SLU Match

[BeckysTXA]

Can't wait for this one to get started. Taking it to SLU is always a good week at the office. :)

[BeckysTXA]

Flyers in total control the first set winning 25-17. 4 blocks, we are leading in digs, and we are handling their serves. Yanz is scoring on setter dumps. That has to be killing Anne.

[ud69]

Set 2 - 25-21 Flyers - after being down 19-18. Lead 2 sets to none.

X over Duquesne 15-5 in the fifth.

Set 3- 25-20 SLU Yucky set
Set 4- 28-26 SLU Got down early and could not climb out.

On to fifth and final set - I don't like this - SLU record going into this match is 5-7.

[Chris R]

We have no answer for SLUs dominating defense. Takes us 3 swings to get one point. Thats why we're going to a fifth. Im convinced VBall is 90% defense. If you impose your will on someone defensively, the rest is just details. Lets see if we can pull this out.

[BeckysTXA]

We're going to 5th Set. I'll take 15-5 Flyers! Go Flyers!!!!

[jmitch]

Whew...not pretty, but any win over SLU is a good win.

[BeckysTXA]

Too many errors in this match - 40 for the team. But you have to like how we got it done in the 5th set. There were a lot of line up changes in the 3rd set. Don't know if that got us out of sync? I think there are a couple positions that are still being worked on before a final rotation is set.

I still like how we drilled down in the 5th.

Congrats girls!!! Off to Pittsburgh to win #2 in the A-10.

[Lynton]

Following GT, it seemed we started hot, but SLU got back into it after the break. Good to win in the end, especially in SLU's building!

On the radio, Sheff's opening comment at the post game: SLU's freshmen outplayed our seniors. He says team has traveled a lot and looked tired, but elite teams need to handle that. Hopefully schedule lightens up after this weekend.

[ud69]

Sheff was not a happy camper after this match.

#9 Illinois over #2 PSU 17-15 in the fifth. DeBruler back.
#20 Tennessee loses to UGA
#21 USD lost to Fullerton earlier in the week
#18 CSU over BYU 15-13 in the fifth.

[Chris R]

Id rather play ugly and win than play beautiful and lose.

[Avid Flyer]

The fact is we played passive in sets 3 and 4. For some reason we got away from pounding the ball them and was content to just tap it over. SLU had no trouble fielding our soft play. Fortunately the flyers returned to their earlier form and hit with authority. Perhaps that is what Sheff meant they looked tired. A win is a win is a win, we'll take.
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[Sid Louick]

Anyone know how the team is getting to Pgh. for an afternoon game tomorrow? What kind of scheduling is that?

[ud69]

Anyone know how the team is getting to Pgh. for an afternoon game tomorrow? What kind of scheduling is that?

Match is Sunday.

[UDBrian]

Great liberos are worth their weight in gold. I'm unsure of how the team passed the ball because if you don't pass the ball well it makes life much easier for the other team's defense. I would expect that Anne is a very detailed coach like sheff and spent a ton of time on our tendencies.

But, a win is a win is a win

We have no answer for SLUs dominating defense. Takes us 3 swings to get one point. Thats why we're going to a fifth. Im convinced VBall is 90% defense. If you impose your will on someone defensively, the rest is just details. Lets see if we can pull this out.

[Avid Flyer]

Anyone know how the team is getting to Pgh. for an afternoon game tomorrow? What kind of scheduling is that?

Team is flying out Saturday morning will arrive early afternoon in time for Sunday afternoon match.
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[Sid Louick]

Sorry for the error. I would have sworn I saw a couple of times that the Duquesne match was Saturday. I was probably having a senior moment each time.

[BeckysTXA]

Amanda and Paige had 27 and 23 digs. That's around 5 per set each. It's been awhile since we've had ONE player around 5 per set, so having two in that range is awesome.

Only heard the radio audio, but it seemed like there were a lot of rallies in this match. Not super long rallies, but certainly above average in length. That would explain the amount of digs for both teams.

