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Post by kiyoat on Aug 26, 2022 8:46:56 GMT -6
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 26, 2022 8:48:59 GMT -6
First match is on in a couple of minutes.... Louisville vs NKU...
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 26, 2022 10:47:19 GMT -6
Louisville dominated that match (as expected). The Norse had zero blocks and a negative hitting % through two sets, then Louisville subbed in some bench players in the 3rd.
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 26, 2022 10:50:20 GMT -6
I fully realize that playing a top5 team can make you look bad... but I think the Yotes will do well against NKU tomorrow. They finished 2nd in the Horizon LY, had a #59 RPI, and were picked first in the preseason poll this year. They return three all-conference front-row players, all upperclassmen. To me they look beatable, though. We will see.
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 26, 2022 16:50:11 GMT -6
Well... I guess I stand corrected. NKU is taking it to Mizzou. They won the first two sets in comeback fashion, and started to mount a comeback in the third. Score is now 2-1 sets. The Tigers could just be really bad, too.
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 28, 2022 12:17:42 GMT -6
Game on….
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Post by yoteforever on Aug 28, 2022 14:33:50 GMT -6
Statement made. Coyotes knock off S-E-C Missouri in 5.
We have a team that’s gonna compete for the Summit title.
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Post by yotevolleyballfan on Aug 28, 2022 15:45:50 GMT -6
USD is 2-1 Denver is 0-3  Gotta like the hustle shown by the Yotes. Lots of diving on the floor. The number of aces in the last 2 matches has been impressive too. Congrats |
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Post by yotevolleyballfan on Aug 28, 2022 15:47:30 GMT -6
USD is 2-1 Denver is 0-3 Gotta like the hustle shown by the Yotes. Lots of diving on the floor. The number of aces in the last 2 matches has been impressive too. Congrats |
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yote18
Senior Member
Posts: 533
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Post by yote18 on Aug 29, 2022 8:23:16 GMT -6
I know very little about Volleyball. But that’s a pretty good start to the season no? Wins over an SEC team and sweep of the runner up in the horizon appear to be a good launch pad. Louisville well they are who they say they are, but while the game was lost there is a lot to be proud of from the game by both the team and fans. We’re building something special in verm with the volleyball program and I think if we can continue to get some quality non-cons to appear and keep winning we can rival the likes of creighton, Nebraska, and minnesota someday in terms of fan buy in.
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 29, 2022 8:36:35 GMT -6
Any other observations from these matches about specific players? Here's my take:
Juhnke now leads the conference in Kills, Kills/set and points - even with the fact that schedules are unbalanced and USD has had likely the most difficult first opponents. This is going to be a huge year for her, I think. Another "coming out party" like her freshman year.
Harms had a great hitting %, as usual, but didn't record many blocks in the last match vs Missou.
Lolo had 4 aces vs Missouri, and 7 in the tournament! Her dig numbers are solid, but could be better, though.
Adams had a solid tournament, recording a balance of kills and blocks. Less digs than in the past.
Newcomers:
Schramm got better with each of the first three games of the season. Leanne talked about getting after her not attacking with setter dumps vs Missouri - then she went on to record a ton of kills with them in the last set. Also, her digs numbers were great - which will be a good compliment to Lolo in the back row. I think her learning curve will be steep.
Pauman looked good starting at middle, recording a ton of blocks
Diederich was a surprise to me starting at OH, but she performed really well! Undersized but fast and athletic, kinda like SDSU's starting OH. Wondering if Sealock is injured?
Wolff (DS) did very well serving (2 aces) and playing back row (12 digs)
Woodin and Farris got some playing time in the back row as well.
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 29, 2022 9:19:35 GMT -6
... I think if we can continue to get some quality non-cons to appear and keep winning we can rival the likes of creighton, Nebraska, and minnesota someday in terms of fan buy in. Definitely. In the sport of Volleyball, there is potential for USD to be a top-20 team in attendance. We are already top-40, at least the last few years. I could easily see us move up to top-30 this season. There is a precedent in our midwest region with mid-major programs like Creighton, Colorado State, UNI, Wichita State, Northern Colorado and Marquette for great fan support. Those should be our model and targets IMHO. Forget trying to get on the Nebraska - Minnesota tier, though. When a Big 10 program is top-10, they can completely fill up arenas larger than the SCSC. Here are some midwest region teams and the average home attendance rankings for 2021: (I included Colorado and excluded Michigan, Ohio and Indiana from my version of the "midwest" that relates more to USD, since we recruit that region. #1 Nebraska (8,172) #2 Wisconsin (7,504) #3 Minnesota (5,066) #12 Illinois (2,321) #13 Colorado State (2,299)#14 Creighton (2,158)#15 Iowa State (2,149) #28 UNI (1,338)#29 Wichita State (1,318) #30 Iowa (1,310) #33 Kansas State (1,229) #34 Kansas (1,221) #37 Colorado (1,086) #40 South Dakota (1,014)#41 Northwestern (994) #45 Northern Colorado (900)#47 Marquette (877) |
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 29, 2022 9:39:33 GMT -6
Also, here's a top-10 ranking of Division 1 mid majors by attendance:
#1 BYU ...............(3170)
#2 Colorado State (2299)
#3 Creighton .......(2158)
#4 GCU ..............(1424)
#5 UNI ...............(1338)
#6 Wichita State ..(1318)
#7 Cal Poly ..........(1102)
#8 South Dakota (1014)
#9 UTEP ................(925)
#10 Northern CO.....(900)
Ironically, if we got to a 1,300 average attendance, we would go from top-40 to top-30 overall, but only move up this list one spot. That shows that elite mid-majors in this sport often have fan support that eclipses mediocre or above-average Power-5 schools.
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 29, 2022 10:14:58 GMT -6
And here are all the USD post-game pressers.
South Dakota vs Louisville
South Dakota vs NKU
South Dakota vs Missouri
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Post by kiyoat on Aug 29, 2022 10:37:23 GMT -6
The end of the Missou post-game, Leanne had some really nice comments about the growth of USD Volleyball. Here are some links that fast-forwards to those comments:
Question: ...did you ever see yourself getting to the point you are now, with the growth of the program, to be the winningest coach (in program history) when you took this job?
Question: You've been here basically the entire Division-1 history for USD... you've been able to grow to the point you are beating teams like Missouri, and hosting teams like Louisville.... Is that kind of crazy to think about? How much this program's grown in the last 13 years?
Question: You have often talked about the awareness of the sport of volleyball. Why is that so important to you, and how to you try and continue to (promote that), day in and day out?
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