|
Post by skrapheap on Aug 31, 2015 21:49:06 GMT -6
Always a solid student crowd on move-in weekend, whether it's volleyball or soccer. They can't wait to be college students. We've done a piss-poor job of grabbing hold of that excitement and carrying it over to basketball season. Normally this would be held by football....I realize this is a volleyball thread. I love volleyball, and I'll be tailgating on Thursday at the Milwaukee Cup match. But do we really believe that those sports alone can keep the fever up... The crowd was nice, but i doubt many of them actually cared what was going on on the court. Few of them really knewwhat was going on. In addition to spending some money on pizza, perhaps the Athletic Department could spend some money educating fans about volleyball and soccer, so that the viewers know enough about what is going on to appreciate how well the matches are played. That might draw a few new people to watch. It was a pity that the featured volleyball match was one in which a good Panther squad ran up against a really good Missouri State squad and got beaten solidly*. If there had been as many students in the seats watching either of the other two matches the Panthers played, perhaps more students would gave stayed for the entire match, and a few fans would gave been made. The matches against Western Michigan, and especially the five set victory over Furman, were both much more exciting volleyball. But i know the Department plans these things well in advance, and there's no way to predict which match will be the most exciting. The schedule won't help: the Panthers won't play at home again until the first week in October. (That's partly the dilemma of being a mid-major program, but the Horizon League didn't do the Panthers any favors with the scheduled start to the league season.) I don't think the Department has the inclination or the resources to keep agressively reminding students about matches which the fans can only watch via livestats, although they may start pushing the first home match in the days leading up to it. *I know the AD puts the best possible spin on their writeups, but Missouri State did not "sneak by" the Panthers. The Bears were in charge of the match from beginning to end, with occasional Panther runs mixed in.
|
|
|
Post by PantherU on Sept 2, 2015 17:19:19 GMT -6
The crowd was nice, but i doubt many of them actually cared what was going on on the court. Few of them really knewwhat was going on. In addition to spending some money on pizza, perhaps the Athletic Department could spend some money educating fans about volleyball and soccer, so that the viewers know enough about what is going on to appreciate how well the matches are played. That might draw a few new people to watch. It was a pity that the featured volleyball match was one in which a good Panther squad ran up against a really good Missouri State squad and got beaten solidly*. If there had been as many students in the seats watching either of the other two matches the Panthers played, perhaps more students would gave stayed for the entire match, and a few fans would gave been made. The matches against Western Michigan, and especially the five set victory over Furman, were both much more exciting volleyball. But i know the Department plans these things well in advance, and there's no way to predict which match will be the most exciting. The schedule won't help: the Panthers won't play at home again until the first week in October. (That's partly the dilemma of being a mid-major program, but the Horizon League didn't do the Panthers any favors with the scheduled start to the league season.) I don't think the Department has the inclination or the respurces to keep agressively reminding students about matches which the fans can only watch via livestats, although they may start pushing the first home match in the days leading up to it. *I know the AD puts the best possible spin on their writeups, but Missouri State did not "sneak by" the Panthers. The Bears were in charge of the match from beginning to end, with occasional Panther runs mixed in. You have all the evidence you need of "educating the fans" from your years-long attempt to engage this board in talk about volleyball. Students aren't interested. They're interested in football, and the pomp-and-circumstance that comes with football. So you either have to manufacture pomp-and-circumstance that kids will see through, or play football. Start by supporting the club football team. See how it works. If it does, let's go get a Pioneer League team.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Sept 3, 2015 10:32:33 GMT -6
You have all the evidence you need of "educating the fans" from your years-long attempt to engage this board in talk about volleyball. Students aren't interested. They're interested in football, and the pomp-and-circumstance that comes with football. So you either have to manufacture pomp-and-circumstance that kids will see through, or play football. Start by supporting the club football team. See how it works. If it does, let's go get a Pioneer League team. - i am not the Athletic Department, so my efforts to promote volleyball on this discussion board cannot be compared with whatever marketing plan the Department has put together.
