Owls win the 1st set 25-18. Both teams are 2-3 but have played tough schedules.

It looks like Taylor Bannister must be hurt for LSU? She's one of their stars and the daughter of former Owl basketball great Pennie Goff.

Owls win set 2 25-23. Nicole Lennon having a big match.

A sweep would be nice.

19-12.

20-17.

Sweep. 25-19

Nice match by Lennon (18 kills, just 2 errors). I guess sitting her out against HBU was a good move after all. LSU has some talent but they must have some injuries and just aren't jelling as a team. They have played a tough schedule but not as tough as Rice's schedule.

Maruska played well too. Really all the starters had nice matches. We didn't use much of the bench.

Sam Houston will provide a bit of a challenge but the real competition is later next week (Baylor and then Texas in a week and a half).

(09-10-2021 07:39 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Nice match by Lennon (18 kills, just 2 errors). I guess sitting her out against HBU was a good move after all. LSU has some talent but they must have some injuries and just aren't jelling as a team. They have played a tough schedule but not as tough as Rice's schedule.

Maruska played well too. Really all the starters had nice matches. We didn't use much of the bench.

Sam Houston will provide a bit of a challenge but the real competition is later next week (Baylor and then Texas in a week and a half).

Not sure I agree with your assessment. We won easily, but aside from Nicole, I didn't think we played a particularly strong match. Certainly not anywhere near our best. Our backline defense is simply not Top25 caliber. Sorry, but it's true. We only had a couple quality digs all match. And I thought the offense missed way too many opportunities, choosing to simply dunk the ball over the net when we actually had quality kill opportunities. Ellie and Anota did this repeatedly.

On the positive side, I thought our service game is vastly superior to what it was last year. No one is a stud server, putting low heat on the opposing defense, but 75% of our servers keep the ball relatively low over the net. Grippo, LaBue, Shore, Graham and McCardell were all solid (though all four of our aces were really the result of LSU miscues). I'm surprised Nicole has still not developed a strong jump serve. Instead, her serves are okay, but lack any real power.

Ellie had her third consecutive quality match, and as FBO mentioned, Maruska had a nice match after struggling early (a couple totally unforced attack errors).

A good win against a solid opponent (albeit one that was largely a one-"man" team), but we're going to have to play much better if we're going to be competitive against Baylor and UT. Still, three straight wins to even our record, and we've got some momentum going. We need to build on it against SHS on Sunday.

(09-10-2021 08:10 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 07:39 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Nice match by Lennon (18 kills, just 2 errors). I guess sitting her out against HBU was a good move after all. LSU has some talent but they must have some injuries and just aren't jelling as a team. They have played a tough schedule but not as tough as Rice's schedule.

Maruska played well too. Really all the starters had nice matches. We didn't use much of the bench.

Sam Houston will provide a bit of a challenge but the real competition is later next week (Baylor and then Texas in a week and a half).

Not sure I agree with your assessment. We won easily, but aside from Nicole, I didn't think we played a particularly strong match. Certainly not anywhere near our best. Our backline defense is simply not Top25 caliber. Sorry, but it's true. We only had a couple quality digs all match. And I thought the offense missed way too many opportunities, choosing to simply dunk the ball over the net when we actually had quality kill opportunities. Ellie and Anota did this repeatedly.

On the positive side, I thought our service game is vastly superior to what it was last year. No one is a stud server, putting low heat on the opposing defense, but 75% of our servers keep the ball relatively low over the net. Grippo, LaBue, Shore, Graham and McCardell were all solid (though all four of our aces were really the result of LSU miscues). I'm surprised Nicole has still not developed a strong jump serve. Instead, her serves are okay, but lack any real power.

Ellie had her third consecutive quality match, and as FBO mentioned, Maruska had a nice match after struggling early (a couple totally unforced attack errors).

A good win against a solid opponent (albeit one that was largely a one-"man" team), but we're going to have to play much better if we're going to be competitive against Baylor and UT. Still, three straight wins to even our record, and we've got some momentum going. We need to build on it against SHS on Sunday.

Is LSU considered a top 50 team? I know they are not in consideration for top 25, but I figure being in the SEC they are at least top 50?

