Shocks @ Drake and @ Creighton

[SpanglerFan316]

CU wins the 5th 15-8.

CU is tough but I think this does not bode well for MSU's chance of finishing in the Top Two in the Valley.

[1972Shocker]

CU wins the 5th 15-8.

MSU's Christine McCartney with 23 kills on 68 attacks so she was about at her pitch count limit.

[WuDrWu]

Woohoo! Jordan Loney in the match!

[1972Shocker]

Shocks jump out early and big and cruise to a 25-17 win in Set 3 to finish off the sweep of Drake. (20, 16 and 17)

[SpanglerFan316]

WSU went from 22-10 to a 25-17 win. This ending was not optimal. The subs need to improve.

[1972Shocker]

Woohoo! Jordan Loney in the match!

Yes, and Hannah Eakin got a little floor time and, in fact, scored the match point. Shocks had a 22-10 lead when Lambo went to the bench. It really shows how important the timing and decision making of the setter are.

Lambo implying something going on physically with Emily and Sam and
they really didn't have a lot of pop tonight and he is a little concerned about it.

[1972Shocker]

I like the fact that we get the lesser foe tonite and cretin has to play a tougher match tonite. Would like to see the bears push the jays to five games and the Shox sweep in three to rest the legs and arms.

Looks like we will get to put that theory to test tomorrow. However, the bigger factor at this point may be the health of Emily and Sam.

[pogo]

Looks like we will get to put that theory to test tomorrow. However, the bigger factor at this point may be the health of Emily and Sam.

If everyone is healthy then yeah I like the fact that we didn't have to push the starters like cretin had to tonite. Go Shocks "Bluejay....tastes like chicken" One of my all time favorite T shirts.

[ShockerFever]

After this weekend, we will have an idea if the choice of MSU as second in the MVC preseason poll was a well informed or poorly informed choice. We'll see.

You're ready to call for the dogs after 2 matches into the season? Seriously?


Just curious, did you do a preseason rank before the season began? If you did, where did you put MSU?

[SpanglerFan316]

You're ready to call for the dogs after 2 matches into the season? Seriously?


Just curious, did you do a preseason rank before the season began? If you did, where did you put MSU?

I was thinking third, to be honest. Of course, I didn't know that MSU would lose their 6-rotation senior to injury but I didn't think MSU would finish ahead of WSU in 2012. Right now, RKPI, Pablo, etc. might not rank MSU in the top four of the MVC, based on the Bears body of work so far.

CU and UNI are the big surprises; CU is better than expected and UNI is weaker than expected. MSU has an unexpected injury and does not seem to be able to get past this. Of course, you are correct that the MVC season is early but I think the next match (i.e. WSU@CU) will tell us a lot. However, I do think MSU will finish outside the top two (and actually finish behind CU, UNI & WSU).

[SpanglerFan316]

Yes, and Hannah Eakin got a little floor time and, in fact, scored the match point. Shocks had a 22-10 lead when Lambo went to the bench. It really shows how important the timing and decision making of the setter are.

Lambo implying something going on physically with Emily and Sam and
they really didn't have a lot of pop tonight and he is a little concerned about it.

Any idea of what is bothering Emily and Sam? Illness, injury or something else?

[1972Shocker]

Any idea of what is bothering Emily and Sam? Illness, injury or something else?

Lambo was pretty vague about that in his post-game contact but his final words to Mike were he needed to get with the trainer to see what's going on with his left side hitters. So, no I don't really have a good idea about what the issues are. If I had to guess based on the comment that they just didn't have any pop tonight that perhaps they may have some shoulder issues. But could be a lot of other things as well. I think Sam has had shoulder problems in the past.

Could be Lambo was a little vague becomes he doesn't quite know himself what is going on or even if it is a big issue. On the positive side Emily and Sam played most of the way tonight so hopefully it is nothing serious.

[1972Shocker]

I don't think you can write-off MSU just yet as they still have some very good players and they played Creighton very tough after the 1st set and a half on the road. The big issue with them is will they have to lean too heavily on Christine McCartney and wear her down as the season progresses.

[1972Shocker]

Shocker middles had a field day against Drake. Elizabeth was 13-0-17 = 0.765 and Ashley was 8-1-13 = 0.538

Ashley may have to run some wind sprints until she can eliminate that hitting error. ;-)

On the other end of the spectrum Lambo conitnues to search for some scoring on the right side. Freshman Katie Reilly was only 1-2-10 = -0.100. Katie did have 2 aces and 7 digs. Ashlyn Driskill did not play and Masher saw only very limited action late.

May be tough to beat Creighton without more of a threat on the right side.

[SpanglerFan316]

May be tough to be Creighton without more of a threat on the right side.

I'd find it tough to "be Creighton" in any case.