Shocker VB @ Tulsa

[1972Shocker]

WICHITA STATE (14-12, 9-6 American)

Wednesday, Nov. 16 (6:00 p.m. CT) at Tulsa (12-15, 5-10 American)
Tulsa, Oklahoma (Reynolds Center)
Live Stats // Watch

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN HURRICANE:

• The Golden Hurricane enter play on Wednesday with an overall record of 12-15, including 5-10 in American Athletic Conference play. Tulsa completed a thrilling comeback on Sunday vs. Tulane, erasing a 2-0 deficit to win 15-25, 18-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-13.
• Tulsa consistently ranks among the nation's leaders in both digs and team attacks per set, this year currently holding down the top spot nationally in both categories (18.51 digs per set, 39.93 attacks per set).
• Outside hitter Kayley Cassaday is the highest volume hitter in the country, averaging 13.82 attacks per set. She took 69 swings in Tulsa's win over Tulane on Sunday.
• Freshman Jolana Smidlova had seven kills all season heading into the Tulane match and went on to post a career-best 12 terminations against the Green Wave.
• The Golden Hurricane average just 1.31 blocks per set, the 10th-lowest mark in the nation.
• Tulsa played in Wichita twice this season, falling to UCF in a neutral court match on September 30 that was moved to Kansas after the landfall of Hurricane Ian disrupted the scheduled match in Orlando.
• Head coach Ryan Wills is in his ninth season at the helm of the Golden Hurricane, bringing a record of 136-123 into play on Wednesday. A Tulsa alum, Wills spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama before returning to lead the Golden Hurricane.

https://goshockers.com/news/2022/11/...iew-tulsa.aspx

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The Shockers were fortunate to come away with a 5-set win over Tulsa in Wichita on October 12 in Charles Koch Arena after dropping the first 2 sets by scores of 20-25, 22-25 before coming back to win the final 3 sets by scores of 25-15, 25-18, 15-12.

[1972Shocker]

19, 21, 21, 17

The Shocks take care of business in Tulsa in 4 sets -19, 21-, -21, -17.

Natalie and Morgan Stout with very good performances in the middle and Morgan Weber also had one of her better matches.

If concern is that Sophia only played in 2 sets with only 1 kill and 5 errors in 11 attacks, raising the question of whether Sophia has re-aggravated her abdominal injury.

[flyingMoose]

Tulsa has been on the skids in recent weeks. In early October, their Pablo was 5560, fifth in the conference. Now it is 4940 and sixth, barely ahead of Memphis. Pablo is designed so that 5000 is an average team.

[WstateU]

Tulsa has been on the skids in recent weeks. In early October, their Pablo was 5560, fifth in the conference. Now it is 4940 and sixth, barely ahead of Memphis. Pablo is designed so that 5000 is an average team.

Always liked Pablo…

[Critter's Pa]

The block showed up in Tulsa. Natalie and MorganS each had 6 block assists. Kayce had one solo block and 3 block assists. Brylee had a solo block and two block assists. Sophie, Sophia, and MorganW all had 2 block assists.

Hope Sophia isn't hurt again. Looks like Emerson and Sophie both played, but I guess lamb went with Sophie to replace Sophia, because she had more of a chance of slowing down Cassaday's attacks. According to the stats, she took 63 swings, and I think the shockers scored on one block off her. I didn't watch the game, so I don't know how many touches the Shockers got on her at the net.

MorganW had 6 kills in the first set, and had 2 kills in each of the remaining 3 sets. She finished with a double double (12 kills 13 digs). Is that her first double double this year?

I did see Lara's dig on Twitter, that was pretty much a perfect pass off that big swing. That has to be disheartening for the other team. I wonder if Lily is going to come back this season. Don't know how much she would want to knock the rust off with only three games remaining. I think Lara is doing well stepping in for her. She is showing that intensity we see from both Morgans. I like that.

[1972Shocker]

On his radio show Lambo said there is a chance that Lily will be back this year although that remains to be seen. However, as Critter's Pa said, she might not have time to knock of the rust. One other thing they mentioned about Lily is that she will not be back for her extra Covid tear next year.

[1972Shocker]

This was Morgan Weber's 2nd double-double of the season. She had 11 kills and 13 digs in the season opening 5-set win over Wyoming.

Here only other double digit kills match was in a home sweep of ECU in September with 14 kills. She had 9 digs in that match.

Morgan Stout also probably had her best match of the year.

The Shocks needed that with questions about Sophia's health and with Brylee only playing so-so.

Both Lara and Katie had career highs in digs with 20 and 11, respectively.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks played a 5-1 for the entire match.