LSU was picked 3rd in the preseason in the SEC polls (behind defending national champion Kentucky and Florida). They were ahead of Tennessee and South Carolina, who are both in the top 25 now (and of course South Carolina beat Rice). Losing Bannister hurts - she's 6-5 and an All-American hitter. But they lost a close 4-game match to Michigan (who was receiving votes in the top 25 earlier this year), and also to Iowa State (who I think has been in the NCAA's in recent years). And they beat Oregon State in 5.

The only other team to sweep them this year is Penn State.

It's a decent win. Enjoy the sweep and stop being so critical. Plus the all-time series record against LSU was LSU 20, Rice 3 before tonight.

(09-10-2021 08:45 PM)owl95 Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 08:10 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 07:39 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Nice match by Lennon (18 kills, just 2 errors). I guess sitting her out against HBU was a good move after all. LSU has some talent but they must have some injuries and just aren't jelling as a team. They have played a tough schedule but not as tough as Rice's schedule.

Maruska played well too. Really all the starters had nice matches. We didn't use much of the bench.

Sam Houston will provide a bit of a challenge but the real competition is later next week (Baylor and then Texas in a week and a half).

Not sure I agree with your assessment. We won easily, but aside from Nicole, I didn't think we played a particularly strong match. Certainly not anywhere near our best. Our backline defense is simply not Top25 caliber. Sorry, but it's true. We only had a couple quality digs all match. And I thought the offense missed way too many opportunities, choosing to simply dunk the ball over the net when we actually had quality kill opportunities. Ellie and Anota did this repeatedly.

On the positive side, I thought our service game is vastly superior to what it was last year. No one is a stud server, putting low heat on the opposing defense, but 75% of our servers keep the ball relatively low over the net. Grippo, LaBue, Shore, Graham and McCardell were all solid (though all four of our aces were really the result of LSU miscues). I'm surprised Nicole has still not developed a strong jump serve. Instead, her serves are okay, but lack any real power.

Ellie had her third consecutive quality match, and as FBO mentioned, Maruska had a nice match after struggling early (a couple totally unforced attack errors).

A good win against a solid opponent (albeit one that was largely a one-"man" team), but we're going to have to play much better if we're going to be competitive against Baylor and UT. Still, three straight wins to even our record, and we've got some momentum going. We need to build on it against SHS on Sunday.

Is LSU considered a top 50 team? I know they are not in consideration for top 25, but I figure being in the SEC they are at least top 50?

LSU was ranked #30 (based on votes received) preseason. Yes, I think they're a Top 50 team; borderline Tp 25 with Bannister in. Their #40 (Kuyava-Deberg) is one powerful player-- both in her attacks and her serves, but fortunately, she made a bunch of mistakes....and they lost the 3rd best player (#33 Brister) to a leg or knee injury toward the end of the second set. Did anyone see what happened? I know she was trying to save an errand dig, but I turned away after we got the point, only to see who writhing in pain on the sideline.

Ole Miss is up 2 sets to 0 vs. #15 WKU in Bowling Green. WKU has not lost a match outside of the NCAA tourney in over 2 years.

Update: WKU takes the 3rd set 25-22, but Ole Miss closes out the match with a 25-17 fourth set win.

Upset of the day so far.

Not quite at that level but congrats too to HBU for knocking off TCU on the road tonight in 5 games (they also beat Louisiana Tech earlier in the day in 5).

(09-10-2021 11:12 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Not quite at that level but congrats too to HBU for knocking off TCU on the road tonight in 5 games (they also beat Louisiana Tech earlier in the day in 5).

LaTech is pathetic in volleyball. We could play our bench the entire match and still sweep them.

(09-10-2021 08:53 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  LSU was picked 3rd in the preseason in the SEC polls (behind defending national champion Kentucky and Florida). They were ahead of Tennessee and South Carolina, who are both in the top 25 now (and of course South Carolina beat Rice). Losing Bannister hurts - she's 6-5 and an All-American hitter. But they lost a close 4-game match to Michigan (who was receiving votes in the top 25 earlier this year), and also to Iowa State (who I think has been in the NCAA's in recent years). And they beat Oregon State in 5.

The only other team to sweep them this year is Penn State.

It's a decent win. Enjoy the sweep and stop being so critical. Plus the all-time series record against LSU was LSU 20, Rice 3 before tonight.

Amen