Congrats on a nice season and congrats to a very good senior class. Harris and Mikesky are going to be tough to replace but we do have some quality players coming back in McDaniel, Okafor, Livingstone and Kyle. And Cunningham seems to be a solid libero. The freshman middle blocker (Morgan) seemed to disappear a bit during the middle of the year but I thought she was going to be our best freshman this year and she had a solid CUSA tournament in place of the injured Okafor.

RFND, indeed. It's way easier to bail against a favored opponent. Great effort from the #6 position.

We're probably a bit of a longshot for an at-large berth but I'll follow the selection show nonetheless.
Good tourney Owls!

(11-20-2016 06:51 PM)billstudabaker Wrote:  RFND, indeed. It's way easier to bail against a favored opponent. Great effort from the #6 position.

WKU was undefeated in CUSA this year, IIRC. Forcing the 5th set was a valiant effort. We had a shot to win.

(11-21-2016 12:43 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(11-20-2016 06:51 PM)billstudabaker Wrote:  RFND, indeed. It's way easier to bail against a favored opponent. Great effort from the #6 position.

WKU was undefeated in CUSA this year, IIRC. Forcing the 5th set was a valiant effort. We had a shot to win.

Forcing a 5th set after being down 2 sets to none. RFND indeed!

The match was a lot of fun to watch. WKU's libero was pretty amazing. She got to almost everything and, even when diving, seemed to almost always get the ball to the setter in perfect position. That's hard to beat, but the Owls gave it a heck of a shot.

The Owls had a few more unforced errors than WKU, especially in the 1st set, and that was the difference, IMO, but the determination to keep their season from ending was very impressive.

Best of luck to the seniors and thanks for a job well done!

For the returning and incoming players, use this as a springboard to next season.

BTW - I believe WKU has only one senior, so they will undoubtedly be very tough again next season. Good luck to the Lady Toppers in the NCAA tournament.

(11-21-2016 02:00 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  The match was a lot of fun to watch. WKU's libero was pretty amazing. She got to almost everything and, even when diving, seemed to almost always get the ball to the setter in perfect position. That's hard to beat, but the Owls gave it a heck of a shot.

That is true. Several times, I cheered (along with many others) because we just won the point only to be amazed that WKU got the dig and the ball was still in play.

(11-21-2016 02:00 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  The match was a lot of fun to watch. WKU's libero was pretty amazing. She got to almost everything and, even when diving, seemed to almost always get the ball to the setter in perfect position. That's hard to beat, but the Owls gave it a heck of a shot.

...

BTW - I believe WKU has only one senior, so they will undoubtedly be very tough again next season. Good luck to the Lady Toppers in the NCAA tournament.

WKU's roster shows two seniors, but one of them is the 5'2" libero, Georgia O'Connell.

The other senior is also listed, like O'Connell, as a "DS" -- what does that stand for, "Digger/Setter"?

The Hilltoppers do have a freshman DS who might be expected to be a tough competitor, as she's the daughter of Notre Dame and 10-year NFL linebacker (Lions & Eagles), Scott Kowalkowski (although his stats show he didn't play much ... mostly a backup, or possibly injured?).

DS -Defensive Specialist

(11-21-2016 04:54 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  DS -Defensive Specialist

Thanks!!

Is that effectively the same a "Libero" ... or are their other position names, rules and/or subtleties involved within the realm of defensive specialists? (Like in football, "OL" could mean offensive guard, tackle or even center.)

(11-21-2016 04:58 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-21-2016 04:54 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  DS -Defensive Specialist

Thanks!!

Is that effectively the same a "Libero" ...

Yes and no. A defensive specialist is a player who is good at digging but not necessarily at hitting or blocking -- hence an asset in the back row but not in the front row. They player will sub in for someone who is sort of the opposite: good at the front from but not as good in the back row. But these substitutions are governed by the regular substitution rules, unlike the libero. So a DS may be a lot like a libero in skill set (and, like a libero, need not be tall), but she is not like a libero procedurally.
But to be honest, the rules seem pretty tricky so I'm probably botching it.

(11-21-2016 05:15 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(11-21-2016 04:58 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-21-2016 04:54 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  DS -Defensive Specialist

Thanks!!

Is that effectively the same a "Libero" ...

Yes and no. A defensive specialist is a player who is good at digging but not necessarily at hitting or blocking -- hence an asset in the back row but not in the front row. They player will sub in for someone who is sort of the opposite: good at the front from but not as good in the back row. But these substitutions are governed by the regular substitution rules, unlike the libero. So a DS may be a lot like a libero in skill set (and, like a libero, need not be tall), but she is not like a libero procedurally.
But to be honest, the rules seem pretty tricky so I'm probably botching it.

