Shocks @ Drake and @ Creighton

[SpanglerFan316]

Nobody has said or even implied that SIU is terrible. They simply are unproven due to having played a relatively weak schedule to date. We'll get see the Salukis next Saturday so we will have a better feel for what thay have this year. I'm not losing any sleep over the Salukis one way or the other. If we lose to them next Saturday then I might lose a little sleep.

I don't know; the comments by WuDrWu like "SIU isn't finishing ahead of MSU" and "There is a huge separation after the top 4 in the Valley. I'd rank the top 4 in performance so far as: 1. Creighton 2. WSU 3. UNI 4. MSU" sound fairly critical (of SIU) to me.

SIU does seem to be improved but they've played a terrible schedule. Their best win is a decent one against St. Louis and Jackie Church's younger sister Anna, but otherwise that schedule is awful.

SIU isn't finishing ahead of MSU.

[SpanglerFan316]

http://www.gocreighton.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=68&DB_OEM_ID=1000&ATCLID=205683991

Creighton Volleyball takes first set, 25-19, on consecutive kills by Melanie Jereb. Jays hit .333; held WSU to .125. Bober 13 assists.

Three straight aces by Kelsey Banwart have given Wichita State a 11-9 lead in 2nd set. Creighton & Wichita State VB tied at 17-all in second set. Wichita State VB on a 3-0 run to move ahead 22-20 late in 2nd set. Jays with 1 more block and 3 more digs, WSU with 5 more aces. Wichita State VB wins 2nd set, 25-21 to even match. McNary leads CU with 8 kills; Jereb 6 kills, 7 digs. Adney leads WSU with 9 kills.

Halftime

Wichita State VB with a 7-3 lead early in 3rd set as Jays call timeout. Boggs & Elman with 11 digs for CU. Creighton VB on a 7-0 run to go up 10-7 on Wichita State in 3rd set. Megan Bober has 30 assist, 10 digs and 5 kills as Jays lead 16-14 in 3rd set. Creighton VB up 19-16 in 3rd set after extending long rally with a Bober kill. McNary 14 kills; Jereb 11 kills, 10 digs, .455%. 1,455 fans. Creighton VB wins 3rd set, 25-18, to lead match 2-1. Tremendous serving late by Kelli Browning, including 2 aces.

Creighton VB up 12-10 in 4th set. Leah McNary has a career-high 17 kills and counting. Creighton & Wichita State tied up at 17-all in 4th set. McNary 19 kills. Both setters near triple-doubles. Jereb 13k/12d. Creighton up 21-19 on Wichita State in 4th set...four points from a huge victory. McNary up to 19 kills. Jays have 8 aces & 8 blocks. Wichita State has survived 2 match points, but Creighton still leads 24-23 in 4th set. Timeout, Jays. Creighton VB wins in the 4th set, 25-23, on Leah McNary's 21st kill of the match. Jays now 10-1, 2-0 in MVC!!!

:(

[1972Shocker]

Sounds like the Shocks competed pretty well but at this point Creighton is probably just a little better VB team than the Shocks especially on their home court where the Shocks are now 0-4.

Hopefully, the Shocks can get some things cleaned up and get this one back when the Bluejays visit Koch Arena later in the year. There is no doubt the Shocks have some areas they need to improve in.

There were some subs late in the 4th set that kind of had me scratching my head. Hannah Eakin, Ashlynn Driskill and Mary Ashton Floyd all thrown into the fire at a critical juncture and without having played or played much in the match prior to that. Tells me Lambo may have not been happy with something.

Probably a match you mark down in the loss column going into MVC play so the loss is not a disaster.

Edit: Also Lambo did not come out for his usual post-game interview so I'm guessing he was in a motivational mood.

[SpanglerFan316]

So if WSU loses today, are they "in trouble"?

Yes, they are in a bit of trouble. A win in Omaha would have been helpful toward getting an at-large if we don't win the MVC tourney. UNI seems weaker than normal and somebody might replace them. I would prefer that this be WSU rather than CU and beating CU would have been very nice.

[1972Shocker]

Go figure. UNI played two matches today in Peoria. The lose to Arkansas State earlier today 3-1 and then come back to beat a decent Long Beach State team 3-1.

[ShockerFever]

Looks like WSU is done, so I guess you can stop predicting No.1 for WSU on other Valley message boards.

How much do preseason polls matter now?

Just try to keep your feet out of your mouth Spangler. It's match 2 of the season. Maybe after the WSU L, your spazzy nature will simmer down a bit.

