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+----- Thread: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) (/thread-1034352.html)
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Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - waltgreenberg - 10-17-2026 02:44 PM
Though WSU comes into this match with an overall 5-14 record (2-5 AAC, 4-4 home) almost all their conference losses-- including against us last week-- have been closely fought. They simply have not been able to close out sets. And they appear to be improving as the season progresses. Their last two matches were both lengthy 5-setters, losing at Tulsa last Sunday with the final set ending 14-16, and beating a solid UTSA team at home yesterday, a match in which UTSA lost despite having 17 blocks and holding a significant edge in hitting% and digs. The previous week they lost in 4 tight sets to Tulane and Tulsa.
We can ill-afford to take them for granted, especially at their place. Assuming we play well I'd expect closely fought sets. Hopefully, our defense-- both in the block and especially on the back line-- continues to excel. I wish Genny would return Seay to the starting rotation instead of Dorotik, even if only as an OH (and not the 6-rotation player she was before her injury). And give Croft some meaningful playing time!
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-17-2026 03:07 PM
(10-15-2026 07:37 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:(10-15-2026 05:58 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:(10-15-2026 07:55 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote: Major test to determine if this team has finally turned the corner. Tulsa comes in on a 6-match win streak, with an overall 14-3 record (6-0 AAC, 4-0 home). The boast quality wins against Creighton, Arizona and Pepperdine. In conference, they swept USF, UAB and UTSA, and took two matches against Wichita State, needing 5 sets last Sunday to beat them at home.
They appear to be a very good serving team, with 5 different players having 15+ aces on the season.
Aside from the Creighton match, we've been blown out by every quality team we have played so far this season. Our backline defense finally appears to be playing into form, with Hummel having back-to-back strong matches at libero, and Eastman getting increasingly more playing time. The big question is whether our offense can ever get in sync with any degree of consistency.
Spot on, Walt.
This one is big… and imo during the OOC we played 1A to Tulsa’s 1B (or vice versa) but since conference play began, Tulsa’s only solidified while we’ve… not quite solidified yet.
I’ll quibble and say that we were competitive (I.e. not blown out) at a highly ranked TCU team (that was tired from playing their second match that day) but the Frogs finished their business for the 1-3 tally. We had tangible leads in at least two of the three sets we lost, so I put that one in the category of “one that got away” but again TCU was definitely not on their A game that night.
Back to Tulsa… the W is important, but (to me) what’s more important is showing that we can (again) compete with a top line opponent. To make the NCAA’s we’ll need to be able to beat Tulsa on our home court (we host the conference tourney), and tomorrow’s result won’t mean too much in the big picture. Other than moving up to the 2 or 3 seed would be very helpful, in order to avoid TU until the final.
Tomorrow let’s go out and take it one point at a time, and show them we deserve to be on the same court with them.
We play Tulsa again at home next week. As I mentioned in a different thread, the next two weeks will determine if we still have a season to play for. Tulsa, WSU and UNT on the road, followed by Tulsa, UNT and USF at home. No more excuses. It's now or never. Realistically, we need to win at least 4 of the 6, and do no worse than split with Tulsa.
The quotes are from the Tulsa preview earlier this week, but I bring the convo forward to here because last night changed my mind about what and how much we still have to play for.
You and I had swapped our usual roles and you sounded more optimistic about what the team was capable of doing than what I felt.
We won decisively enough on Tulsa’s home court, that I now believe that we can and will win what would now be at least 3 of the last 5 (4 of 6 from Thursday’s perspective). And if we win 4 of our last 5, then a regular season title is even in reach. We’re now just 1 game out of first place!
Most importantly, I KNOW we can win the conference tournament on our home court. Before last night, I really only hoped we could.
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - waltgreenberg - 10-17-2026 03:23 PM
Defense appears to finally be settling in and playing up to its potential. Offense is still way too passive and inefficient. Far too many meaningless taps (with no intent to score on them) and unforced errors. And both Dorotik and Peterson (when she's on the frontline) continue to hit into blocks at an alarmingly frequent rate. I know Dorotik is a Senior, but there is no way she should be in the starting rotation and playing front line more than anyone other than Peterson. Use her as a change of pace (left-handed swing) off the bench when we need a spark. Seay and Croft should be getting much more playing time, and they're both our future. And WTH is the deal with Aaliyah Smith???? Has Genny decided to hold her back as a red shirt? Simmons has been inconsistent, but she's had several really strong outings, again as a spark plug and change of pace off the bench. Why Genny had her and Dorotik on the court together for much of the 4th set last night (with Seay benched after playing well early in the match) is beyond a headscratcher as neither was effective offensively and neither can play defense. At least Genny and Skopal have made our Middies a major part of the offense of late.