- i don't see significant levels of activity on this board from students. This board is almost exclusively alumni or other local fans, so the success or failure of any efforts i have made in this forum cannot be an accurate predictor of success or failure of any expanded efforts that the Department may choose to make.
- Interest in football does not relate directly to interest in other sports, so any improvements in student interest can have only an indirect effect on interest in volleyball or any of the other sports UWM chooses to offer. i think the Department could do a better job of promoting sports like volleyball and both soccer programs. i recognize that the Department's marketing priorities are not the same as mine. They have the budget, and the responsibility to spend the money as they see fit to do so.
- Even Pioneer League football is a pipedream in the current political and financial climate the Department finds itself in. Tell me you've sold Amanda Braun on a football program, and your dream becomes less improbable.
- Thanks for moving the discussion to a different thread. The rest of the board can now continue to ignore my efforts in peace.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Sept 5, 2015 10:55:39 GMT -6
The Panthers were 2-3 heading in to match two of the tournament at North Dakota State, having list 3-1 to Northern Illinois last Monday and been swept in the tournament opener.
The opponent in the second tournament match was Towson State University
Set one went according to a familiar pattern: the Panthers getting off to a good start, but being unable to withstand a late run to win rhe set. The Panthers best lead was 9-4, but Towson surged past them to take set one 25-19.
Set two reversed the pattern. Towson got out to a 12-4 lead, but the Panthers regrouped, scoring 11 of the next 14 points to tie the score at 15. From there, they contiinued to play well, scoring a 25-22 victory. Outscoring Towson 21-10 after falling eight points behind is impressive.
Set three was not impressive. The Panthers fell behind 13-5 and did not recover. Errors they did not make in the comeback in the previous set (in service, serve reception, and hitting) plagued them, and Towson won going away, 25-15.
The fourth set ressembled the first. The play was even to a Towson timeout, leading 15-14. After the Panthers tied the score at 16, a five point run put Towson in control, and they maintained the lead to the end of the set to win the match 3-1.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Sept 24, 2015 20:02:22 GMT -6
The League season kicked off tonight with the Panther facing Oakland on the road. Facing the defending champions on their home court is a challenge to begin the league season. Oakland, last season, won their matches by playing very steady volleyball. They never seemed to be rattled if they lost sets early, rebounding and taking control of their matches. The challenge for the Panthers would be to play steadily themselves.
The starting lineup had some changes from earlier this season: Kayla Price, sophomore Jess Kalous, Maggie Dunbar, Kaisa Mattson, Maddie Schmitz and freshman Maddie Williams, with Myanna Ruiz at libero.
Set one saw the Panthers get out to an early led at 3-1. The play continued back and forth, with the Panthers gradually increasing the lead to 13-9 at the first timeout, taken by Oakland. The Panthers were hitting at .308 to that point. Initially out of the timeout, the Panthers maintained their lead, but when Oakland scored consecutive points to narrow the lead to 15-13, Coach Johnson called a timeout. Mattson and Williams were leading the Panthers with three kills each. The Panthers serve game contributed to several early points, as serve placement made it difficult for Oakland to set up and run their offense. Back and forth play continued, but when the Panthers pushed the lead back to three on a call disputed by Oakland, the Grizzlies took their second timeout. The lead reached four again at 23-19, when a service error gave Oakland a point, and the Panthers took their second timeout. The Panthers then finished the set and won, 25-21. The Panthers maintained their hitting average, leading Oakland .303 to .140.
In set two, the Panthers got out to a 3-1 lead, but Oakland quickly rallied and took a 7-4 lead, prompting a Milwaukee timeout. The Panthers scored five of the next six points to take a one point lead, The Grizzlies reopened the lead and expanded it to four, and the Panthers took their second timeout. The Panthers then went on a run to take a 19-17 lead, forcing a Grizzlies timeout. Mattson continued to lead the way, reaching 11 kills at the timeout and hitting .857 for the match. The Panthers pushed the lead to 22-18, forcing the second Oakland timeout. The Panthers scored a point to push the lead to 23-18. Oakland scored three straight points, but the Panther closed out the set with points from Price and Kalous, who came on in the second set; the winner was her sixth of the match. The Panther back row play was very strong, outdigging Oakland by 24 through two sets.