Thanks, George. Does the Libero stay in the game throughout the rotations ... i.e. is not substituted for? Is she not part of either the front or back row? (You can tell I know little of this sport's rules. It's a little late in the season to be learning them, though. :-) )

Tremendous and gutsy performance by the ladies this weekend. They gave it everything they had - we should all be proud of their effort. I attended all our matches this weekend, and also attended the 2014 tournament in Hattiesburg. In 2014 we also lost to WKU in the championship - I believe 18-16 in the 5th set. Unfortunately, we just aren't strong enough of a program to make it to the NCAAs without winning our conference tournament. As long as WKU is in our way, that will be difficult to do. They are a tremendous, well-coached team.

I would love our program to get to that level. One of the big differences between us and them is that they are much more loaded with top-level outside hitters. Over the last eight years or so, I feel like we have only had two girls that could be considered "elite status" outside hitters: Chelsey Harris from this year's team and Ashleigh McCord from the 2008-2010 teams. When we absolutely had to win a point, we could work the ball to those girls and be reasonably confident they could score for us. Unfortunately, Chelsey is a Senior, so we will be losing that big-time hitter. That is why I felt that this was a do or die year for us - at least as far as getting into the NCAAs is concerned.

I will say this - except for needing help at the outside hitter position, I love what we have at all the other positions. Lee Ann Cunningham did great as a Freshman Libero, Madison McDaniel is a fantastic setter, and I just love our middle blockers. Sophomore McKay Kyle was incredible throughout the tournament, and I really liked the way Freshman Grace Morgan has come on late in the year. With Portia Okafor coming back next year, we'll be in great shape in the middle. Makes me wonder if Genny will convert one of those three girls to the outside hitter position.

The key will be our incoming Freshmen. To come anywhere close to WKU, we absolutely need one of the incoming Outside Hitters to be elite level.

(11-21-2016 06:11 PM)Minnewaska Owl Wrote:  Tremendous and gutsy performance by the ladies this weekend. They gave it everything they had - we should all be proud of their effort. I attended all our matches this weekend, and also attended the 2014 tournament in Hattiesburg. In 2014 we also lost to WKU in the championship - I believe 18-16 in the 5th set. Unfortunately, we just aren't strong enough of a program to make it to the NCAAs without winning our conference tournament. As long as WKU is in our way, that will be difficult to do. They are a tremendous, well-coached team.

I would love our program to get to that level. One of the big differences between us and them is that they are much more loaded with top-level outside hitters. Over the last eight years or so, I feel like we have only had two girls that could be considered "elite status" outside hitters: Chelsey Harris from this year's team and Ashleigh McCord from the 2008-2010 teams. When we absolutely had to win a point, we could work the ball to those girls and be reasonably confident they could score for us. Unfortunately, Chelsey is a Senior, so we will be losing that big-time hitter. That is why I felt that this was a do or die year for us - at least as far as getting into the NCAAs is concerned.

I will say this - except for needing help at the outside hitter position, I love what we have at all the other positions. Lee Ann Cunningham did great as a Freshman Libero, Madison McDaniel is a fantastic setter, and I just love our middle blockers. Sophomore McKay Kyle was incredible throughout the tournament, and I really liked the way Freshman Grace Morgan has come on late in the year. With Portia Okafor coming back next year, we'll be in great shape in the middle. Makes me wonder if Genny will convert one of those three girls to the outside hitter position.

The key will be our incoming Freshmen. To come anywhere close to WKU, we absolutely need one of the incoming Outside Hitters to be elite level.

Not sure if she is an OH, but I think one of our incoming frosh is elite level.

(11-21-2016 05:41 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-21-2016 05:15 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(11-21-2016 04:58 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-21-2016 04:54 PM)Houston Owl Wrote:  DS -Defensive Specialist

Thanks!!

Is that effectively the same a "Libero" ...

Yes and no. A defensive specialist is a player who is good at digging but not necessarily at hitting or blocking -- hence an asset in the back row but not in the front row. They player will sub in for someone who is sort of the opposite: good at the front from but not as good in the back row. But these substitutions are governed by the regular substitution rules, unlike the libero. So a DS may be a lot like a libero in skill set (and, like a libero, need not be tall), but she is not like a libero procedurally.
But to be honest, the rules seem pretty tricky so I'm probably botching it.

Thanks, George. Does the Libero stay in the game throughout the rotations ... i.e. is not substituted for? Is she not part of either the front or back row? (You can tell I know little of this sport's rules. It's a little late in the season to be learning them, though. :-) )

The Libero can substitute at anytime for anyone in the back row. No check in required. A DS has to check in and has to substitute for the same position each time they enter.

Typically the Libero is your best DS.

No surprise, Rice doesn't make the field of 64. WKU will play against Boise State in the #6 Stanford (vs Denver) regional.

Very disappointing.

(11-27-2016 09:28 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  No surprise, Rice doesn't make the field of 64. WKU will play against Boise State in the #6 Stanford (vs Denver) regional.