Shockers v Tulsa

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers begin their "Temple weekend" by hosting a match against Tulsa on Wednesday at 7 pm. The Golden Hurricane are 7-7 in the AAC for seventh place. The Shockers are 9-5 in a three-way tie for third. The Shocks were a 3-1 winner in Tulsa earlier in the league schedule.

Shocker website article.

[1972Shocker]

In his radio show on Monday Lambo said that not be able to scrimmage in practice much, if at all, due to his lack of depth in the middle is hurting the offenses rhythm. He said that timing between the setter and the middles especially requires constant nurturing. He said they basically have Natalie in bubble wrap during he week that Morgan Stout is did not even practice last week. Apparently, her foot that she had surgery on last year has been bothering her and she is in a boot during the week. At practice she basically just rides a stationary bike and works out with a medicine ball. They weren't sure she was going to be able to go against Houston this past Friday and that was pretty much a match time decision.

Lambo thinks not being able to scrimmage regularly in practice is hurting the teams sharpness on offense plus you just aren't going to be as sharp against the top teams in the league like UCF and Houston. However, it has helped their serve and passing game as they are spending more time on "on the ground" things and the Shocker recent success from the service line reflects that.

Hopefully, MorganS can hold together for a few more weeks.

[Shockm]

In his radio show on Monday Lambo said that not be able to scrimmage in practice much, if at all, due to his lack of depth in the middle is hurting the offenses rhythm. He said that timing between the setter and the middles especially requires constant nurturing. He said they basically have Natalie in bubble wrap during he week that Morgan Stout is did not even practice last week. Apparently, her foot that she had surgery on last year has been bothering her and she is in a boot during the week. At practice she basically just rides a stationary bike and works out with a medicine ball. They weren't sure she was going to be able to go against Houston this past Friday and that was pretty much a match time decision.

Lambo thinks not being able to scrimmage regularly in practice is hurting the teams sharpness on offense plus you just aren't going to be as sharp against the top teams in the league like UCF and Houston. However, it has helped their serve and passing game as they are spending more time on "on the ground" things and the Shocker recent success from the service line reflects that.

Hopefully, MorganS can hold together for a few more weeks.

What happened to McMahon?

[The Mad Hatter]

What happened to McMahon?

Leg injury early in the season and is still in a boot.

[1972Shocker]

Leg injury early in the season and is still in a boot.

I believe, more specifically, that Lauren's injury is a foot injury as well although I don't know the exact nature of the injury and whether or not it required surgery,.

She only played 6 matches before going down for the year so I believe she could apply for a medical redshirt year if she is so inclined. Not sure why she wouldn't do that.

[1972Shocker]

Set 1

Shocks off to a very good start sprinting out to a 13-5 lead. Tulsa has already used both timeouts.

Shocks cruise to a 25-14 win in set 1. A very solidly played set for the Shocks in pretty much all phases.

Outhit Tulsa 433 to .100. Outblocked Tulsa 4-0. Shocks had 1 service error to 3 for Tulsa.

Shocks had a sideout rate of 85.7%. The Shocks had 15 kills on 30 attempts with only 2 attack errors.

A very well balanced attack by the Shocks.

[1972Shocker]

Set 2

Shocks have jumped out to a 5-0 lead with Natalie serving tough. Tulsa calls a timeout.

In pretty much a mirror image of Set1 the Shocks forge to a 13-5 lead and again Tulsa has used is 2nd timeout early in the set.

Shocks continue to play well. Passing very well so far.

Tulsa score 6 out of 7 point mid-set to pul within 5 at 16-11. Tulsa picked up there play and the Shocks may have lost a little focus. However, the Shocks finished strong with the help of some Tulsa errors and closed out the set by the same score as set 1, 25-14.

Shockers hitting .333 to .027 for Tulsa for the match. The Shocks have 7 blocks to 2 for Tulsa so far.

Sophia has 7 kills, Brylee, MorganS and Morgan W have 6 kills each and Natalie has 4 kills. Great balance. The Shocks have only 8 attack errors on 66 attemtps (12.1%) with a kill rate of 45.5%. 2 of the attack errors are Tulsa blocks and 2 were desperation attempts by Kayce on bad passes.

Hard to believe the Shocks can keep their level of play going at this level but we will see.