Predictably, Oakland came out of the break with determination, getting out to a 5-2 lead when Coach Johnson called a timeout. The Panthers the lead to 5-4 out of the timeout, and back and forth play continued to the second Panther timeout with Oakland leading 12-8. That timeout backfired somewhat, since the Panthers could not stop play when Oakland went on a roll and pushed the lead to 18-12. The Panthers did rally to narrow the lead to 19-15, forcing the first Oakland timeout. In the end, though, the Panthers were unable to overcome the lead, and Oakland avoided the sweep with a 25-20 victory in the set. With the set, the Grizzlies raised their hitting percentage for the match to .200, and the Panthers cooled down to .249 through three sets.
Oakland jumped out to a 4-0 lead in set four, and the Panthers took their first timeout. Out of the timeout, the Panthers strung together four points to tie the score. Oakland reopened a lead, and the Panthers took their second timeout trailing 10-6. A Panther rally closed the lead to 15-12, and Oakland took their first timeout. The Panther run continued, with the Grizzlies calling their second timeout with a 17-16 lead. The Panthers pulled into a 22-all tie, and then gave up three straight points to allow Oakland to tie the match at two-sets apiece. Through the fourth set, the Panthers were lead by Mattson and Dunbar with 17 kills each.
The fifth set featured runs from both teams early, with the teams trading leads to a 7-6 Oakland lead when the Panthers took their first timeout. An exchange of points had Oakland up 8-7 at the switch of sides. Two more points by the Grizzlies forced the second Panther timeout. Out of timeouts, the Panthers demonstrated an ability to play better when it counted. Two points by the Panthers forced an Oakland timeout. After Oakland pushed the lead back to 13-11, the Panthers rallied to tie the score again at 13, and the Grizzlies would take their second timeout. The Panthers then closed the deal, scoring two points behind the service of Maggie Dunbar, with Mattson giving the Panthers a match point with a kill, followed by freshman Celine Jones getting the match winner.
The Panthers hit .529 for the set to finish the match at .259; Oakland finished at .214. Mattson (.543 hitting percentage for the match) had a match high 21 kills to lead the Panthers, followed by Dunbar with 19, and then Kalous and Williams at nine and eight, respectively. Defensively, the match was largely won in the back row, as the Panthers finished the match +32 in digs, 99-67.
The road test continues for the Panthers Friday night in Youngstown, facing the Penguins, who lost 3-1 to Green Bay to open the league season tonight. Friday night will be the inaugural league match for Northern Kentucky, who open the season at home against perennial league power Valparaiso. The Panthers finish the road swing Saturday in Cleveland. Cleveland State opens the season Friday nigh at home against the Phoenix. The Panthers are off to a good start, winning what i expected to be the most difficult match of the three.
Next weekend's home matches will mark the Panthers return after a month on the road, to end the non-league season and begin Horizon League play.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Sept 25, 2015 19:07:49 GMT -6
The Panthers's match Friday night was in Youngstown, taking on the Penguins. Last year the teams split their season series, with each team winning at home. The teams did not meet in the league tournament.
The Panthers started the same lineup as they did against Oakland, but it did not appear that they were ready to play. The Penguins swept the match. Milwaukee struggled all night to string points together. The Penguin block neutralized the Panther attack, and their back row managed to get to most any ball that escaped the front row. The Panthers had 26 hitting errors to 15 for the Penguins, and YSU won the serving battle with six aces and seven errors to three aces and five errors for the Panthers.
The Panthers hit .194 for the match, and were lead by Kaisa Mattson with 11 kills, followed by Maddie Williams with nine. No one else managed more than four kills. Only in the second set did the Panthers appear to be in the match, extending play and fighting off several set points before losing 32-30. The Penguins hit .230 for the match, outblocking the Panthers 12-6.
