Shocker VB v South Florida

[flyingMoose]

The Shockers continue AAC play with two home matches against Florida teams this weekend. South Florida plays the Shocks on Friday at 7 pm.

The Bulls are 4-0 in conference play with wins against Charlotte, East Carolina, Temple, and Memphis. USF swept East Carolina, one of the better teams in the conference, at home for the only conference loss for ECU. Pablo has the Shocks has a 63% favorite, and Massey has this match going the Shocker's way, 3-1.

At this point, I assume USF got out of Tampa despite the hurricane.

[1972Shocker]

Volleyball Preview: South Florida

WICHITA STATE (8-8, 3-1 American)

Friday, Oct. 11 (7:00 p.m. CT) vs. South Florida (8-7, 4-0 American)
Wichita, Kan. (Charles Koch Arena)
Live Stats // Watch

SCOUTING THE BULLS:

• South Florida checks in to Wichita with an overall record of 8-7, including a 4-0 mark in AAC play following wins over Charlotte, East Carolina, Temple and Memphis. The Bulls have dropped just one set over the course of those four wins.
• South Florida also owns the premier non-conference win for the conference in 2024, a five-set road victory against #10-ranked Florida on September 6. The Bulls played five matches against ranked teams in the non-conference portion of the schedule.
• The Bulls are led by the setter-hitter combination of Caroline Dykes (second in the conference with 10.54 assists per set) and Maria Clara Andrade (second in the conference with 4.46 points per set). Transfer outside hitters Naiya Sawtelle and Ally Cavanaugh provide additional offensive options.
• USF leads the AAC in conference matches with 19.46 points per game. Rice is 2nd at 17.41 and the Shocks are 5th at 17.00. USF averages 14.38 kills per set vs 13.31 for the Shocks.
• The Shocks are 2nd in hitting % at .278 followed by USF at .249. USF is 2nd in opponents hitting % at .177 and the Shockers are 5th at .193. So the Shocks have a differential of .085 vs .072 for the Bulls.
• USF only allows opponents 9 kills per set, tops in the AAC vs the Shocks who are 6th at 12.56.
• The Shocks are 3rd in the AAC with 2.19 blocks per set while getting blocked 1.50 times per set for a differential of .69, while USF is 8th in blocks at 1.85 and last in getting blocked at 2.69 per set from a differential of -.84 per set.
• USF leads the AAC with 3.23 aces per set while only giving up 1.15 aces per set for whopping differential of 2.08 per set. The Shocks are at 1.50 access per set while opponents average 1.44 aces per set for a differential of .06.

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I really question that the home court advantage will be enough to overcome USF's big advantages in scoring and serving and I don't think the the Shocker advantage in the blocking game can overcome that either. Lambo certainly seemed to lack confidence that the Shocks can keep up with USF's scoring prowess on his Monday radio show. I'm going to have go against the experts on this one and install USF as the favorite. The Shocks will have to play very well to pull off an upset IMO. It's not impossible for them to do that but I'm just not feeling it at this point. My wish for Friday is to be eating a good helping of crow.

[Critter's Pa]

At this point, I assume USF got out of Tampa despite the hurricane.

I bet they flew out either Monday or Tuesday, maybe early on Wednesday. If they left today, they went by boat for at least part of the journey to the airport. I haven't seen anything about damage to the USF Campus, but the surrounding neighborhood was flooded today. Waist deep water in the streets kind of flooding, and that was this morning, it was probably deeper last night.

Any of the players that live off, but near campus, may have damage to their houses/apartments and cars. Saw footage of apartments in the area where the cars had water well over the hood.

Their heads may not be totally into the game.

[Kung Wu]

I bet they flew out either Monday or Tuesday, maybe early on Wednesday. If they left today, they went by boat for at least part of the journey to the airport. I haven't seen anything about damage to the USF Campus, but the surrounding neighborhood was flooded today. Waist deep water in the streets kind of flooding, and that was this morning, it was probably deeper last night.

Any of the players that live off, but near campus, may have damage to their houses/apartments and cars. Saw footage of apartments in the area where the cars had water well over the hood.

Their heads may not be totally into the game.

Uuuugh

[flyingMoose]

I'm going to have go against the experts on this one and install USF as the favorite. The Shocks will have to play very well to pull off an upset IMO. It's not impossible for them to do that but I'm just not feeling it at this point. My wish for Friday is to be eating a good helping of crow.

There is always that issue with stats-driven (Pablo and Massey) prognostications. They cannot factor in matchups, and there is a "delay" in their stats if a team finds a new level of play.

[Critter's Pa]

Swifty has 322 block assists for her career. She needs 1 more block assist to move into a tie for 10th all time at WSU. She has 50 so far this year. If she matches last year's total of 107, she will be 5th all time between Ashley Andrade (381) and Dawn Horn (356). Holly Shifflette has 323 block assists.

She has 44 career solo blocks, 8 so far this year. She needs 11 more to move into a tie for 10th with Janelle Watton who has 55 solo blocks.

She is already 10th all time in total blocks with 366. Holly Shifflette is 9th with 368 total blocks. She has 58 total blocks this year. If she matches last year's total of 120 total blocks, she will be 6th all time between Dawn Horn (429) and Sarah McGee (402).

She is averaging .91 blocks per set, so she should be moving up in the record book this weekend. For her career, she is at .97 blocks per set. If she gets to 1.01 blocks per set, she will get into the record book in this statistic in a three way tie for 9th all time.