[1972Shocker]

Set 3

Tulsa on a 5 point run to take a 10-5 lead and force a Shocker timeout. Run inlcudes 2 service aces directed at Lara Uyar. Tulsa playing better and the Shockers not playing was well as they were.

Shockers pull to within 2 several times. But a 3 point Tulsa run extends the lead back to 5 at 16-11 and Lambo takes his last timeout.

For the 4th time since the timeout the Shocks have pulled to within 2 at 19-17 but have not been able to get over the hump. Tulsa takes a timeout.

The Shocks pull to within 1 atv19-18 and again at 20-19 but Tulsa prevails 25-22 winning 5 of the final 8 points. 2 of the 3 Shocker points were Tulsa service errors.

Tulsa outhit the Shocks .267 to .159 in the set. Tulsa was also much better defensively.

At this point I think this match can go either way.

[1972Shocker]

Set 4

Tulsa's Kayley Cassdiy has been overpowering the Shockers in Set 3 and early in Set 4. Shock don't seem to have an answer for her. Shocks with a couple of self-inflicted wounds but are hanging in there at 6-6.

Tulsa takes a 14-9 lead and forces a Shocker timeout in a total reversal of the way the Shocks played in Sets 1 and 2. One of the biggest differences is that the Shocks went from digging and passing very well to digging and passing very poorly. This needs to change or the Shocks are on their way to a 5 set loss.

Out of the timeout the Shocks get a MorganS kill, two stuff blocks and a Natalie kill to narrow the Tulsa lead to 1 at 14-13. Tulsa takes a timeout.

A nice Brylee kill ties it at 14 but after a nice service run Lily hammers a serve way long to put Tulsa back up 1 at 15-14.

Tulsa really making some nice digs these last 2 sets.

The Shoks serve receive has left the building. Tulsa takes a 20-17 lead and Lambo takes his final timeout.

Tulsa extends the lead to 21-17 but the Shocks get a Sophia kill, a stuff block and a Morgans kill to close to 21-20. Tulsa takes its last timeout.

Tulsa goes up 24-21. Shocks fight of 2 set points but Tulsa gets a Cassidy kill to close out the set at 25-23.

Going to a 5th set with the Tulsa having the momentum and playing the best. Shocks just not getting in system enough.

[flyingMoose]

No matter the result of this fifth set, the Shockers will have outpointed Tulsa. Which is no matter.

[1972Shocker]

Set 5

After the Shocks went up 2-0 Tulsa goes on a 6-1 run to take a 6-3 lead.

Not sure how but the Shocks have the lead 8-7 at the media timeout. I would say not because they are playing great but they are grinding with perhaps a pinch of of luck thrown in.

Can they find their A game again to finish this match off?

Tulsa takes a 9-8 lead but back-to-back stuff blocks push the Shocks into the lead at 10-9 and Tulsa takes a timeout.

Kayce with 2 excellent plays at the net one on a Tulsa overpass and one on a joust after a Shocker overpass extends the Shocker lead to 12-9. The Shocks have score 4 in a row without a traditional kill. Make that 5 in a row after another Shocker block.

A Tulsa kill, a Shocker net violation and Morgan S. attach error makes it 13-12 Shocks.

A Tulsa service error makes it 14-12 Shocks.

A Lily Liekweg service error makes it 14-13. Grrrrrrr!

A Kayley Cassaday kill ties it up at 14-all.

A Natalie kill gives the Shockers a match point at 15-14.

A Sophia kill gives the Shocks the match. 14, 14, (22), (23), 14.

I am not quite sure what to make of this. But the Shocks somehow manage to grind out another 5 set win. I guess the Shocks lucky number today was 14.

[flyingMoose]

Now 7-2 in five-setters.

[1972Shocker]

Tulsa had 5 aces to 2 for the Shockers but also had a whopping 14 service errors to only 5 for the Shockers. The Shockers also outblocked Tulsa 18-5. I think those two stats are largely responsible for the win.

If the Shocks can figure out how to play and sustain the level of play they showed in the first 2 sets they would be very tough to deal with. But sustaining that level of play, especially for such a young team is a lot to ask.

[flyingMoose]

After last night, RPIs of interest -

24 - UCF
52 - Houston
62 - Cincinnati
63 - Shockers

An improvement from 68, but winning the rest, including a win over Cincinnati, is probably not enough.

[1972Shocker]

Are they holding the NVIT this year?