Elsewhere in the league, Cleveland State swept Green Bay in Cleveland. UIC swept Wright State in Dayton. Northern Kentucky made Valparaiso work for a 3-1 win.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Sept 26, 2015 15:23:12 GMT -6
The last match of a grueling three league matches in three days road trip featured the Panthers at Cleveland State.
It appears that the Panthers were just completely out of gas at the end of the trip, as Cleveland State swept the match easily, 25-15, 25-17 and 25-17. The Panthers did not manage to score more than two points consecutively until the third set, in which they briefly held a 5-3 lead off a four point run. Later in set three the Panthers did have another run to cut the lead to 20-15, but the Vikings reasserted control, and finished the sweep.
Elsewhere in the league, UIC and Valparaiso also finished the weekend 2-0, with road victories over Northern Kentucky and Wright State, respectively. Youngstown State and Oakland finished with 1-1 records. Green Bay joined Milwaukee at 1-2, and Northern Kentucky and Wright State finished the weekend winless.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 3, 2015 19:13:19 GMT -6
The Panthers' return home after a month on the road was positive, as match wins over Wright State and Northern Kentucky raised their league record to 3-2.
The five league matches the Panthers have played are tied with Green Bay for the most played so far. League-leading Cleveland State has played only three matches, but has won all three. Oakland and Valparaiso are tied for second with 3-1 records, followed by the Panthers, UIC (2-2), Green Bay (2-3), Youngstown State (1-2), Northern Kentucky (1-3), and Wright State (0-4). The match Friday night against the Raiders was something of a struggle, as the Panthers needed five sets to defeat Wright State, 18-25, 25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 15-11. In both sets that Wright State won, they got out to significant leads early in the set. Milwaukee battled to tie the score at 11 in the first set and took a 14-11 lead, but Wright State reasserted themselves and pulled away to win by seven points. In set four, the Raiders established an early lead and maintained it to the end of the set. Each time the Panthers narrowed the lead, the Raiders had an answer, and won by four to force the fifth set.
In set two, the Panthers finally turned the tables, getting out to an early lead and maintaining it, finally pulling away to win comfortably. Set three followed the same pattern, except that the Raiders kept the score closer, with a late surge fighting off three set points before the Panthers closed out the set to win by the minimum. The Raiders then won set four.
The Panthers took charge in set five, maintaining a lead after an early surge by Wright State. The Raiders weren't able to get any closer than two points after the Panthers initial surge to take the lead.
The Saturday match against Northern Kentucky was much better, with the Panthers sweeping the Norse, 25-17, 25-20, 25-15. The Panthers responded to an early NKU surge in the first set, working back from a 6-2 deficit to tie the score at 13. The Panthers took the lead for good with a three point run to a 16-14 lead, and finished the set by outscoring the Norse 9-3 to win by eight.
Set two was similar to set one, but both NKU's early lead and the Panthers response involved less scoring. Milwaukee tied the score at eight all, and NKU kept the score closer the rest of the way, scoring three straight points to close to 24-20 before the Panthers finished the set.
The Panthers led start to finish in the final set, opening a 22-14 lead, and scoring the last three points to win the set by ten and sweep the match.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 7, 2015 13:47:22 GMT -6
The first NCAA RPI numbers are out... RPI | Prev RPI | School | Overall | League | 86 | - | Cleveland State | 14-3 | 3-0 (1st) | 123 | - | Oakland | 9-9 | 3-1 (T2nd) | 132 | - | Valparaiso | 15-3 | 3-1 (T2nd) | 157 | - | Green Bay | 11-7 | 2-3 (5th) | 174 | - | Milwaukee | 5-12 | 3-2 (3rd) | 206 | - | Wright State | 12-8 | 1-4 (T7th) | 221 | - | Youngstown State | 7-11 | 1-2 (6th) | 223 | - | UIC | 8-9 | 2-2 (4th) | 261 | - | Northern Kentucky | 6-11 | 1-4 (T7th) |
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 9, 2015 17:11:42 GMT -6
This weekend features a full schedule of league matches. Eight of the nine teams will be playing on both days: Wright State has Friday night off, and Northern Kentucky will take Saturday off.
