14 - 15.

Rice loses a heartbreaker 16- 14.

At least we didn't blow a couple match points as we did in the SFA match.

Great, great match....and gutsy comeback.

Let's get our revenge in the conference tourney in 2 weeks.

And this on the anniversary of our last conference loss.

Pretty good run.

A really great atmosphere at the game. I expect the same for the A&m game.

(11-11-2019 09:01 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  A really great atmosphere at the game. I expect the same for the A&m game.

Save a seat for me for next Sunday, just in case my flight is late.

Volleyball RPI is now 15 (didn't that actually rise 2 spots from last week?). In any case, I'd expect us to drop a few spots in the top 25 but not out of the poll (Western Kentucky might move ahead of us which would be fair). There were quite a few upsets last week, so it would be crazy if we dropped a ton in the polls. In terms of hosting a regional, that's going to be tough but not impossible. We have to win out to have any chance at this point.

(11-11-2019 11:27 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Volleyball RPI is now 15 (didn't that actually rise 2 spots from last week?). In any case, I'd expect us to drop a few spots in the top 25 but not out of the poll (Western Kentucky might move ahead of us which would be fair). There were quite a few upsets last week, so it would be crazy if we dropped a ton in the polls. In terms of hosting a regional, that's going to be tough but not impossible. We have to win out to have any chance at this point.

FBO, I think we've pretty much lost any hope of hosting-- even if we win out. Consequently, I just made plans to visit my brother/mom in CA that week, and will attend the Palo Alto volleyball regional with my brother. We'll almost assuredly be a #2 seed in either Austin or Waco.

One would hope the coaches voting in the poll look beyond simply W-L record and RPI, and recognize that in each of our two losses-- both to Top 30 ranked teams-- we lost in 5th set overtimes (16 - 14 scores both times). That's as close at it can get.

I think you're wrong about that Walt. Hosting is a long shot (and certainly will require us to win out, including the conference tournament). But the teams we'd be competing with to host are 5 to 8 loss teams, with plenty of losses to teams worse than SFA or WKU. Chances are we'll lose out just because the committee won't want to reward the state of Texas for having the best college volleyball programs in the country (they'll hang on to territorial rights and give the benefit of the doubt to a California school, or Big 10 program instead).

But the likely 2 seeds in Austin or Waco are going to be Texas A&M and SFA. A&M may drop out of the top 25 after losing in 4 at LSU over the weekend. I think we'll end up being a 2 seed at somewhere like Kentucky, Purdue perhaps, or even a Pac 12 team like California, Utah or Washington. Put it this way - UT and Baylor are going to be very, very upset if they are 1 and 2 in the RPI, and end up getting one of the strongest 2 seeds of anyone in the tournament.

(11-11-2019 12:04 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I think you're wrong about that Walt. Hosting is a long shot (and certainly will require us to win out, including the conference tournament). But the teams we'd be competing with to host are 5 to 8 loss teams, with plenty of losses to teams worse than SFA or WKU. Chances are we'll lose out just because the committee won't want to reward the state of Texas for having the best college volleyball programs in the country (they'll hang on to territorial rights and give the benefit of the doubt to a California school, or Big 10 program instead).

But the likely 2 seeds in Austin or Waco are going to be Texas A&M and SFA. A&M may drop out of the top 25 after losing in 4 at LSU over the weekend. I think we'll end up being a 2 seed at somewhere like Kentucky, Purdue perhaps, or even a Pac 12 team like California, Utah or Washington. Put it this way - UT and Baylor are going to be very, very upset if they are 1 and 2 in the RPI, and end up getting one of the strongest 2 seeds of anyone in the tournament.

Can I dream of them sending Rice to Stanford and Palo Alto?

As expected, Rice drops 4 spots to 21. Western Kentucky moves ahead of Rice into 19th. SFA just 1 spot out of the top 25 (but is still a number of votes behind #25 Illinois which manages to hang onto the top 25 despite a 12-11 overall record).

https://www.avca.org/polls/di-women/11-11-2019.html

(11-11-2019 09:25 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-11-2019 09:01 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  A really great atmosphere at the game. I expect the same for the A&m game.

Save a seat for me for next Sunday, just in case my flight is late.

OK

It was a great test for Rice and now they should know what it will take to win the Conf USA tournament.

(11-11-2019 03:08 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  As expected, Rice drops 4 spots to 21. Western Kentucky moves ahead of Rice into 19th. SFA just 1 spot out of the top 25 (but is still a number of votes behind #25 Illinois which manages to hang onto the top 25 despite a 12-11 overall record).

https://www.avca.org/polls/di-women/11-11-2019.html

The CUSA tourney bracket is set, hosted by Rice at Tudor...

http://www.conferenceusa.com/news/2019/1...oQGwaBQ2us

...we play #7 UTEP on Friday at 5:00pm. Be there!

Did they change the start times of the semifinals on Saturday? I thought they were originally 2:30 and 5? Assuming we play in the semis, it's now scheduled to start at 2:30 - the exact same start time as the UNT football game. Grrrr.....

(11-16-2019 05:24 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Did they change the start times of the semifinals on Saturday? I thought they were originally 2:30 and 5? Assuming we play in the semis, it's now scheduled to start at 2:30 - the exact same start time as the UNT football game. Grrrr.....

Frustrating, but that's an easy choice on which to attend. We'd still likely make it back to HRS for most of the 2nd half.

We'll definitely move ahead of #20 Cal, who swept in back-to-back matches this weekend at home against unranked UCLA and USC.

#1 Texas and #3 Baylor going to a 5th set in Waco (similar story to our match with Texas - Baylor wins the 1st 2 at home in front of a huge crowd, but UT comes back to tie it). Also tonight, Kentucky swept Missouri. They're on a roll again so I'd say they are a likely regional host.

ETA - Baylor finishes the script with a win. Copycats. I really don't think that will change the overall top 4 seeds much. Baylor, Texas, Stanford and Pitt are the likely #1 seeds at this point (the Big 10 will have quite a few #2 seeds).

https://riceowls.com/news/2019/11/20/wom...LrGhHnXLjs

Lennon and Adekunle earn 1st-team all-conference. Cunningham, Martinez and Morgan earn 2nd-team all-conference. Bichelmeyer earns all-freshman team. I'm a little surprised Cunningham wasn't 1st team (and to be fair, Martinez is a surprise considering she and Graham share setter duties). But 6 Owls altogether make 1 team or another, which led the conference.

Wow, Rice was shut out of conference awards. Not sure how Lennon can get 7 player of the week awards and not be player of the year....

Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU

Setter of the Year
Nadia Dieudonne, WKU

Libero of the Year
Yumi Garcia, Charlotte

Defensive Player of the Year
Zuri Smith, Florida Atlantic

Freshman of the Year
Paige Briggs, WKU

Coach of the Year
Travis Hudson, WKU

(11-21-2019 03:14 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  Wow, Rice was shut out of conference awards. Not sure how Lennon can get 7 player of the week awards and not be player of the year....

Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU

Setter of the Year
Nadia Dieudonne, WKU

Libero of the Year
Yumi Garcia, Charlotte

Defensive Player of the Year
Zuri Smith, Florida Atlantic

Freshman of the Year
Paige Briggs, WKU

Coach of the Year
Travis Hudson, WKU

Not sure if I agree with Lauren Matthews getting POY over Nicole. I've got to think their beating us tipped the scales in some voters' minds. However, Nadia Dieudonne winning setter of the year seems pretty legit to me - she was incredible against us.