wk8: vs Southern Miss

[LTK5H]

TXST (13-5/5-1) vs USM (12-6/4-2)

6:00 start Friday, ESPN+ broadcast here: link, Livestats here: link
2:00 start Saturday, ESPN+ broadcast here: link, Livestats here: link

This is the first time the Bobcats and Fighting Brett Favruhs have met on the volleyball court. Not a particularly accomplished program, with an all time losing record and no Conference Championships or NCAA appearances. Last 2 seasons have been below .500, and while they're above .500 now, it's due to a fairly easy schedule - of their 8 wins OOC, only 1 has a winning record (HBU/HCU). They do have a 5 set win over South Alabama, their loss to SFA (17-2) was a 5 set slugfest, and they took a set from Bama, which we couldn't, so they do have the ability to compete at a fairly high level. 3 Texans on the squad, but none getting regular playing time.

Another squad that has some really unbalanced scoring, with #23 accounting for 1/3 of their points so far this season, and their top 2 scorers (23 and 1) scoring 52%. No one else on the team has 100pts so far, while the Bobcats have 6 players above that mark. I'd really like to see HCSH put together a blocking package to shut that down and not go w/ the basics, as we're going to need some different packages vs the better teams, and soon.

In order of scoring: 5'11", 6'2", 6'1", 6'1", 5'9" (S), 6', 6'

 

[geezer]

Wasn't South Alabama the favorite to win the conference?
Sounds like a pretty good win--was it home or away?

 

[LTK5H]

USA was the favorite to win the Division. The poll doesn't do overall conference, only division. They won last year, beating us in the finals fairly handily 19-23-13. USM's win over USA was at home. Good win for sure.

 

[geezer]

Thanks, should have said division. They beat us twice didn't they, once in conference play, then again in the tournament?

Anyway, the team will need to play like Saturday, not Friday.

 

[LTK5H]

Yup. Sweep @ USA was about as bad: 18-20-20

 

[LTK5H]

Buettner in civies
Gardner not here
Lee @ libero
Walsh starting

 

[LTK5H]

15-11 TXST, media TO

Teske is jumping out of the gym and hitting balls on the way down. Several very impressive crushed cross-court kills so far.

 

[LTK5H]

Little run by the Golden Eagles here
23-21 TXST, TO TXST

 

[LTK5H]

25-21 S1 TXST

 

[LTK5H]

9-6 Cats, TO USM

This down ref is terrible. He is like 90 years old, slower than death, and has called about 10 girls in the net so far. Terrible both ways, but still terrible.

1st SE still an issue - might have 5 already?

 

[LTK5H]

Sheeeet. 8 SE so far, 5 in S1 alone

 

[LTK5H]

25-18 Cats, 2-0

Teske and DeWalt looked dialed in. Their timing is just spot on right now.

 

[LTK5H]

Playing a little ragged in S3. Just took the lead to 15-14, TO media

 

[LTK5H]

Heiser has had a nice night so far w/ 4K. She’s playing the front line rotations and Walsh coming in to serve and playing the back row.

 

[LTK5H]

18-18, TO USM

Teske just got the cheapest K on a bad set - switched hands midair, got a wee little slap in and tooled the block. She’s on fire! 14K so far

 

[LTK5H]

USM not going quietly

 

[LTK5H]

But they gone! 25-23, 3-0 Cats

 

[LTK5H]

 

[LTK5H]

Heiser has had a nice night so far w/ 4K. She’s playing the front line rotations and Walsh coming in to serve and playing the back row.

Courtney impressed tonight. On back to back plays, she had to block their RS. 1st time she was in the right spot, but didn't get extended over the net, K USM off her hands and straight down. She knows what she did wrong instantly, tapped her chest and took responsibility for the point. Very next offensive possession for USM they attack her again, she gets her hands out and over, block kill TXST straight down.

Seems like she got hands on quite a few trash balls and kept points alive as well. Lot of that tonight - balls that seem to find the floor most matches were kept alive. Something I've never felt we do well, we did really well tonight.

Lee @ libero

She's better than I thought she'd be. Eating up hard driven balls left and right, has a nice bump set when Emily has to dig and aggressive on the serve. Ortega still coming in for DS every now and then.

Walsh starting

Playing back row got 7 digs; Served 9x, 1 error, 3 points scored

Teske is jumping out of the gym and hitting balls on the way down. Several very impressive crushed cross-court kills so far.

Not only led the team in points (15.5), kills (14) and hitting % (.545), but came back from service errors in 2 of her 1st 4 serves to serving 9x in the 3rd set, leading to 6 points, including an ace, and served 5 straight to take us from 20-20 to 24-20. 12 digs and a block to boot. Really fun watching her play.

Set the back row maybe half dozen times today. More than I've ever seen us run before - probably 5 or 6 were in system. 16, 18, 3 - everyone was getting set 10'.

 

[Linds]

Good stuff, although I only understand a portion of it!!!