Shocks @UNI and @Drake

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks are heading to Cedar Falls for a match with traditional MVC VB power UNI tonight at 7:00p and then over to Des Moines to take on the Lady Bulldogs at 7:00p on Saturday night.

Seems to be a little bit of a down year for UNI but they are always dangerous in Cedar Falls and have won 14 of the last 16 meetings between the 2 teams. I am sure Lambo would like to get that trend reversed. I expect a tough match against the Lady Panthers. The UNI match will be on ESPN3 as well as Mike Kennedy's internet broadcast.

Drake, on the other hand, has lost 29 straight matches to the Shocks. However, they do seem to be an improved team this year and could give the Shocks all they want, especially on their home court.

:poster_shocks:

[flyingMoose]

Set One

Northern Iowa 22-25 Shockers

The Shockers were ahead early, the Panthers gained a lead, but the Shocks took the lead for good at 14-13. A run on Shimen's serve (she had three service aces in the run) gave the Shocks a 24-18 lead. UNI went on a run of their own before Mash had a kill to end the set.

The Shockers hit .200, while the Panthers hit .182.

[flyingMoose]

Set Two

Northern Iowa 23-25 Shockers

The Shockers took a five-point lead and maintained it until 22-17. Then Northern Iowa went on a six-point run to take the lead. The Shockers responded by scoring the last three points of the set.

The Shocks hit .179 for the set to .167 for the Panthers. After two sets, Shimen has eleven kills and Abbie has six.

[flyingMoose]

Set Three

Northern Iowa 22-25 Shockers

This was a back-and-forth set where neither team had a lead of more than three points. The Shocks trailed 21-22 and scored the last four points to win the set and the match, 3-0.

The Shocks hit .242 to .204 for the match and had only 12 errors to 21 for the Panthers.

Post-game comments:

Shimen hit .444 with 18 kills on 36 swings. Abbie moved back to M2 (where she was All-American) in the middle of the match and boosted her percentage to .500 with 11 kills. Lambo had nice comments about Jody, who played all six rotations for much of the third set, and Mikaela, who did not hit a great percentage but had only one error for the match. He especially like the way the Shockers competed, especially at the end of the second set. The littles still need to improve.

[flyingMoose]

Other Friday Scores

Drake 0-3 Missouri State
21, 23, 12

Loyola 3-0 Illinois State
27, 17, 17

Bradley 0-3 Indiana State
22, 22, 14

[1972Shocker]

Playing UNI is always a grind because they always seem to play outstanding defense. But the Shocks had just enough to squeeze by with the sweep.

Shimen had an excellent match and finally put up big scoring numbers while at the same time making minimal errors. Probably the best match of her young Shocker career.

[1972Shocker]

Pretty impressive win by Loyola over a decent Illinois State team.

[WuDrWu]

Pretty impressive win by Loyola over a decent Illinois State team.

Loyola looked awful at home the first weekend getting shelled by Wake Forest and Northwestern. Since then they played almost nobody, and ran the table until losing a 3-1 decision at Drake.

Really nothing learned to that point, but then after winning at Evansville then went to SIU and won 3-1 and then tonight a 3-0 over Illinois State. The Ramblers may be figuring it out.

I still believe Missouri State is the best team in the Valley, but there isn't much difference between MSU, UNI, WSU, SIU, ISU and Loyola with ISUb and Drake improving and BU and UE bringing up the tail end.

[JayJ79]

I honestly don't know what is up with UNI this year. They go from having a bajillion hitting and service errors against Indiana State to having a bajillion serve receive errors tonight (well, receiving errors and overpasses which set up Shocker slams on silver platters).

I'm just hoping they can hang on to a top-6 spot and can make the MVC tournament (and hopefully salvage a .500 season)

[WuDrWu]

No way the Panthers fall behind ISUb or Drake, but very little (other than Missouri State falling out of the top 2) otherwise would surprise me in the top 6. Lots of room and opportunity for movement.

[ShockerFever]

Nice to see a sweep over UNI even if they are down.

Way to go ladies!

[WuDrWu]

I can't remember if we touched on this or not, but UNI didn't have their setter that transferred from UNLV a couple of years ago (maybe was the MW FOY before going to UNI) and I think she was dismissed from the team over the summer?

Perhaps @JayJ79: can shed some light on what happened there. If this is a rehash, forgive me, I'm getting really old.

[JayJ79]

I can't remember if we touched on this or not, but UNI didn't have their setter that transferred from UNLV a couple of years ago (maybe was the MW FOY before going to UNI) and I think she was dismissed from the team over the summer?

Perhaps @JayJ79: can shed some light on what happened there. If this is a rehash, forgive me, I'm getting really old.

Yes, she was dismissed after last season (wasn't sure if it was in the summer or spring or earlier).
I don't know the facts behind that story, only rumors that it was a team chemistry/attitude issue, and that perhaps she had been part of the reason why several players had transferred out of the UNI program the past few years. And the coaching staff didn't want that sort of influence on the big recruiting class coming in this year.

[WSU4641]

Anyone else having problems listening to the Drake game tonight? Can't connect via goshockers.

[flyingMoose]

Anyone else having problems listening to the Drake game tonight? Can't connect via goshockers.

I think everyone is. I don't think it is there.