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  • Shockers Host SMU and Memphis

    Goshockers.com Match Notes and Links

    A challenging and somewhat frustrating season is winding down with 4 matches remaining on the schedule. Wichita State volleyball returns home to Charles Koch Arena to face SMU at 7 p.m. Friday, before taking on Memphis Sunday at 1 p.m.

    The following week the Shockers close out the season at home against Tulsa before closing the season on the road against ECU.

    About SMU
    The SMU Mustangs come into the weekend at 15-7 overall and 8-4 in The American after splitting two matches against Memphis and UCF...SMU defeated Memphis on the road Nov. 1, 3-2, before falling to UCF at home Nov. 3, 3-1...Through 22 matches, the Mustangs are led by sophomore outside hitter Hannah Jacobs (270 kills, 3.55 kills/set, .202 attack pct.), sophomore setter Lily Heim (934 assists, 11.53 assists/set, 17 aces, 238 digs, 2.94 digs/set, three block solos and 32 block assists), senior libero Montana Watts (376 digs, 4.76 digs/set, 63 assists) and junior middle blocker Meryn Kennedy (16 aces, 10 block solos, 71 block assists, 1.12 blocks/set)...Heim currently is fourth in the nation in assists per set...SMU was tabbed fifth in The American preseason poll...The Mustangs are under the direction of 25th season head coach Lisa Seifert.

    About Memphis
    The University of Memphis Tigers enter the weekend at 15-9 overall and 4-8 in The American after splitting two home contests vs. SMU and USF...Memphis fell to SMU Nov. 1, 3-2, before defeating USF Nov. 3, 3-1...The Tigers are slated to play at Tulsa Friday before facing WSU Sunday...Through 24 contests, Memphis is paced by junior right side hitter Hannah Flowers (318 kills, 3.42 kills/ set, .330 attack pct., 43 aces, 47 digs, two block solos, 52 block assists), sophomore setter Sabrina BIanco (963 assists, 10.24 assists/set, 16 aces, 244 digs, 29 block assists), sophomore libero Kaitlyn Gehler (358 digs, 3.93 digs/set, 64 assists, 23 aces) and sophomore middle blocker Andrea O'Connor (128 kills, eight block solos, 52 block assists, 0.71 blocks/set)...Memphis was picked to finish 12th in The American preseason poll...The Tigers are under the leadership of second season head coach Sean Burdette.

    Theoretically, the Shockers could still finish at .500 in AAC play of they win all 4 of their remaining matches. Maybe that would give them a shot at making the AAC Tournament but would not guarantee that. The formula for qualifying the #5 and #6 seeds is pretty complicated. As practical matter I don't think the chances of the Shocks going 4-0 to close out the season are very good at all. In fact, the possibility of going 0-4 is probably higher. My hope is the Shocks will split the matches this week and next. Most likely wins are the Sunday matches against Memphis and ECU.

    Hopefully, Mckayla and Megan will be back for these final 4 matches.

  • #2
    Pablo: SMU 70% at Shockers and Shockers 67% v Memphis

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    • #3
      Really entertaining match where our girls fought hard most of the night but fell a couple points short. They couldn't overcome the pin firepower that SMU has in Woulfe and Jacobs.

      Had at least 2 set points to force a deciding 5th but just couldn't put the ball on the floor, a theme all season. Still, the effort was there if not the execution.

      Did anyone catch the post game remarks?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by WuDrWu View Post
        Really entertaining match where our girls fought hard most of the night but fell a couple points short. They couldn't overcome the pin firepower that SMU has in Woulfe and Jacobs.

        Had at least 2 set points to force a deciding 5th but just couldn't put the ball on the floor, a theme all season. Still, the effort was there if not the execution.

        Did anyone catch the post game remarks?
        I agree that with the exception of the 3rd set the Shocks did about as well as one could expect considering the talent gap between SMU and the Shocks. The Shocks did show some scrappiness but they have difficulty coming up with plays when they really have to have them. The Shocks were far more competitive tonight than they were earlier in the season against SMU in Dallas.

        Lambo's postgame comments:

        75 kills by SMU to 56 for the Shocks. SMU just has so much more firepower. He was satisfied with his teams effort and the way they battled just could keep up on the pins. Lambo thinks SMU's setter is the best in the AAC and their libero is among the best in the AAC as well. Another elite right side hitter had a big day against the Shocks. Rachel Woulfe had 22 kills on 42 attacks. The Shocks will see another one against Memphis. Mike pointed out that they were much better tonight than they were against SMU a month ago in Dallas. Lambo said he thought the biggest difference was the lack of effort the Shocks showed in Dallas. Memphis is also an improved team and the Shocks will need to play well and play hard on Sunday to win that one.

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        • #5
          Shockers lose a tough back and forth 5-setter to Memphis. I was not able to attend today but more or less followed the match on the audio stream while taking advantage of the weather to get some need yard work done. Scores were 25-23, 21-25, 21-25, 25-19 and 16-14.

          The Shocks had forge a 10-7 lead in the 5th set but were unable to hold on.

          Pretty much the same story as against SMU and most of our opponents this year. The Shocks simply do not have the firepower to keep up with the firepower of our opponents.

