What Now?

[1972Shocker]

Still some VB to be played but I looks like the Shocks will be the #3 seed in the MVC tournament barring an unexpected upset of MSU next weekend at either ILS or INS.

Creighton is now guaranteed to finish above SIU. I assume MSU wins a tiebreaker with the Shocks by virtue of their 2-0 record vs Creighton. The Shocks split with Creighton this year, losing in Omaha.

I see Creighton and Drake tying for 4th with Creighton winning that tiebreaker by virtue of their win over the Shocks.

If Evansville beats SIU next Friday AND ILS loses to both MSU and WSU next weekend then there will be a 3-way tie for the #6 spot between EU, SIU and ILS. SIU probalby wins this tiebreaker by virtue of their win over MSU last weekend.

If SIU beats Evansville AND ILS can knock of MSU then ILS and SIU tie for the #6 spot. ILS wins the tiebreaker with a 1-1 record vs CU compared to a SIU's 0-2 vs CU. This is about the only scenario I see where the Shocks could claim the #2 seed assuming they win both the ILS and INS matches next weekend.

ILS could secure the #6 spot out right if they could upset both MSU and WSU next weekends but that is a real long shot.

With this in mind the most likely Tournament setup would be:

#1 - UNI vs the winner of #4 CU vs #5 DU
#2 - MSU vs the winner of #3 WSU vs #6 SIU

UNI, CU and DU appear to be locked in to their seeds. Their is a possibility (although not a probability) that WSU and MSU could swap positions and ILS could replace SIU as the #6 seed.

Maybe the Shocks would actually do better playing in the 1st round rather than sitting in the wings as the #1 or #2 seed and then playing a team that has the momentum of win the day before under their belt.

In any case, Shocks will not face UNI until the Championship game. I would love to see the Shocks get another shot at UNI, althouhg a semi-final match with MSU would be no cake-walk. SIU (or ILS) at a neutral site is not a gimme in the 1st round either.

Still a lot of important VB to be played by the Lady Shocks.

:goshocks:

[SpanglerFan316]

What Now? Win the MVC tourney or stay home.

[1972Shocker]

They don't have to win it IMHO.

They lose to UNI in the Championship game they are in.

They lose to MSU in the semi-finals they are on the bubble. Maybe in, maybe not. Wouldn't want to chance it.

Preference: Win the Tournament and remove all doubt.

[flyingMoose]

They don't have to win it IMHO.

They lose to UNI in the Championship game they are in.

They lose to MSU in the semi-finals they are on the bubble. Maybe in, maybe not. Wouldn't want to chance it.

Preference: Win the Tournament and remove all doubt.

I agree 100%.

Sorry, '72. :)

Losing to MSU in the semis gives the Shocks a 1-2 record against them on the season, but the Shocks will still have a better RPI. Who knows what the Selection Committee would do with that?

[SpanglerFan316]

There are so many good "BCS" teams that I am very concerned about the Shocks getting an at-large. Oregon State? Washington State? Oklahoma? Arizona? Arizona State? USC? Cal? Michigan State? Michigan? Illinois? Iowa? (!!) Texas? Texas A&M? Baylor? Iowa State? Nebraska? LSU? Florida? Duke? Stanford? UCLA? Washington? Oregon? ETC.

Throw in St. Louis, Colorado State, Long Beach, UC Davis, Hawaii and others (NMSU?); there are a lot of candidates for at large spots.

[vancedave56]

Better win it.

[1stThings1st]

As bad as we played and we were bad (not good volleyball) we still had a chance to beat the #21 ranked team. Our offense was offensive. Until we start our offense with a decent pass we will loose sets we should not loose. We should not have lost to UNI, MSU or Creighton. We have better players everywhere and better coaches than UNI,MSU, and Creighton. The back row needs to step up and make a pass. Every player needs to have Mental Toughness and put out Extra Effort if we are going to keep playing after Omaha.

[SpanglerFan316]

The fact that we were terrible but took UNI to 5 sets proves, to me, that WSU is the better team but only if they show lots more mental toughness.

[flyingMoose]

Okay, the latest "numbers."

RPI

19 UNI
25 Shocks
48 Missouri State


Pablo

12 UNI
28 Shocks


I understand the "better players" notion, but until we show it, we are not. We just have "better potential". It is still the case - we have to win serve-receive and get something out of the right side. And this is not unique to us; it is unique to volleyball.

[1972Shocker]

It is still the case - we have to win serve-receive and get something out of the right side. And this is not unique to us; it is unique to volleyball.

Absolutely. We are no doubt the equal or maybe even a little better than UNI at the hitting positions but Bre Payton is every bit the equal of Hoop at the setter position (if not better) and UNI is has a very good serve and receive game. Their digging and passing as a team was about as good as I have ever seen from an MVC team.

