia but she seems to be a long way from where she needs to be. Mariah Buss, a 6-0 OH out of Lincoln, Nebraska, is highly rated. She was the Nebraska Super-State Captain ( essentially the Nebraska Player of the Year) and was the Gatorade Nebraska Player of the Year as a junior despite battling a hip injury. Her doctor told her it doesn’t matter what she did, you’re going to have surgery anyway, if you can put up with the pain, then go for it. I don't know if Mariah had any surgery but apparently she is had a pain-free summer and feels the healthiest she's been since 7th grade. The Shocks also have Sophie Childs, a 6-2 OH from Bixby, Oklahoma, coming in.
The middle blocker positions and the setting position has pretty much been musical chairs this year and I think the starting spots there are wide open next year. No doubt Lambo wants Chinelo's athleticism on the floor if she can handle the speed and mental aspects of his system. In the middle Lambo has 6-5 Natalie Foster coming in from Michigan and 6-3 Lauren McMahon coming in from the Dallas area. As they say you can't teach 6-5 and 6-3 but that is no guarantee of success in and of itself. I know Lambo badly wants to get the middles more involved in the offense.
The setting position has been a bit of mess post-Emily Hiebert. Kali Eaken looked like she might be solid last year until she went down early in conference play with a season/career ending knee injury. At this point it looks like Lambo may be settling on Mckayla Wuensch in a 5-1 but that is kind of a default position after much experimentation with the 6-2 and using Kora Kauling and Kayce Litzau as well. We'll see how McKayla does but at this point she looks pretty iffy as well. Lambo is bring in another setter next year in 6-0 Hailey Plugge out of Bakersfield, California next year. Probably should have redshirted Kayce this year but I think Lambo sill believes Kayce can become a very solid setter for the Shocks.
Perhaps the suprise would that one (or more) of these incoming freshman won't be starting next year. The opportunity would certainly appear to be there.Comment
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The Shockers are 17th in average attendance at 1962 with the noted caveat - some attendees come dressed as empty seats.Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post
Of the AAC teams, Cincinnati and UCF are next with 785 (65th) and 777 (T66th).Comment
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