Volleyball: Omaha Challenge

[1972Shocker]

WICHITA STATE (2-1, 0-0 American)

Thursday, Sep. 1 (7 p.m. CT) at Omaha (2-1, 0-0 Summit)
Omaha, Nebraska (Baxter Arena)
Live Stats // Watch

Friday, Sep. 2 (5 p.m. CT) vs. Northern Colorado (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky)
Omaha, Nebraska (Baxter Arena)
Live Stats // Watch

SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS:

• Omaha enters the week with a 2-1 record following a trip to the Carolina Classic, where the Mavericks defeated Winthrop and Sacred Heart sandwiched around a sweep at the hands of host South Carolina.
• The Mavericks won the Summit League regular season championship a season ago, going 16-2 in conference play as part of the first 20-win season in program history. Omaha was swept by #2-seed South Dakota in the Summit League final.
• Omaha was picked third in the 2022 Summit League preseason poll, snagging one first place vote. Denver and South Dakota were picked ahead of the Mavericks.
• Reigning Summit League setter of the year Sami Clarkson was selected to the league's players to watch list after pacing the circuit with 11.18 assists per set. Honorable Mention All-Conference defensive specialist Jaiden Centeno was also selected as a player to watch.
• Head Coach Matt Buttermore is in his fourth season at the helm of the Mavericks. He was named the 2021 Summit League Coach of the Year after leading Omaha to their first regular season title since transitioning to Division I. Prior to his time with the Mavericks, Buttermore was an extremely successful coach at Hastings, where he won the NAIA National Championship in 2016.

SCOUTING THE BEARS:

• Northern Colorado is off to an undefeated start in 2022, defeating UC Santa Barbara and North Carolina at home in Greeley, then picking up a road win at Colorado State on Tuesday night to improve to 3-0.
• The Bears reached the NCAA tournament for a sixth-time in program history in 2021, claiming both the Big Sky regular season and tournament championships. They were eliminated in the opening round of the Waco regional by Washington State, capping off a 24-7 overall record.
• Northern Colorado was picked to repeat as Big Sky champions in the league's preseason poll, projected just ahead of Weber State and Portland State. UNC returns 11 players from last year's squad, including senior Mackenzie Harris, who was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week after the opening weekend.
• Head coach Lyndsey Oates is a four-time Big Sky Coach of the Year, helping lead Northern Colorado from the Division II ranks to a consistent NCAA tournament program. Now in her 18th season leading the Bears, Oates owns a career record of 310-205.

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/8/3...challenge.aspx

---

Not exactly big name volleyball programs but the Shockers absolutely need to be ready play against these two teams.

As WuDrWu has already pointed out in the Rumble in the Rockies thread, Northern Colorado is the real deal and an experienced team and is off to a hot start. Probably comparable to the Iowa State team the Shocks defeated in a 5-setter in Laramie.

Omaha is probably not quite at the level of Northern Colorado but they are the defending Summit League champions and the kind of team that could upset the Shocks if they are not engaged.

Glad we get Omaha first.

Looks like both matches will be available on Mavs All-Access.

[WuDrWu]

Anyone else get an error on their iPhone trying to watch?

[WuDrWu]

Good to see Mariah Buss whipping us tonight.

[WuDrWu]

Worried about Northern Colorado and Omaha may sweep us tonight.

[WuDrWu]

Shocks switch to a 6-2 and get a big set from SophiA with at least 7 kills and 2 block assists and win 25-18. Still down 2-1.

[WuDrWu]

At 11-12 Shocks give up 8 straight. Ballgame. 3-1 Omaha. Disappointing.

[1972Shocker]

I wasn't able to follow this match in any way, shape or form but I warned in my opening post that the Shocks better be ready to play. Maybe they were and Omaha was just the better team.

A disappointing loss for sure but not totally a surprise. Unfortunately, the Shocks are looking right down the barrel at
an 0-2 trip.

Looks like Natalie and Laurrn were pretty effective in the middle but only combined for 25 total attacks but hitting a combined 14-1-25 = .520. OTOH Brylee, Sophia, MorganW and Sophie Childs combined to make 122 of the Shockers 142 attacks hitting a combined 34-12-122 = .180.

Sophia was decent at .306 but Brylee was below average at .208 and MorgsnW and Sophie Childs were just not effective at all.

The Shockers outblocked UNO 12-6. UNO picked had a net advantage of 3 points at the service line and had 66 figs to 62 for the Shocks and managed to get 159 total attacks to 142 for the Shock and had 13 more kills. So UNO averaged 16 kills per set, which is pretty good, vs only 12.75 kills per set for the Shocks which is not very good.

Something was out of kilter for the Shocks and whatever it was needs to be fixed.

[flyingMoose]

Looking at the stats, the Shocks ran a 6-2 in the last two sets. For the entire set? Impossible to know since the initial substitution is reported but no subsequent substitutions involving that player are recorded.

[1972Shocker]

Looking at the stats, the Shocks ran a 6-2 in the last two sets. For the entire set? Impossible to know since the initial substitution is reported but no subsequent substitutions involving that player are recorded.

OTOH, Hailey Plugge only had 5 assist in the 2 sets she played in.

[jimshocker]

Here we go again.

Even with the preseason hype of key pieces returning, 4 matches in and the mad scientist is messing with the line up.

Early season for sure. But, was under the impression that the line was pretty well set with kids coming back comfortably knowing who goes where. Lambo excited they are all there! “One of the BEST defenses in the country” last week.

Meanwhile, getting torn up by a former Shocker who was a participant in the previous group of players line-up circus. Seems she found a home…and knows what her role is.,,,as a female D1 athlete.

I’ll post minimally this season win or lose. However, if Lambo starts coming out with excuses and none of them involve him…well then?????? He’s now the ONLY consistent person in the half decade of whatever WSU vball in now.

[flyingMoose]

OTOH, Hailey Plugge only had 5 assist in the 2 sets she played in.

Yes, I saw the same. Leads one to believe only part of two sets, but quien sabe.

[1972Shocker]

Kemosahbee to you too.

[flyingMoose]

Shockers v Northern Colorado


Set One

Sidearm Stats - this will be difficult.

Starters: Brylee, Lily, Kayce, Natalie, Lauren, Sophia, Morgan

6-1 and NC takes a TO. Two kills for Natalie and a service ace from Brylee.

7-1 and now 9-10. TO Shocks. No good swings to speak of.

Nice service run by Lily. 15-11 and another TO for NC.

19-11. Seven in a row for Lily.

22-13, then 24-18. TO for the Shockers.

Kill by Morgan.

25-18.

.268 v .140. Seven kills for Natalie, four for Sophia.

[flyingMoose]

Set Two

10-7 is the first three-point lead of the set.

15-13, but no Media TO.

18-18, then 20-18. The Bears take a TO.

A few sideouts and now 24-20. TO for NC.

Kill by Morgan.

25-20.

[flyingMoose]

Set Three

Supper time here.

Back.

8-1 and TO NC.

10-6 and Shocker TO.

15-9 moves to 15-13. Shocker TO.

19-15 and the Bears take their last TO.

25-18 on a serve by Kayce that trickles over the net.


Shockers 3-0 Northern Colorado


.277 v .144

Blocks: 11 v 8

SA/SE: 7/2 v 5/4

Natalie is 15/1/24 for .583
Sophia 11/1/27 for .370
Brylee 8/4/27 for .148
MorganW 4/5/16 for -.062
MorganS 5/2/11 for .273