Shocks at Missouri State

[1972Shocker]

Shocks visit Missouri State on Saturday in a very important match.

Seems like the Shocks and Bears always have very tough, competitive matches and this year's matches should continue in that vein.

Bears as usual have very good athletes and are well coached and should be slight favorites over the Shocks.

2nd place is a big prize assuming neither the Shocks or Bears can dethrone UNI this year. It earns a 1st round bye in the MVC Tournament and puts insures you don't face UNI until the Tournament Championship game (again assuming UNI is the No. 1 seed).

UNI did defeat Evansville at home tonight but it wasn't a cakewalk for the Pantthers as Evansville was very competitve. Scores were 26-28, 25-22, 25-22 and 25-20. UNI scored that last 4 points of Set 4 to put the match away.

Other Friday MVC scores:
Drake 3 - Indiana State 1 in Terre Haute
Southern Illinois 3 - Bradley 0 in Peoria
Creighton 3 - Illinois State 1 in Normal

[WuDrWu]

Disugusting finish to Game 1.


Up 24-21, we get a service error, a hitting error, a Timeout, a passing error, another hitting error before we finally put one down.

Back and forth after that, the Shocks saved a couple of set points before losing 29-27 After yet another service error.

We'll find out how tough this group is over the next hour or so.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks blow a 24-21 lead to lose the first set 29-27.

Shocks simply could not make the plays when they needed them at the end of the set.

Shocks will have a very tough time recovering from that failure.

[1972Shocker]

Up 24-21, we get a service error, a hitting error, a Timeout, a passing error, another hitting error before we finally put one down.

Yep, sure sounded like it was a case of the Shocks self-destructing more than anything MSU did during that stretch.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks up 24 - 21 again in Set 2. MSU with a time out.

Let's hope this is not de ja vu.

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks blow the 24-21 lead again but hang on to win 30-28.

Shocks should be up 2-0, but also should be happy they are tied 1-1 at the break.

Blowing those late leads is troubling. Other than that the Shocks seem to be playing well, especially Z.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks almost turn the table on the Bears rallying from a 20-24 deficit but MSU holds on for a 25-23 win in Set 3. Wild match as usual.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks fall 20 -25 in Set 4. Probably the Shocks poorest set of the match.

MSU a little deeper and a little more experienced than the Shocks.

Not much, if any, margin for error remains for the Shocks has they head to perhaps the toughtest two-match road swing this year at Creighton and Drake next weekend.

[1972Shocker]

Much better write-up about the match in the Springfield News Leader than in the Eagle, although I don't think the headline accurately depicts the match nor the content of the article:

MSU MAKES EASY WORK OF SHOCKERS

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20101003/SPORTS0401/10030391/MSU-makes-easy-work-of-Shockers

Perhaps Lambo can use that odd headline as bulletin board material to fire up the Ladies for the return match in Wichita at the end of this month.