Shocker VB at Kennesaw State Invitational

[flyingMoose]

Wichita State opens its 2024 season this weekend with three matches at the Kennesaw State Invitational. Indiana is the other team in Kennesaw, located a few miles NW of Atlanta on I-75.

The Shockers play the Owls on Friday at 11 am. On Saturday, they play the Hoosiers at 10 am and Kennesaw again at 230 pm.

Kennesaw is a new member of CUSA, one of many teams affected by the massive conference realignments. They are a preseason pick for seventh in the ten-team conference, just one point out of sixth. They have no players on the preseason all-conference team.

Indiana is definitely not new to the Big 10 - they have been in the conference since 1899. The Big 10 (now eighteen teams!) does not mess around with preseason polls or teams. In the preseason AVCA Poll, the Hoosiers are RV39, the tenth of the eleven Big 10 teams ranked or receiving votes.

As noted by 1972Shocker, Wichita State is a preseason pick for second in the AAC with Morgan and Izzi on the preseason all-conference team.

[1972Shocker]

From what I can tell the Kennesaw State matches will be streamed on ESPN+ but their does not to be any streaming of the Indiana match.

[WuDrWu]

Indiana will be all we can handle and then some. They lost very little from a good team last season. I really like Camryn Haworth's skill set at setter. Mobile, quick, gets to a lot and then manages good sets under duress and she's a more than capable attacker.

Also, their libero, Ramsey Gary, is above elite level. Last year as a freshman, led the team in digs, 2nd team All B1G, and it's all legit. She's a stud.

[1972Shocker]

Volleyball Preview: Kennesaw State Invitational

Friday, Aug. 30 (11:00 a.m. CT) vs. Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 CUSA)
Kennesaw, Ga. (KSU Convocation Center)
Live Stats // Watch

Saturday, Aug. 31 (10:00 a.m. CT) vs. Indiana (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Kennesaw, Ga. (KSU Convocation Center)
Live Stats

Saturday, Aug. 31 (2:30 p.m. CT) vs. Kennesaw State (0-0, 0-0 CUSA)
Kennesaw, Ga. (KSU Convocation Center)
Live Stats // Watch

SCOUTING THE OWLS:

• Kennesaw State is in their first season as a member of Conference USA after making the move from the Atlantic Sun. The Owls finished 18-11 (10-6) in 2023, good for fourth place in the ASUN standings.
• The Owls are led by prolific outside hitter Manu Johnsen, a native of Denmark who set the program's single-season kills record in 2023. Johnsen was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year in 2022 and was a First Team All-Conference honoree a year ago.
• Kennesaw State is picked seventh in the 10-team CUSA preseason poll. Reigning regular season and conference champion Western Kentucky topped the poll.
• Veteran head coach Keith Schunzel is in his 12th season at the helm of the Owls, boasting a 194-110 overall record.

SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS:

• Indiana is receiving votes in the AVCA preseason top 25 poll after a breakout 2023 season that ended with a 21-12 record and 11-9 mark in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers finished sixth in the conference, their best finish since 1999.
• Indiana is picked 10th in the expanded Big Ten preseason poll that now features 18 teams following the additions of USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon.
• Star setter Camryn Haworth earned a spot on the preseason All-Big Ten team. The rising senior was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American last season after leading the nation in service aces (73) and pacing the conference in assists (1,247).
• Libero Ramsey Gary was an all-conference and all-region selection after leading the Big Ten in digs as a freshman with 530 ups.
• Head coach Steve Aird enters his seventh season with the Hoosiers in 2024.

[flyingMoose]

Match One at Kennesaw State

Set One

Starters: Brooklyn, Reagan Anderson, Sarah Barham, Annalie, Emerson, Morgan, Izzi

Katie and Alyssa Gonzales are part of the rotation early.

The last lead for the Shocks was 2-1. After two service aces by the Owls (now 9-13), Lambo takes a TO. Hitting .500 v .615 - that's crazy!

[WuDrWu]

Oy.

Right now....we're............we're not good.

[WuDrWu]

Not sure where the breakdown is, although everyone appears terribly sluggish, but if we can set Brooklyn or Alyssa, they both can swing and hit. Problem is we're nowhere near getting there in any kind of position and Kennesaw has a girl we, so far, cannot handle, which is troubling.

[flyingMoose]

14-15, now 14-18. Trading sideouts begins until 17-21. 19-21 and Kenesaw takes a TO.

19-23 and the Shocks take their final TO.

21-25. .522 v .533. No blocks by either team! Four kills for Morgan (.800) and three each for Emerson (.375) and Alyssa (.750).

[WuDrWu]

Did Nebraska hit .533 against us?

They may hit .900 next month if this is our D.

[flyingMoose]

Set Two

Shockers off to a quick 6-2 lead including a block! :)

10-4 and a TO for the Owls. Two more blocks.

14-12 and the Shocks take a TO.

The lead moves out to 18-12.

21-14 and the last Kennesaw TO.

25-17 for a set apiece.

.583 v .189 in the set, .553 v 343 for the match. Four blocks to none. Emerson (eight kills and .500) and Morgan (seven kills and .778) lead the offense for the match to this point.

[WuDrWu]

Hell of a dig by Katie Galligan and the Shocks are a little better in set 2 so far, leading 8-3.

[flyingMoose]

Set Three

3-3 and Morgan has been blocked twice.

A mini-run by the Owls to 4-7. The Shocks respond to even the score at 7.

13-12 and an Owl TO. A bit strange, only two consecutive Shocker points.

Whatever he talked about, it did not work. Five straight Shocker points and another Kennesaw TO. 18-12.

Downhill from there. 25-16.

.303 v .177 for the set, .450 v .277 for the match. Emerson with eleven kills, Morgan with nine kills, and Sarah arrives on the scene with seven kills.

[WuDrWu]

Little 9-1 run by the Shocks have given them some breathing room in set 3.

18-12 and KSU takes a timeout. Shocks have made some nice adjustments although it's a little smoke and mirrors.

[flyingMoose]

Set Four

1-6 (ugh!) and a Shocker TO.

The Shocks creep within two (10-12) and then fall back (11-16).

Three in a row for the Shocks (14-16) and Kennesaw takes a TO.

Shocks take the lead at 18-17.

21-18 and the last Owl TO.

Grace Hett is on the service line. This year's designated server? 23-18 before the Owls score again.

25-19 and 3-1.


.436 v .255. Nine blocks v four. Service errors/aces are 7/6 v 10/5.

Emerson (15-0-32) for .469, Morgan (11-3-20 for.400), Brooklyn (9-1-17) for .471, Sarah (7-2-12) for .417), Alyssa (7-1-16 for .375), and Izzi (6-0-13) for .462.

Those are all the attempts for the Shockers for the match and not a bad line for anyone.

[WuDrWu]

10-2 run in set 4 and Shocks are looking to close this one out, hopefully, leading 21-18 timeout KSU.