          While Memphis only outscored the Shocks by 108-106 they had 73 kills to 58 for the Shocks and outscored the Shocks by 11 on earned points (kills, blocks and services aces) with the Shocks only winning the blocking stat 11-7.

          Megan had a good match hitting 17-4-40 = .325 plus a service aces and a block assist.

          The Shockers finish up the season next week with a home finale against Tulsa on Friday and the season finale on Sunday at ECU.

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          • #6
            Well there is always next year. I used to think that about basketball after about the first five game as well but that was before MT and Marshall Law arrived.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post
              Pretty much the same story as against SMU and most of our opponents this year. The Shocks simply do not have the firepower to keep up with the firepower of our opponents.
              I didn't think Memphis was a particularly good team. I just thought the Shockers level of play was not very good, not nearly as good as against SMU. BWDIK.

              I did not hear the post-match comments (those are not on the YouTube channel?) and I will not be able to hear the Coach's Show tonight, so I will miss those chances to be educated.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by flyingMoose View Post
                I didn't think Memphis was a particularly good team. I just thought the Shockers level of play was not very good, not nearly as good as against SMU. BWDIK.

                I did not hear the post-match comments (those are not on the YouTube channel?) and I will not be able to hear the Coach's Show tonight, so I will miss those chances to be educated.
                For some unknown reason, which Lambo has pointed out, the Shocks simply have not played well on Sundays this year. Perhaps even more disappointing is that the Shocks are only 1-9 in home matches this season. The fact that Lambo has not been able to settle on core lineup or a core system this season probably makes getting consistent play tougher as well. But I should also add WDIK.

                You won't miss the Coach's show tonight because there are none. The Coaches' shows are being preempted by the Lady Shockers basketball game at ORU which is being carried on KFH Radio.

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                • #9
                  Went to my first VB game yesterday. Disappointing we lost but I had a great time. The girls are great athletes.

                  The hard "top-spin" server from Memphis was a problem.

                  I will be coming to a bunch more games...that was fun.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by MelvinLoudermilk View Post
                    Went to my first VB game yesterday. Disappointing we lost but I had a great time. The girls are great athletes.

                    The hard "top-spin" server from Memphis was a problem.

                    I will be coming to a bunch more games...that was fun.
                    Glad you enjoyed that. Check out season tickets. They are pretty reasonably priced.

                    I've told this story a number of times, but every time someone comments on a hard "top-spin" serve it always brings to mind how I got hooked on Shocker volleyball. I attended my st Shocker volleyball match in September 2003. I had heard some positive comments about the volleyball program and thought I would take a look. Lambo's 1st star player, Sara Younes, was a left-handed hitting, very athletic 5-10 (I think, maybe 5-11) outside hitter. So I attend this match vs San Diego State. So keep in mind the Memphis match was 5 sets and the San Diego State match went 4 sets. Also Hannah Flowers, the girl from Memphis, is 6-2 compared to Sara at 5-10. Hannah Flowers, who does have a terrific serve had 3 aces in 5 sets against the Shocks. About average for her. On that September night in 2003 Sara Younes set the all-time WSU single match record for services aces with 14. I was amazed and hooked. The athleticism was far above my expectations and I loved the team play required.

                    Proving that was not a fluke Sara holds 8 of the top 10 marks at WSU sor service aces in a match:

                    ACES
                    1. 14, Sara Younes vs. San Diego St., 9/13/03
                    2. 11, Sara Younes vs. Nicholls State, 9/12/03
                    3. 10, Sara Younes vs. Evansville, 11/15/02
                    4. 9, Sara Younes vs. Illinois State, 9/27/02
                    5. 8, P.J. Barrett vs. UMKC, 9/1/88
                    8, Sarah Larson vs. Idaho State, 11/13/99
                    8, Sara Younes vs. UMKC, 9/17/02
                    8, Sara Younes vs. New Mexico, 8/31/02
                    8, Sara Younes vs. North Texas, 9/13/03
                    8, Sara Younes vs. Northern Iowa, 10/1/04

                    Sara's career total in aces is 351, more than twice the runner-up Kori Rosenkranz who had 172 career aces from 1992-95 during the side-out era. The closest to Sara in career aces during the rally scoring era was Shocker All-American Sara Lungren who had 133 from 2004-07. Sara averaged 1.05 assists per set during 2002. By comparison the entire Shocker team this year is averaging 0.99 assists per set this year. In 2011 Sara was the first Shocker volleyball player inducted into the Shocker Hall of Fame. I really don't think Sara's aces records will ever be broken. I should point out that the libero position was 1st used in NCAA Volleyball in 2002. That position has grown and developed into great importance and I think getting aces at the clip Sara did in the early days of the libero has gotten tougher and tougher as players are now groomed for that position and libero play has gotten better and better over the years.

                    This year has been a struggle. Fortunately, that has not happened very often during Lambo's 20 years. We should be better next year and, if the 2020 Class pans out as good as it looks on paper, the Shocks could be quite good in 2021 after the 2020 class get a year behind them.
                    Last edited by 1972Shocker; November 12, 2019, 01:48 PM.

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