Shockers v Cincinnati

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers close out the weekend with a match Sunday against Cincinnati. The Bearcats AAC mark is 6-1, being swept at UCF. Next weekend, they host Houston and Tulane, so they still have wood to chop in the first half of the conference schedule.

The Shocks will have to play well, but it seems they have a chance in this one.

[1972Shocker]

SCOUTING CINCINNATI:

• The Bearcats enter the match 11-4 overall with a 6-1 conference mark, tied with UCF atop the conference standings.
• Coming into the weekend the Bearcats rank 61^st in the RPI, two spots behind Wichita State.
• Cincinnati owns a win against Notre Dame (RPI 27) in the non-conference, while also dropping a three-set match to defending champion and third-ranked Kentucky.
• The Bearcats lead the American in kills and assists per set.
• Cincinnati's 6-2 system features a senior setter in Arman Heckenmueller (6.21 assists per set) and a freshman in Emme Madden (8.98). Madden is the reigning American Offensive Player of the Week.
• Cincy averages just 1.64 blocks per set, the fewest in the American.

Statistical Comparison - Conference Games Only (Including Friday's matches):
Hitting Percentage: WSU .249 - CU .171
Opponents Hitting % WSU .196 - CU .223
Assists Per Set: WSU 12.10 - CU 12.13
Kills Per Set: WSU 12.93 - 12.94
Blocks Per Set: WSU 1.72 - CU 1.67
Aces Per Set: WSU 0.90 - CU 1.65
Service Errors Per Set: WSU 2.07 - CU 1.94
Digs Per Set: WSU 14.55 - CU 14.84

No reason the Shocks can't win this match if they play clean volleyball. Need to minimize the unforced attack errors, the service errors and the overpasses. Make Cincy earn their points. Need to have a blocking game than the Shocks had against ECU.

[1972Shocker]

Another match that kind of defies explanation. The Shocks overcame a subpar performance from Brylee and a totally ineffective offensive performance from MorganW. However, Sophie, Natalie, MorganS and Kayce led the Shocks to another 5 set win. 25-23, 19-25, 21-25, 25-23 and 15-10.

Brylee did score match point on a very emphatic kill. Very nice win for the Shocks.

Playing Cincinnati reminds me a little of playing UNI's better teams back in the day.

Live stats shut down at 10-5 in the 5th set so final stats not available at this point.

[flyingMoose]

Other Sunday matches

UCF 3-0 Temple
9, 14, 23

Memphis 0-3 Houston
17, 18, 17

SMU 3-2 Tulane
(15), 19, 18, (23), 11

ECU 1-3 Tulsa
19, (22), 25, 21

[1972Shocker]

Good weekend for SMU. Now the Shocks need to pull another one out of the hat on Wednesday at Tulsa.

UCF now alone at the top of the AAC standings at 7-1.

Houston and Cincy tied 2nd at 6-2

A 4-way logjam at 3rd between Tulane, SMU, Tulsa and the Shocks all at 5-3

ECU (3-5), Memphis (1-7), Temple (1-7) and USF (0-8) follow. These are teams the Shocks have to beat. Had a very narrow escape against ECU.

The Shocks play at Temple next Sunday.

[WuDrWu]

Cincinnati was an old team and played like it. Smart, determined, unrattled, strong. They did get rattled in the 5th but everyone was tired, and they were down a regular rotation player in OH Maria Tobergte who appeared to suffer a serious knee injury (probably a damaged if not torn ACL). She's far from their best player, but she's a regular, having played in every set this season and about 6th in scoring. And in a 5 set marathon (nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes long) being short will take it's toll.

If I never see Maria Mallon take another big swing from the left side it will be too soon. Geez that girl has some pop out of her relatively small frame.

One thing about our girls, they don't quit. Even the 3rd set, down 19-12 (at least) they battled almost all the way back (in fact, the 2 reversals were responsible for WSU not taking the set, kind of) before ultimately falling 25-21.

