Shocker Volleyball Classic - Fri 9/2 and Sat 9/3

[ShockTalk]

Nice sweep of Marquette tonight. Decent weekend, could have been really good if we would have played a little better last night, but definitely showed some guts coming back and playing well today. Only 3-2 but we have two strong resume wins with a chance to get a few more resume builders next weekend.

14, 22, 20

Who'd a thunk it!! Particularly a sweep! I guess this team now knows what it's capable of.....on both ends of the spectrum. Congrats, girls!!

[1972Shocker]

Tonight's match could not have been more different than last night's match vs Cincy. The Shocks were terrific tonight especially on defense. Like Cincy, Marquette had an advantage in size and firepower but unlike the Cincy match the Shocks were able to offset it with great defense. The 1st point of the match was a great indicator of how the match was to be played. A long rally won by the Shocks.

Shocks have a few things to work on including trying to keep Katy D. from running over Giorgia when she is playing a short serve (one fender bender and one near miss) and I have seen enough balls falling to the floor unplayed as the seas parted this weekend to last me the rest of the season. But I think those things are easily fixed.

For the most part the Shocks competed tonight about as well as I think they can. I was hoping for a good showing after seeing how tough IUPUI played Cincy losing 19, 22, 20 after the Shocks dismantled UIPUI earlier this afternoon.

I still think we have some things to refine but this is the 2nd weekend in a row where the Shocks have shown a great ability to rebound against tough opponents after not playing well and losing to good opponents.

I have to say the crowds today were somewhat disappointing. Especially for tonight's match. Labor Day weekend I guess.

Good to see the Shocker women basketball team out in force supporting their classmates but otherwise student support for the Volleyball team is pretty pathetic. (I guess I shouldn't forget the cheerleaders who are by far the largest contingent of student support at the matches.)

[1972Shocker]

Today in other Valley play UNI lost in 4 sets at USC but came back this evening to sweep #23 Kentucky 23, 21 and 23.

Illinois State loss to Rice in 5 sets and beat Utah in 5 sets in Columbia, Missouri.

Loyola knocked of Wake Forest in 5 sets in Winston-Salem, NC.

So the Valley continues to notch some nice wins in the the non-con.

However, SIU dropped a 4-set match to Northern Arizona at home.

http://www.mvc-sports.com/volleyball/schedule/#.V8uTSvkrKM8

[1972Shocker]

A couple more very tough foes await the Shocks next weekend in Ft. Collins, Colorado as the Shocks take on a vey good host team in Colorado State on Thursday, then play Texas Saturday before finishing up with Samford on Sunday. A 2nd consecutive 2-1 weekend would be just fine and dandy but will be far from easy.

[1972Shocker]

Iowa State was swept by #1 Nebraska this weekend and they swept Syracuse in Lincoln. Iowa State is now 3-2 with losses to Creighton and the Conrhuskers.

Iowa State has Iowa, Marquette, UNI and Missouri State coming up the next two weekends.

Creighton swept UNI this weekend, got swept by #23 Kentucky and lost to USC in a 5-setter in Los Angeles. The Bluejays now sit at 2-3 with losses to Wichita State, Kentucky and USC.

The primary RPI builders left on Creighton's non-con schedule are Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska.

[rayc]

I think one of those Creighton losses is to the Shockers!!

[1972Shocker]

I think one of those Creighton losses is to the Shockers!!

Good catch. Corrected. They beat Iowa State.

[WuDrWu]

A couple more very tough foes await the Shocks next weekend in Ft. Collins, Colorado as the Shocks take on a vey good host team in Colorado State on Thursday, then play Texas Saturday before finishing up with Samford on Sunday. A 2nd consecutive 2-1 weekend would be just fine and dandy but will be far from easy.

Mixed results on CSU so far.

Lost a tough 5 setter to Pitt, the preseason 5th place team in the ACC.

Struggled to beat a Baylor team that won't compete for anything in the Big12.

Struggled to sweep a bad NDSU team and swept the 8th place preseason WCC St. Mary's team.

Swept yesterday by UCSB, picked 6th in the Big West but could be a lot better than that based on results so far.

They are REALLY young. Their setter is a true freshman and they have a 6-6 middle redshirt freshman as well as a 6-0 true freshman OH who all start. My guess is now is the time to get them, and not in a couple of months.

[WuDrWu]

Texas were hammered by Nebraska (who hasn't been?) and dropped a set both at Oregon and to a very good Lipscomb program.

They're really, really good, but not the best UT team Lambo has ever faced.

Samford is 5-2 BUT losses are to Alabama and Indiana State...both sweeps.

[1972Shocker]

Texas were hammered by Nebraska (who hasn't been?) and dropped a set both at Oregon and to a very good Lipscomb program
They're really, really good, but not the best UT team Lambo has ever faced.

Samford is 5-2 BUT losses are to Alabama and Indiana State...both sweeps.

UTSA gave Texas a very competitive match in Austin as well losing 25, 23 and 21. So maybe Texas is just a bit vulnerable to the upset this year.

And yes, Colorado State has not done anything special this year so far and perhaps their #25 ranking is mostly riding the coattails of the success in recent years. Nevertheless, I think they will be plenty tough at home.

However, if the Shocks play as well as they did against Marquette they could win both of those matches. They Shocks will have to overcome the Jekyll and Hyde peformances of the 1st two weekends to make that happen.

[boyshocker]

Part of Texas' problems might be they lost starter Ogbugo to grades week before the season started

[1972Shocker]

Part of Texas' problems might be they lost starter Ogbugo to grades week before the season started

Not just a starter but a 1st team All-American.

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2016/08/20/ogbogu-to-miss-season-for-academic-reasons

[JayJ79]

Part of Texas' problems might be they lost starter Ogbugo to grades week before the season started

is that when grades from summer session were posted?

[boyshocker]

Yes, hard to believe she didn't get her work done with all the resources that are available.

[JayJ79]

meh, I can't really throw stones given my academic history (and I didn't have near the time commitments of a div. I athlete.