Shocks v Hogs

[WuDrWu]

Friday, 4pm, Allen Field House, University of Kansas. (thanks to @JayJ79:)

http://www.kuathletics.com/

I'll probably copy and paste @1972Shocker: 's excellent work here but there is something I wanted to talk about first.


You are encouraged to call and get on the waiting list. I did but I have no idea how it works. Tickets are available through the KU site, and I am getting mine there just in case. They're only $10 for all 3 matches. What a joke.

I hope to see many Shocker fans in Lawrence. If I can put up with these clowns, you can.

[JayJ79]

the KU site says that the NCAA matches will be at Allen Fieldhouse

[WuDrWu]

Well that makes a lot more sense, and frankly I'm embarrassed on a number of fronts.

[1972Shocker]

Shockers vs Razorbacks - Tale of the Tape

Hitting Percentage: Shockers .244 - Arkansas .248
Opponents Hitting %: Shockers .199 - Arkansas .186
Kill Percentage: Shockers .379 - Arkansas .397
Error Percentage: Shockers .134 - Arkansas .149
Kills Per Set: Shockers 13.73 - Arkansas 14.00
Aces/Service Errors Per Set: Shockers 1.24/1.78 - Arkansas 0.94/1.56
Blocks Per Set: Shockers 2.10 - Arkansas 2.07
Digs Per Set: Shockers 15.73 - Arkansas 15.11
Points Per Set: Shockers 17.08 - Arkansas 17.01 (Points = Kills + Aces + BS + 1/2BA)

Top 6 Point Scorers (Points Per Set):

Arkansas (90.1% of total team scoring):
5-10 Sr OH Jasmine Norton 4.16
6-2 Sr OPP Roslandy Acosta 3.42
6-1 Sr MB Amanda Anderson 2.70
6-0 Sr MB Janeliss Torres-Lopez 2.44
6-2 Fr OPP Liz Fortado 2.10
5-10 JR S Raymariely Santos 1.41

Shockers (91.0% of total team scoring):
6-2 Sr OH Emily Adney 3.61
5-11 Jr OH Sam Sanders 2.84 (Availability/Effectiveness Unknown *)
6-2 Jr MB Ashley Andrade 2.68
6-0 Fr OH Ashlynn Driskill 2.57
6-1 Jr S Chesley Feekin 2.54
6-1 Jr MB Elizabeth Field 2.47

* If Sam can't go or is not effective then 6-0 Fr OH Katie Reilly (1.64 PPS) will step in.

Libero and Defense

Arkansas Libero: 5-6 Jr Emily Helm 3.88 digs per set. Leading scorer Jasmine Norton contributes 3.15 digs per set and setter Raymariely Santos 2.40 digs per set. Defensive specialists Monica Bollinger and Christa Alverez combined for 2.22 digs per set.

Shocker Libero: 5-10 Sr Jackie Church 4.51 digs per set. Setter Chelsey Feekin 2.71 digs per set and leading scorer Emily Adney 2.33 digs per set. Defensive specialists Kelsey Banwart and Jordan Hinkle a combined 3.34 digs per set.

Statistically and in terms of size there doesn't seem to be much difference between the Shocks and the Razorbacks. However, Sam is a key component of the Shockers scoring stats and if she can not go or if she is not effective he Shocks do lose a little production when they have to go with Katie Reilly, although Kaitie had a few very good matches this year. Shocks scoring seems a little more balanced than the Razorbacks but again that is diminished if Sam is unavailable or limited.

Common Opponents:

@Oklahoma 1 - Wichita State 3
Oklahoma 3 - @Arkansas 1

Auburn 1 - Wichita State 3 (@ SMU Tournament)
Auburn 0 - @ Arkansas 3
@Auburn 3 - Arkansas 2

Tennessee 3 - @Wichita State 2
@Tennessee 3 - Arkansas 1
Tennessee 3 - @Arkansas 0

I don't see a whole lot to chose between the teams on paper. Should be a good one. Hope the Shocks come ready to play.