[SubGod22]

Ahhh. Sarah McGee. Still one of my personal favorites. Such a joy to watch play and easy on the eyes.

[1972Shocker]

Swifty has 322 block assists for her career. She needs 1 more block assist to move into a tie for 10th all time at WSU. She has 50 so far this year. If she matches last year's total of 107, she will be 5th all time between Ashley Andrade (381) and Dawn Horn (356). Holly Shifflette has 323 block assists.

She has 44 career solo blocks, 8 so far this year. She needs 11 more to move into a tie for 10th with Janelle Watton who has 55 solo blocks.

She is already 10th all time in total blocks with 366. Holly Shifflette is 9th with 368 total blocks. She has 58 total blocks this year. If she matches last year's total of 120 total blocks, she will be 6th all time between Dawn Horn (429) and Sarah McGee (402).

She is averaging .91 blocks per set, so she should be moving up in the record book this weekend. For her career, she is at .97 blocks per set. If she gets to 1.01 blocks per set, she will get into the record book in this statistic in a three way tie for 9th all time.

Are those rankings for the rally scoring era only or do they include the side-out scoring era as well?

[Critter's Pa]

Are those rankings for the rally scoring era only or do they include the side-out scoring era as well?

Both eras.
Years the players I mentioned played:
Ashley Andrade played 2010-13
Dawn Horn played 1994-98
Holly Shifflette played 1990-93
Janelle Watton played 1988-91
Sarah McGee played 2007-10

If you only include the rally scoring era 2001- present:
In solo blocks, Swifty (44) is behind Abbie Lehman (63) and Sarah McGee (59) and possibly others who have more than 44 but are not on the top 10 list. Solo blocks is mostly side-out scoring era players, lead by Sarah Hern 1986-89 with 95.

In block assists, Swifty (322) is 8th behind Abbie Lehman (486), Elizabeth Meyers (460), Ashley Andrade (381), Jen Ray (343), Sarah McGee (343), Darci Vohs (332), and Elizabeth Field (332). Side-out scorers on the list are Kristin Carr (419), Dawn Horn (356), and Holly Shifflette (323).

In total blocks, Swifty (366) is 7th behind Abbie Lehman (531), Elizabeth Meyers (505), Ashley Andrade (434), Sarah McGee (402), Jen Ray (389), and Elizabeth Field (382).Side-out scorers on the list are Kristin Carr (492), Dawn Horn (429), and Holly Shifflette (368). Swifty has replaced Darci Vohs (352) at 10th on the all time list. She will more than likely pass Holly Shifflette this weekend.

[flyingMoose]

Shockers 1-3 USF
13, (22), 18, 25

This team misses Gabi - a lot!!

[Critter's Pa]

During the first set, I about called the sewer department to report a foul odor around 21st and Hillside.

Passing= bad. We had about a dozen (being generous) good passes all match.
Setting= not good.
Shot selection= sub par.
Block= tooled.
Digging= lost the shovel.
Serve= Have I mentioned trying underhand from time to time?
Serve receive= was going to break out Thesaurus and look up other words for bad, but all I got left is NSFW.
Anticipation= nonexistent.
Luck= left the building because of the smell.

Bright spot- Did get to see many Shocker Alumni. I don't think any of them have any eligibility left, which was a shame because we probably could have used them. Too bad we laid an egg.
Reagan was libero the last three sets. I wonder if that will carry over to Sunday.

[BAShocker]

Didn’t watch the match (thank goodness it sounds like). Our back row D, including those who aren’t DS’s or liberos, has been a weak spot all year, not to be picking on any one player. They all have their moments, and sometimes good moments-just not enough of them.

Passing. It all starts with a good pass.

If I’m the other team, I’d hit it to our back row every time and take my chances.

[flyingMoose]

Wednesday Match

Tulane 3-0 UTSA


Friday Matches

North Texas 0-3 Rice

Florida Atlantic 1-3 Tulsa

East Carolina 2-3 Tulane

Charlotte 1-3 Memphis

Temple 0-3 UAB

[WuDrWu]

I'm not sure I've ever seen a team vs WSU that got so many points on very well executed tips or soft hits. USF were outstanding (understatement) at court awareness.


We were not.


16 (junior from Brazil) and 21 (5th year NC A&T) murdered us all night. Neither are close to 5'11" but both (especially 16) have big arms but more importantly, elite court awareness.


This match was not close and frankly, not very competitive. There were so many things that USF were superior to WSU, it was sickening. Their "want to" was maybe the most pronounced.


There were 2 sets (most of the match actually, but sets 1 & 3 especially) where USF served very hard and just over the next, like 1 to 10 inches 9 times out of 10. Outstanding serving. And we barely adjusted. All the while, the few times we did serve, nice and soft and 1-5 feet clearance of the net. That's just not going to get it done at this level.

I'm not going to sit here and gripe and pick apart everything. It's just disappointing.

As Critter's Pa said, lots of alumni in attendance, and that was definitely a highlight. I got to visit with Emily Stockman for the first time in a very long time......and that made me happy, so I am not going to complain.

[flyingMoose]

Of interest-

#1 Pittsburgh 2-3 #15 SMU
(19), 22, (13), 23, 9

Natalie was 7-2-17 for .294. Five service aces, seven service errors. She closed out the match with a service ace.

Pitt was a 3-0 winner on Wednesday in the match between the same two teams.