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - waltgreenberg - 10-18-2026 07:42 AM
bump
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 08:47 AM
Standings thru 10/16:
6-1 Tulane Tulsa ECU
5-2 FAU Rice
4-3 USF
3-4 Temple
3-5 UTSA
————
2-5 UNT Memphis Wichita
1-5 clt UAB
Top 8 make the conference tourney
Despite WSU’s low ranking in conference play… they are the preseason #4 pick in the American and lately have been playing up to their billing. Do not take them lightly, Owls! They will be desperate to catch UTSA for that crucial 8 spot, as well…
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - NoVaOwl - 10-18-2026 01:36 PM
Picking this match up in the fourth set after being out this morning. Rice up 2-1 and leading 10-4 in the fourth set. Looks like Schneider getting some run at middle for the first time in a few weeks.
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - NoVaOwl - 10-18-2026 01:39 PM
Rice TO as WSU is on a 5-0 run to make it 14-9. Can’t let up now.
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 01:40 PM
Owls dominated sets one and three, WSU controlled the second.
Rice had a 14-5 lead here in the fourth… 4 straight for WSU showing signs of life forth m from the other side, and a Rice timeout
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 01:44 PM
Around the league, two of the three first place teams are trailing
USF 2-1 Tulane
UNT 1-0 Tulsa
ECU 2-1 Memphis as the Pirates are the only 6-1 team to lead right now
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 01:45 PM
20-12 here, the Owls are back…
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - NoVaOwl - 10-18-2026 01:48 PM
23-16, righted the boat after the time out
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 01:48 PM
23-17
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - NoVaOwl - 10-18-2026 01:49 PM
Ace from Skopal ends it. 25-17
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 01:49 PM
Service ace on match point finishes it with authority!
Great win Owls!!
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - Tomball Owl - 10-18-2026 01:51 PM
Good job Owls. Now get the road sweep vs UNT next Friday.
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 01:52 PM
UAB sweeps Temple, and FAU sweeps Charlotte
FAU moves to 6-2 and keeps pace with Rice
Here the final score was -18, 17-, -11, -17
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 02:13 PM
ECU(7-1) will keep at least a share of first place, they finish off Memphis 3-1.
Tulane battles back 28-26 and they’re headed to a fifth set in Tampa.
The big surprise is UNT now up 2-0 vs Tulsa. Tulsa looked invincible earlier but this weekend they just look… meh
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 02:33 PM
(10-18-2026 02:13 PM)owl at the moon Wrote: ECU(7-1) will keep at least a share of first place, they finish off Memphis 3-1.
Tulane battles back 28-26 and they’re headed to a fifth set in Tampa.
The big surprise is UNT now up 2-0 vs Tulsa. Tulsa looked invincible earlier but this weekend they just look… meh
Tulane(7-1) finishes strong taking out USF 15-8 for the comeback win.
Tulsa’s not done and is up big late in set 3
RE: Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - waltgreenberg - 10-18-2026 03:23 PM
(10-18-2026 02:33 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:(10-18-2026 02:13 PM)owl at the moon Wrote: ECU(7-1) will keep at least a share of first place, they finish off Memphis 3-1.
Tulane battles back 28-26 and they’re headed to a fifth set in Tampa.
The big surprise is UNT now up 2-0 vs Tulsa. Tulsa looked invincible earlier but this weekend they just look… meh
Tulane(7-1) finishes strong taking out USF 15-8 for the comeback win.
Tulsa’s not done and is up big late in set 3
Remember, ECU gets the easy schedule playing in the East (ditto FAU and USF). Charlotte, Temple and Memphis are all awful, and UAB is not much better. All teams in the West are better than those 4. And ECU. FAU and USF gets to play each of them twice.
Rice Volleyball @ Wichita State (Sunday at 12:00 noon) - owl at the moon - 10-18-2026 03:26 PM
(10-18-2026 02:33 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:(10-18-2026 02:13 PM)owl at the moon Wrote: ECU(7-1) will keep at least a share of first place, they finish off Memphis 3-1.
Tulane battles back 28-26 and they’re headed to a fifth set in Tampa.
The big surprise is UNT now up 2-0 vs Tulsa. Tulsa looked invincible earlier but this weekend they just look… meh
Tulane(7-1) finishes strong taking out USF 15-8 for the comeback win.
Tulsa’s not done and is up big late in set 3
UNT completes the 3-1 upset of Tulsa, and the Owls are now only chasing two teams in the conference race!
Standings thru 10/18:
7-1 Tulane ECU
6-2 FAU Rice Tulsa
4-4 USF
== 3-5 UTSA Temple UNT ==
2-6 Memphis Wichita UAB
1-7 clt
Top 8 make the conference tourney