[flyingMoose]

From Suellentrop's WSU Notes in Tuesday's Eagle with Sam being the topic:

Sam Sanders smashed a few kills during Monday’s Wichita State volleyball practice, ratcheting up swings that make it appear her right shoulder is regaining its power.

Sanders, a junior right-side, is feeling healthier each day as she recovers from shoulder pain that has limited her time since early November. She played in two of the three matches in last weekend’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. WSU plays Arkansas on Friday in the NCAA Tournament in Lawrence.

“I feel way better,” she said. “It felt fine on Friday and Saturday. I wasn’t having any pain.”

Coach Chris Lamb describes Sanders as playing at 70 percent. When healthy, Sanders is a powerful attacker and a critical part of WSU’s offense. When she missed three matches earlier this month, WSU made several lineup changes to compensate. She averages 2.39 kills a set, second in the team, and her .246 attack percentage is tops among WSU’s pin players.

“It’s nice to have her out there,” Lamb said. “She’s getting closer.”

Sanders made her biggest contribution last weekend at the service line against Northern Iowa in the semifinal match. Her ability to serve short disrupted UNI’s offense and helped the Shockers end a 10-match losing streak to the Panthers in a 3-1 victory.

“She brought a lot of emotion to the Northern Iowa game,” Lamb said. “When we started to pull away from Northern was when Sam was back there putting service runs together.”

Sanders said a swollen lymph node likely caused the shoulder pain. She was sick at the time the shoulder pain began.

“Rest really helped it,” she said. “I feel back to normal. I feel confident.”

[1972Shocker]

Hopefully, Sam gets a full week of practice to help get her timing back and will be close to full strength by Friday. That would be a big boost for the Shocks. Although Katie Reilly has played pretty well filling in for Sam. But Sam at or near full strength has the ability to explode offensively.

[WuDrWu]

Anything is possible, but if the ladies play their A game, I believe they will win this regional. I know I am biased, but this is the best draw they could have imagined. NOW is the time ladies.

[1972Shocker]

Anything is possible, but if the ladies play their A game, I believe they will win this regional. I know I am biased, but this is the best draw they could have imagined. NOW is the time ladies.

We need to play our A game and we need to maintain our focos and intensity throughout the match. I watched a replay of the MVC Tournament Championship match last night and though we played pretty for the 1st three-fourths of each set, but in each set we kind of feel apart at the end. The Ladies simply need to figure out how to sustain their focus and intensity throughout the match. We have shown we are capable of doing that against good opponents. We just have not been consistent.

But yes, this is a winnable regional. Arkansas no doubt is saying the same thing. It will take one of the Shocks' best matches of the year followed by the Shocks' best match of the year and it will take a total team effort.

[flyingMoose]

Match day article.

[ShockBaller]

Will this game be on TV anywhere or available to stream over the Internet?

[WuDrWu]

It will be streamed for free. Go to the KU website for details. There is no 1st and 2nd round TV coverage that I know of.....all 3rd round and beyond will be on ESPN (or it's many affiliate stations) I believe .

[flyingMoose]

The easiest way for me has been to go to the interactive NCAA bracket. If you click on a particular match, a new window will open and you can use the "Watch Live" button that is in the middle of that window. At match time, I think it may say "Live Now" or something along those lines.

[1972Shocker]

The easiest way for me has been to go to the interactive NCAA bracket. If you click on a particular match, a new window will open and you can use the "Watch Live" button that is in the middle of that window. At match time, I think it may say "Live Now" or something along those lines.

That's what I've found to be the easiest also.

[RoyalShock]

Someone on VT did a tournament simulation using point probabilities based on Pablo. WSU beat UA and KU.

http://volleytalk.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=47287

[_kai_]

If anyone is going to Lawrence for the game, there is a pep rally at 23rd Street Brewery starting at 1:30. Mike will be talking around 2:30. Think they're going to be giving out some goodies to the fans who come out and support the Shox.