I will say, as a whole for the year, I don't think we win as many long rallies as we should. If you could go back and watch film, I would guess we win less than 30%. I'm not sure why, but it might have to do with our middle-dominated offense. After a couple plays, our middles might be out of position --- having simply run side-to-side across the net for both offense and defense too many times, might leave them out of position for either a kill opportunity or to close a block???? This is a theory so I'll have to watch in future matches.

I do think we "play better" when we close out a point quickly. Against SLU in sets 3 & 4, that wasn't happening.

[udisit19]

It was mentioned in some article that the game was Saturday and I had to go and double check both schedules. DUQ is definitely Sunday. You were not crazy or have a senior moment. Someone writing an article had a moment.

[San Diego Flyer]

Honestly, this match had the feel of one of our basketball games against SLU's Rick Majerus. Stifling defense with a junk yard dog attitude.

It's tough to win on the road in most sports and conferences. A10 is no exception.

Nice win girls!

[Lynton]

Interesting observations by SLU's coach at: http://www.slubillikens.com/sports/w-volley/recaps/092410aaa.html

Key comment: "We respect them, but we don't fear them." :cool::cya:

[UDBrian]

I agree with Beckystxa on the long points, these are not to UDs advantage especially when you are playing fast transitition offenses.

think the stats below show how the match turned. their coach commented on them serving the ball better in sets 3 and 4 and the sideout percentage shows this. In set 5 which UD dominated they were 80% on sideout

Team Attack For UD By Set
Set K E TA Pct Sideout Pct
1 15 4 37 . 2 9 7 1 4 - 1 8 77%
2 14 4 33 . 3 0 3 1 5 - 2 1 71%
3 7 9 46 - . 0 4 3 1 2 - 2 5 47%
4 19 4 54 . 2 7 8 1 7 - 2 7 62%
5 12 2 22 . 4 5 5 8 - 1 0 80%
6 6 - 1 0 1 65%

For the past five years St Louis has had the type of team that keeps a lot of balls from hitting the floor unless you absolutely crush it. I would expect St Louis to play us tough in the future even if we have the superior team.

Jess was 6 (kills) 0 (errors) and 12 (attempts) for a hitting percentage of .500 against the St Louis defense, this is very good.

Lindsay hit .545 with only 24 attempts but this might have been caused by St Louis doing everything in their power to slow her down.

[San Diego Flyer]

Key comment: "We respect them, but we don't fear them." :cool::cya:

We respect THEM, but we don't LOSE to them. :outtahere:

[BeckysTXA]

UDBrian - on the Lindsay attempts comment, without video I was thinking the same think during the match. Wondering if they were stacking their defense to stop Lindsay. Which make sense. And Jess was setting the open hitter if SLU was over-playing (cheating towards) Lindsay with a double block.

[Avid Flyer]

You are spot on regarding SLU defense. Coach Kordes is a good coach and made quite a few defensive adjustments. Having said that I believe the flyers could have still taken it in 3 sets.

Sheff knew his players better then we in the stands. It was frustrating in the stands watching games 3/4 with very passive play. Coach indicated they were tired (can't imagine why, 4 tournements with 3 on the road), but it sure explains why we were losing at the net. In those sets when the players went up for a ball where both players had their hands on it, it was SLU who pushed the ball over for a point. In the stands we were yelling for them to be aggressive. They were not playing UD vball.

Then in the 5th set Dayton exerted their will at the net and won those balls over the net where both teams had their hands on the ball. Also our serve became aggressive as well as the spikes. When we hit the ball with authority SLU couldn't counter. Too many soft touches and dinks in 3/4 which SLU had no trouble getting to.

As they say, when the going gets tough, its the tough that gets going. UD dominated play in game 5 like the first set.

But we will take the win.

Now they will be able to enjoy some home cooking over the weekends instead of on the road. Go Flyers!!!!