I was even impressed with UNI's digging and passing during warm-ups. The assistant coach who was warming them up was firing absolute howitzer's at the UNI girls. They certainly were not intimidated by anything we threw at them during the match.

That said I think the Shocks can knock off UNI, but they will need to play much cleaner and be much more consistent throughout the match.

I hope we get another shot at the Panthers in the MVC Tournament.

[The Mad Hatter]

It is still the case - we have to win serve-receive and get something out of the right side. And this is not unique to us; it is unique to volleyball.

Absolutely. We are no doubt the equal or maybe even a little better than UNI at the hitting positions but Bre Payton is every bit the equal of Hoop at the setter position (if not better) and UNI is has a very good serve and receive game. Their digging and passing as a team was about as good as I have ever seen from an MVC team.

I was even impressed with UNI's digging and passing during warm-ups. The assistant coach who was warming them up was firing absolute howitzer's at the UNI girls. They certainly were not intimidated by anything we threw at them during the match.

That said I think the Shocks can knock off UNI, but they will need to play much cleaner and be much more consistent throughout the match.

I hope we get another shot at the Panthers in the MVC Tournament.

I have a hard time comparing Hooper and Payton. They are both excellent young setters, but Payton was getting much better passes to work with all night, so it is hard to compare their performances.

[1972Shocker]

I have a hard time comparing Hooper and Payton. They are both excellent young setters, but Payton was getting much better passes to work with all night, so it is hard to compare their performances.

Valid point. Also comparing a lefty and righty might also be a littel difficult. However, regardless of any of these technical issue Payton is clearly a very good setter and being a southpaw probably gives a natural power advantage on her attacks.

[SpanglerFan316]

Isn't Feekin a lefty? I hope we play a 6-2 next year with Hooper & Feekin both setting. This will give us 3 attackers at the net all the time and cover our lack of experienced OHs. We're fairly solid at MB with two 6'3" players (McGee (2010 RS senior) & Witham (2010 RS soph)) plus 6'2" Andrade (2010 RS frosh) & 6'1" Field (2010 RS frosh) but OH is a question. We'll have seniors Lindsey Eckenrode (completely recovered??) & Amanda Backes (too many errors) plus 2010 RS soph Dana Loganbill (completely recovered from shoulder surgery?) and true soph Emily Adney with RS frosh Vogts, Kaiser, Heath, Dotson & Sanders.

Backrow? I'm concerned.

SERVICE ACES (MVC only)
1. LEGGETT, Mallory-Illinois State 59 23 0.39
2. Blankenship, Ellie-UNI JR 57 20 0.35
3. Michnowicz,Kelley-Missouri State SO 49 17 0.35
4. Benitez, Nayka-Creighton JR 63 21 0.33
5. Lauersdorf, Chelsea-Drake SR 59 17 0.29
6. Gmur,Melissa-Missouri State JR 58 16 0.28
Stockman, Emily-Wichita State SR 58 16 0.28
8. Saunders, Chelsea-UNI JR 57 14 0.25
9. Burke, Candice-UNI FR 57 13 0.23
Braun, Amy-UNI FR 57 13 0.23
11. Lesan, Skylar-Bradley FR 53 12 0.23
12. Berwanger, Jennifer-Southern Illinois JR 64 14 0.22
13. Payton, Bre-UNI SO 57 12 0.21
14. Stoker,Jodilynne-Indiana State SR 53 11 0.21
15. Brown, Rachael-Southern Illinois FR 64 13 0.20
16. MENENDEZ, Jenny-Illinois State 62 12 0.19
17. Maira Charun,Ana-Indiana State JR 53 10 0.19
Schmidt, Megan-Bradley SO 53 10 0.19
19. Houts, Jessica-Creighton SR 63 11 0.17
20. Volden,Stephanie-Indiana State SR 52 9 0.17
21. STAUTER, Kristin-Illinois State 35 6 0.17
22. Brooke Maher-Evansville SO 60 10 0.17
Blumhorst, Lauren-Southern Illinois SO 60 10 0.17
24. Johnson, Alicia-Southern Illinois JR 64 10 0.16
25. Church, Jackie-Wichita State FR 58 9 0.16

[dregn]

If we're gonna run a 6-2 we need to find 2 front row players who can play the whole rotation or we'll run out of subs. As of right now we have 0 of those types of players returning.

[SpanglerFan316]

If we're gonna run a 6-2 we need to find 2 front row players who can play the whole rotation or we'll run out of subs. As of right now we have 0 of those types of players returning.

If we play 6-2, Hooper & Feekin would stay in through all 6 rotations. When in the front row, they would be OHs; when in the back row, they would be Ss. This uses fewer subs. (Of course, if MEH or CF are not good hitters, we would have to sub them. However MEH has plenty of blocks and CF is taller than MEH and is said to be an excellent hitter.)

http://www.strength-and-power-for-volleyball.com/serve-receive-6-2.html