[WuDrWu]

I'm not really sure how the match was as close as it was....Creighton is really good. And they have what we don't, and what we've struggled with throughout the year, a big athletic outside that can hit over us, time and time again.

Creighton has more talent than WSU on the front line. I don't know how that's going to change during the season. I was proud of the girls for fighting and keeping it close but it wasn't going to be tonight. Maybe we can get them at home, but that freshman is really good, and we had no answer for her all night.

Unless we can get some production on the outside, this team is going to struggle big time the rest of the way.

And Spangler, SIU is still going to finish behind MSU. I don't know why you've got this in your teeth so much, but you should let it go. Right now, it looks like MSU is better than WSU anyway.

[SpanglerFan316]

Looks like WSU is done, so I guess you can stop predicting No.1 for WSU on other Valley message boards.

How much do preseason polls matter now?

Just try to keep your feet out of your mouth Spangler. It's match 2 of the season. Maybe after the WSU L, your spazzy nature will simmer down a bit.

Sounds like you have some issues you need to resolve.

As for the near future, I think UNI receives fewer votes in the national poll and CU (deservedly) climbs closer to the Top 25. Using the CU matches for comparison (i.e. MSU won two sets at CU and WSU won one), MSU might be ahead of the Shocks. (My opinion is that WSU will still finish ahead of MSU but I've been wrong before.)

As for your anger issues, you should remember that this is sports board where we are all (occasionally) wrong but we all support WSU. We are not enemies. Sometimes enthusiasm gets ahead of (good) judgment but this is the nature of sports fandom. Nothing I post is intended to be a personal attack on you; of course, your opinions and comments might be another matter. :D Peace.

[WuDrWu]

There were some subs late in the 4th set that kind of had me scratching my head. Hannah Eakin, Ashlynn Driskill and Mary Ashton Floyd all thrown into the fire at a critical juncture and without having played or played much in the match prior to that. Tells me Lambo may have not been happy with something.

Those were headscratchers for sure. I also thought the team (ALL the team) went a little brain dead in the 3rd when we went from 7-3 up to 10-7 down with no timeout. You could tell after 3 points we were rattled. Not sure what everyone was thinking at that point.

Nonetheless, plenty to work on and improve upon. Creighton is good...best team I've seen in the Valley.

[ShockerFever]

Yah, I'm the one with the issues...

You and Valium need to get together sometime.

[SpanglerFan316]

As for SIU, I don't know (if they will beat MSU) but I think they should receive some respect for getting a new (second year?) coach, bringing in better players and winning almost all of the matches on their schedule so far. I still think SIU has a chance of finishing in front of MSU but I will admit that the probability of this might be small. We'll have to see. I should admit that I have some sympathy for SIU after the Lowery debacle and this may bias my opinion.

[SpanglerFan316]

And Spangler, SIU is still going to finish behind MSU. I don't know why you've got this in your teeth so much, but you should let it go. Right now, it looks like MSU is better than WSU anyway.

We'll see but you could be right; time will tell. I see nothing wrong with going out on a limb and picking a historically weak program (SIU) to finish ahead of a traditionally strong one (MSU). SIU plays at MSU next week if I recall correctly and if, as expected, MSU beats SIU easily then I will probably change my mind. Will the world end if I make an incorrect prediction? :hopelessness: :highly_amused:

[1972Shocker]

MSU swept Drake tonight 16, 23, 15 in Des Moines. Drake is now 0-11 on the year but I think they will win a handful of matches against the bottom half of the league. They are very young, but I can see them improving quite a bit over the next couple of years.

SIU swept Illinois State 21, 16, 23 in Carbondale. We will find out if SIU is for real next weekend as they make the tough MSU/WSU road swing.

Evansville defeated Indiana State 3-2 at home in a match between two teams that I'm not expecting much from this year.

As mention earlier UNI lost 1-3 to Arkansas State and won 3-1 over Long Beach State in Peoria.

Bradley lost a tough 5-set match to a pretty decent Northern Illinois team this afternoon in Peoria. The Braves take on Arkansas State tonight and currently are down 1-2 after three sets. (19-25, 14-25, 25-20). ASU over Bradley 25-15 in Set 4 to close out the match.

Creighton has to be feeling pretty good about their start and the appear to be a very solid VB team.

[WuDrWu]

With their non-conference, they not only can start thinking NCAA but even an outside shot at a low level #1. Watching them, it's not even close to out of the question they could go 16-2 or better in conference. I wonder what they'd do with the Jays if they ran the table.....would they let Omaha and Lincoln host?

[Wshox]

Disappointing losing to a CU team that is pretty good but got swept at home by the Kitties. No way K-State's program is better than our Shox! At least I hope so.