The Shocks outblocked Tulsa 14-4.

[1972Shocker]

While Kayley Cassaday had 20 kills she had 63 swings and with 6 errors she only hit 222.

I think Tulsa's heavy reliance on Cassaday makes them easier to defend.

[1972Shocker]

I think one more win for the Shocks will clinch 4th place for the Shocks.

[WuDrWu]

We're 15-12, 10-6. Outside of the inexplicable loss at Tulane, conference play has pretty much gone as expected. We should be 11-5 in conference and we had a decent shot to beat UH there and UCF the 2nd time here.

Non con was pretty tough. I have our opponents at 197-108. Half our losses are to ranked teams (or were ranked when we played them). UNLV is 24-3 and will win the MWC. Wright State is 26-3 and will win the Horizon.

We basically have one really good win vs ISU who is 18-10 and 3rd in the B12 (great win actually) but 3 bad losses, @ Tulane 8-19, @ Omaha 18-9 (2nd Summit) & Northern Illinois 17-11 (4th MAC West).

To be honest, the Tulane, Omaha, Northern Illinois & Wright State matches were all mentally preventable. 19-8, 11-5 looks a ton better and probably puts them 1 win vs UCF or UH from the tourney bubble.

Every meaningful player outside Lily hopefully will return next season. 1 or 2 useful transfers or improved underclassmen should put this team in an excellent spot to be ultra competitive.

[Critter's Pa]

Every meaningful player outside Lily hopefully will return next season. 1 or 2 useful transfers or improved underclassmen should put this team in an excellent spot to be ultra competitive.

I hope so. Heard a promo for the last home game on KFH yesterday. It talked about seeing off the seniors, and I said to myself, "What seniors?" I wonder if the team will do something for Lily, even though she isn't a senior. I believe Brylee got her bachelor's degree last year and I have not heard anything about her leaving the program.

I think that with Lily leaving, it will open up one scholarship. I wonder if Lamb will give it to someone in the incoming class, or go fishing in the Transfer Portal. I have not paid any attention to any potential, current players that might be looking for a new home next year, and I don't know what position(s) Lamb would be looking to full. I think the Transfer Portal opens up for volleyball at the end of the NCAA tournament.

I had hoped that the Shockers would win all three, or at least two of the three, of the matches against Omaha, Northern Illinois, and Wright State. I thought Wright State would have been good, I didn't expect them to sweep their conference. I'm guessing they will be in the NCAA even if they don't win the Horizon tournament.

[1972Shocker]

I hope so. Heard a promo for the last home game on KFH yesterday. It talked about seeing off the seniors, and I said to myself, "What seniors?" I wonder if the team will do something for Lily, even though she isn't a senior. I believe Brylee got her bachelor's degree last year and I have not heard anything about her leaving the program.

I think that with Lily leaving, it will open up one scholarship. I wonder if Lamb will give it to someone in the incoming class, or go fishing in the Transfer Portal. I have not paid any attention to any potential, current players that might be looking for a new home next year, and I don't know what position(s) Lamb would be looking to full. I think the Transfer Portal opens up for volleyball at the end of the NCAA tournament.

I had hoped that the Shockers would win all three, or at least two of the three, of the matches against Omaha, Northern Illinois, and Wright State. I thought Wright State would have been good, I didn't expect them to sweep their conference. I'm guessing they will be in the NCAA even if they don't win the Horizon tournament.

My guess is that they will honor Lily on senior day since she has made her decision no to return next year.

As far as recruits it appears that Lambo has signed a 5-3 DS/Libero and two 6-2 MB/RSH's for next year. Hard to say if all 3 will be on scholarship. My guess is the two middles, Allie Paulsen from Andover and Haley Wolfe form Elkhorn, Nebraska will be on scholarship. It's possible the DS/Libero, Reagan Anderson from St. Thomas Aquinas in Overland Park may not be on an athletic scholarship. With Volleyall it's a little hard to know, or at least it is for me, exactly what the volleyball scholarship status is. Was Lily on a volleyball scholarship? I don't know.

[flyingMoose]

I thought Wright State would have been good, I didn't expect them to sweep their conference. I'm guessing they will be in the NCAA even if they don't win the Horizon tournament.

The current Figstats has Wright State with an RPI of 60. That is not a number that will earn an at-large bid. The Horizon is a one-bid conference.

[flyingMoose]

Friday Matches

UCF 3-0 East Carolina
18, 20, 14

Memphis 0-3 Houston
20, 18, 18

SMU 3-0 Tulane
20, 9, 17

Cincinnati 3-0 Tulsa
15, 23, 15

USF 3-2 Temple
19-, 29-, -23, -23, -9