I'm sure I'm wrong, but it seemed like there were about 12-14 straight side out points laterish in the 4th. Nobody could seemingly string 2 points together.

I'm not sure how good we are.....or aren't......but these young ladies play hard and don't quit and they are exceedingly young. Weber, Stout, Foster, Childs, Uyar, Newsome and Phillips are ALL either true freshmen or covid freshmen (and ALL played) and that doesn't include the injured McMahon.


They deserve more support than they are getting. Just my opinion. I felt shamed that Asst Coach Sean Carter had to implore the crowd for some noise late in the 5th. Those kids played their hearts out (Cincy kids too).

[WuDrWu]

In a match Cincinnati lost 3 sets to 2, but won points 106 to 105, they had 12 more kills than WSU (70-58).

That's somewhat remarkable.

It's REALLY hard to believe that UC had 8 aces to 13 errors while WSU had 6 aces to only 5 errors (and at 7-2 in the 5th, both UC points were courtesy of WSU service errors). Maria Mallon, who has a plus jump serve, had 2 aces to 7 errors. That stat seems to defy what I saw.......

They also out dug us 85-72 and I thought we were pretty darned good in the back row today.

Also seemed like both coaches made some good adjustments throughout the match, and getting Brylee some rest was HUGE. We needed her to have fresh legs in the 5th and she did and was a difference maker. Natalie was also very good and Kayce just keeps getting better. Her attacks today were the best she's been all season, by a long shot.

[WuDrWu]

Good weekend for SMU. Now the Shocks need to pull another one out of the hat on Wednesday at Tulsa.

UCF now alone at the top of the AAC standings at 7-1.

Houston and Cincy tied 2nd at 6-2

A 4-way logjam at 3rd between Tulane, SMU, Tulsa and the Shocks all at 5-3

ECU (3-5), Memphis (1-7), Temple (1-7) and USF (0-8) follow. These are teams the Shocks have to beat. Had a very narrow escape against ECU.

The Shocks play at Temple next Sunday.

If we can beat Tulsa and Temple (Tulsa toss up, should beat Temple) then we should be in a tie for 3rd half way through the conference with the loser of the UH UC match next weekend.

I don't think there's a lot that separates WSU, SMU, TU, Tulane & Cincinnati. I think UCF and UH are above that fray, somewhat clearly.

[1972Shocker]

In a match Cincinnati lost 3 sets to 2, but won points 106 to 105, they had 12 more kills than WSU (70-58).

That's somewhat remarkable.

It's REALLY hard to believe that UC had 8 aces to 13 errors while WSU had 6 aces to only 5 errors (and at 7-2 in the 5th, both UC points were courtesy of WSU service errors). Maria Mallon, who has a plus jump serve, had 2 aces to 7 errors. That stat seems to defy what I saw.......

They also out dug us 85-72 and I thought we were pretty darned good in the back row today.

Also seemed like both coaches made some good adjustments throughout the match, and getting Brylee some rest was HUGE. We needed her to have fresh legs in the 5th and she did and was a difference maker. Natalie was also very good and Kayce just keeps getting better. Her attacks today were the best she's been all season, by a long shot.

The Shockers outscoring UC on blocks 7-3 was helpful. Glad to see that after ECU outcored the Shocks 7-1 on blocks. The Laces to on 5 service errors was also a big improvement over the 3 ace, 11 service error performance against ECU.

The Shocks kill percentage of 33.9% was a little lower than you would like but thier error rate of 11.7% was pretty good.

It is a bit challenging to get a good feel for this Shocker team but they seem to be pretty scrappy and resilient.

The Shocks played quite well in Sets 4 and 5 today. After hitting .175 in the 1st three sets the Shocks hit .316 in the final 2 sets. The Shocks scored 10 of their 15 points in the final set on kills. The Bearcats hit .172 in the final 2 sets.

[flyingMoose]

Litzau Snags Second Weekly Honor Roll Nod


https://goshockers.com/news/2021/10/18/volleyball-litzau-snags-second-weekly-honor-roll-nod.aspx