Rebel Invitational Friday 8/30, Sat. 8/31

[StClone]

Live Stats will be available vs UCF for the first bout of the Rebel Invitational, at Oxford, Miss. Friday 8/30 3:00 PM http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=270892. But no live broadcast.

VB vs. Ole Miss on Saturday 8/31 at 12:30 PM (ouch! during UNI vs ISU Football) will be available live on the SEC Network+ AND on ESPN.com http://www.espn.com/watch?id=b856e0cf-9db8-4dbe-9eef-90afdfbc26d7

And live stats! (and update to my earlier post in another thread).
http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=270895

 

[StClone]

Hurricane Dorian! May cause big problems if not cancellations (Could affect flights, and UCF's campus is at risk).

UCF may be a tough early test for us. In 2018 they were ranked in the Top 25 (around #17) for the first time ever and went 27-4-losing to FGCU in the first round of the NCAAs. They are returning as a Top 30 team in 2019. UCF top players are mostly from the Midwest (IL, MN, NE, MO). Megan Lively from Ankeny Iowa is a Freshment 6'3" blocker for UCF. Exhibition on 8/24 with Florida resulting in a 4-1 loss.

There is more at the Iowa State Site: https://cyclones.com/news/2019/8/29/volleyball-iowa-state-opens-season-at-rebel-invitational.aspx

 

[Cyfan1965]

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Not a good first set, lost 15-25

From what I saw, Brandt was setting the 5-1 in the first. It looks like Piper is in to start set 2.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Beginning and middle of set two looked really good. They gave up the lead late, but reclaimed it to take set two 25-22.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Less than stellar serve receive resulted in hitters getting put in bad positions, and the reason for third set loss. 20-25

 

[StClone]

Inconsistent serving keeps us from being more complete team. Have to improve.

 

[StClone]

So close to pulling this out--win here would have been a good start to this season.

 

[NenoFone]

not a fan of the bigs play in the back row. Zero succesful pipe sets, 15 to 20 missed serves and digs!

 

[StClone]

Dominate play by Kristina Fisher for FCU had 24 kills. Our best was Eleanor at 12.

 

[LarryISU]

Seemed like we played freshmen a lot. Is that just to get experience or are they really our best players?

 

[cykadelic2]

Seemed like we played freshmen a lot. Is that just to get experience or are they really our best players?

Since there is an upperclass talent deficiency, CJL has to play and depend on multiple freshmen this season. Also need to remember that Anderson's season was cut short last season so she is essentially a freshmen along with Schuler and Hatch.

Anderson and Schuler are listed as OHs but they shared the DS role today. Will be interesting to see if CJL keeps both in that role. They may be the best two servers on the roster. Shannon came in to serve a couple of times but was then subbed.

The block was very inconsistent today which enabled UCF's 5-11 OH, Fisher, to end up with 24 kills at a 48% clip and that was the key to the match.

Biggest point of the 5th set was when ISU could have pulled within one on an Anderson back row kill that was overturned on a UCF challenge. Instead, UCF was then up 12-9 instead of 11-10 IIRC.

Brandt really struggled in the first set so CJL had to make the setter switch to Mauck which instantly helped.

UCF was ranked #29 in the AVCA preseason poll so they have a good team but that was a match ISU could have and perhaps should have won.

UNI gave Texas a run for their money in Austin tonight but lost in 4 sets. They could have easily taken Texas to 5 sets but some untimely service errors bit them in the rear.

 

[StClone]

Won the second game against Ole Miss 3-1 with Annie Hatch getting 14 Kills, Avery Rhodes with 10 blocks and Izzy with 19 digs. Nice recovery after close match loss to FCU yesterday.

 

[NenoFone]

Well that was a stressful few hours, FB on TV and VB on the computer. All's well that ends well.

 

[StClone]

not a fan of the bigs play in the back row. Zero succesful pipe sets, 15 to 20 missed serves and digs!

CJL is working Eleanor into back row rotation to see if she pull a "Schaben." If nothing else it could lessen Holthaus's kill production. Transition to a dominate full rotation player would be a great asset to the team--but, could be a waste of talent, time and incur unnecessary losses if not up to it.