Volleyball vs Memphis (Rescheduled)

[1972Shocker]

BWDIK.

Not as much as some, but probably more than many (including yours truly). I alwasy find you obervations worhty if not always right.

I had commented in an earlier post that perhaps the 8-0 start was perhaps a bit of fool's gold but the team was playing well. However, as team's have more scouting material to use as the season progresses it could be that effective adjustments have been made on how to approach this Shocker team.

The freshman probably were not quite as good as the showed early on although it does concern me that Natalie did not play tonight.

Actually I have always marveled at the large rosters Lambo has generally maintained and how he can keep so many egos and personalities more or less happy and seemignly pulling in the same direction.

In any case, I was not expecting this performance the last couple of days.

[1972Shocker]

Emma was there. Did not look for Natalie. Megan was there and played a dab.

Watching the replay. Natalie was in uniform and on the sideline.

[1972Shocker]

Other Friday Scores in the AAC West:
SMU 3 - Tulane 1 in Dallas
Tulsa 3 - Houston 1 in Tulsa

[1972Shocker]

The Shockers definitely did not look like a high level volleyball team agaisnt Memphis. I will say, though, that I think Memphis is a much better volley ball team than I was expecting and they deserve a lot of the credit for making the Shockers look bad. They served tough against the Shocks without making a lot of errors and they dig a ton of hard spikes. The seem to have soid defenders able to make tough digs and good passes all across the back row and they sit back on defene a lot more than the Shocks do. OTOH, they have pretty quick athletes who anticipate well and cover a lot of ground. The are a pretty young team so I think they are probably getting better as the season progresses and seem to be on the upswing. The setter looks to be very solid. The blocked better in against the Shockers than they have been but perhaps the Shocks contributed to that as well.

The Shock looked pretty disorganized and in scramle mode a good part of the time. A lot of that was that the Shocks passing was just not ery good overall. Some of that was due to Memphos serving tough but the Shocks seem to misplay a lot of free balls with less than sharp passing. I think Memphis clearing won the serve and passing game.

Also in both mathes the Shockers had a high number of service errors without the payoff of a high numger of service aces. In the two matches the Shocks had 20 service errors and only 5 aces. Memphis had 11 service erros and 10 services aces.

Not sure what's going on with this team at this point but they way they are playing certainly doesn't exude a feeling of confidence.

I will also say that so far I haven't seen a team in the AAC West that looks like a soft touch. Hopefully, Lambo and the ladies will gets some things figured out before taking on Tulane next week.

[flyingMoose]

... although it does concern me that Natalie did not play tonight.

My interpretation was that Lauren is a better blocker and close enough on offense. Perhaps her skills are a better matchup against Memphis. Plus see what she can do in prime time, having earned the opportunity in practice. Just a guess.

[flyingMoose]

I meant to mention this earlier. Both officials used electronic whistles. Twice the down official had an inadvertent whistle. The first time, everyone played through it to the benefit of the Shockers, but the Memphis coach complained and they eventually did a do-over.

[1972Shocker]

My interpretation was that Lauren is a better blocker and close enough on offense. Perhaps her skills are a better matchup against Memphis. Plus see what she can do in prime time. Just a guess.

Yeah, I think Lauren is a better blocker as is Brooke and Emma. I have heard Lambo comment that Natalie needs to work on improve on her ability to execute the Shocks blocking scheme including being able to get to the right spot in time. OTOH, Natalie looks to me to have the greatest upside as a scorer among the middles. Lauren did have 8 block asists in the match which led the Shocks and Brooke played pretty well also.

The Shocks just don't seem to rely on their middes offensively like they used to. I'm not sure that is intentional but maybe it is. However, it may be because we don't have the players that are able to do that consistently and maybe it's partially due to our poor passing which keeps us out of system or otherwise out of position to use the middles.

Megan only playing very briefly in one set is interesting as well. It's not like Nicole and Morgan were setting the world on fire combining to hit 6-7-49 with 40 of those swings by Nicole. I think Nicole and Morgan are better ball handlers on the back row although neither all that good in this match.

The distinct impression I am left with, and it may be a totally off base, is that Lambo is searching, not really finding any answers and seems uncertain on how to proceed with this team.

[flyingMoose]

Natalie ... including being able to get to the right spot in time. OTOH, Natalie looks to me to have the greatest upside as a scorer among the middles. Lauren did have 8 block assists in the match which led the Shocks ...

That was definitely my impression when Natalie was on the court last time She was always late getting there. Not recognizing where she needed to be soon enough? Needs to be a little quicker? No idea.

The Shocks just don't seem to rely on their middles offensively like they used to. I'm not sure that is intentional but maybe it is. However, it may be because we don't have the players that are able to do that consistently, and maybe it's partially due to our poor passing which keeps us out of system or otherwise out of position to use the middles.

On Thursday, it seemed like we were in the middle of the second set before we even *tried* to set a middle! I'm like you. By design? Poor passing? Choices by the setter?

The distinct impression I am left with, and it may be totally off base, is that Lambo is searching, not really finding any answers and seems uncertain on how to proceed with this team.

Yep. "This is not getting us where I want us to be. Let's try this." I certainly have the impression that Lambo will let his assistant coaches argue for a certain approach. I wonder if that was a factor. Very early in the season, he said something like, "Let's see if we can pull this thing up together, get to the conference tournament, and see what happens. I am certainly not counting on any at-large bids for the conference." I have to think that is still the mindset.

[1972Shocker]

Nice responses flyingMoose

[QUOTE=flyingMoose;n1284808]
That was definitely my impression when Natalie was on the court last time She was always late getting there. Not recognizing where she needed to be soon enough? Needs to be a little quicker? No idea.{QUOTE]

I think perhaps a little bit of both may be at play here.

On Thursday, it seemed like we were in the middle of the second set before we even *tried* to set a middle! I'm like you. By design? Poor passing? Choices by the setter?

We do have two terrific options on the pins in Sophia and Brylee. But we have had terrific pin players in the past and the didn't stop us from actively incorporating the middles in the offense.

Yep. "This is not getting us where I want us to be. Let's try this." I certainly have the impression that Lambo will let his assistant coaches argue for a certain approach. I wonder if that was a factor. Very early in the season, he said something like, "Let's see if we can pull this thing up together, get to the conference tournament, and see what happens. I am certainly not counting on any at-large bids for the conference." I have to think that is still the mindset.

Getting to the AAC Tournament just got a lot tougher but we did get a little help yesterday with SMU beating Tulane and Tulsa beating Houston. But that may not matter if Lambo can't right the ship before taking on Tulane and Houston.