The marquee matches are Cleveland State (3-0, in first place) at Oakland (3-1, tied for second) and Milwaukee (3-2, in third place) at Valparaiso (3-1, tied for second). Both matches should be very competitive, and anything can happen.
One would expect Oakland to have a home court advantage, but their only loss in league play was at home, to Milwaukee. Cleveland State has a very impressive record (14-3 overall, with the best RPI in the league), but Oakland is still the defending champs. The Golden Grizzlies play tough, steady, volleyball, and it will take a good effort from the Vikings to win. Cleveland State has been a slow starter for the past several seasons, but this year they are off to a fast start, and clearly playing good volleyball.
Milwaukee and Valpo have been pretty evenly matched ever since Valpo joined the Horizon League. Last year, the Panthers swept the season series (winning at home 3-2, and at Valpo 3-1) before sweeping the Crusaders in the semifinal round of the league tournament. Valpo's only loss in league play this year was in their last match, at home, to Oakland.
The other two matches have Youngstown State visiting Northern Kentukcy, and Green Bay at UIC.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 9, 2015 19:24:19 GMT -6
Valpo jumped out to an early lead in set one, with the Panthers taking a timeout trailing 8-3. The Panthers hit -.077 to begin the night. The Panthers were unable to string together points early. The Valpo lead grew to 13-5 and the Panthers took their second timeout. The lead reached ten at 20-10. The Panthers scored two points and then gave one away with a service error, and the Crusaders closed out the first set, 25-12, outhitting the Panthers .333 to .024, helped by six blocks.
Set two started out in a similar fashion, but the Panthers did play better, tying the score at five all, but three straight Crusader points, the last a service ace, prompted a Panther timeout. Valpo pushed the lead to seven and the Panthers were forced to take their second timeout. The Panthers improved slightly in hitting, to .059, but Valparaiso improved to .367. Out of the timeout, the Panthers narrowed the lead to 15-10 by scoring four of the next six points, but the Crusaders pushed the lead to ten at 20-10. Panther errors continued to hamstring their efforts, preventing them from scoring consecutive points. The Crusaders scored the last three points and won the set going away, 25-12 again. Maggie Dunbar had six kills to lead the Panthers, followed by Kaisa Mattson with five and Maddie Williams with four. Valpo finished the set hitting .377 for the match, to .061 to the Panthers.
The third set started much as as the first two did, but Taylor Gruber came in to set for Milwaukee. The Panthers took a timeout trailing 8-4. The Crusader lead grew to six at 17-11, when the Panthers scored three straight points to make the score 17-14 and force the first Valpo timeout of the match. The Crusaders answered and pushed lead back to 20-14, forcing the Panthers second timeout. The Panthers closed to three again, but were not able to get any closer, losing set three 25-19.
Once again, the Panthers were their own worst enemies, with 21 hitting errors to 9 for Valpo, leading to Valpo outhitting Milwaukee .393 to .096. Valpo won the serve game (four aces, two errors, to no aces and four errors for the Panthers), and had 10 blocks to four for the Panthers. The Panthers fell to 3-3 in the league, and Valpo improved to 4-1, putting them alone in second place.
Elsewhere, Cleveland beat Oakland in five sets to remain alone in first place at 4-0. Oakland fell to 3-2, just ahead of the Panthers. Green Bay improved to 3-3 to tie the Panthers with a sweep of UIC in Chicago. Northern Kentucky improved to 2-4 with a sweep at home of Youngstown State (now 1-3).
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 10, 2015 17:16:28 GMT -6
The Panthers looked to rebound from their three-set loss to Valparaiso against UIC in Chicago on Saturday.
Play opened evenly, until UIC took an 11-8 lead. UIC was lead by the pre-season player of the year, Stephanee Yancy, with four kills. The Panthers took their first time out trailing 14-10, and the second timeout down 17-11. Unforced errors were again the problem, preventing the Panthers from scoring consecutive points. Service errors were a particular problem. The lead reached 23-16 before the Panthers managed to score three consecutive points, narrowing the lead to 23-19, and forcing the first UIC timeout. Out the timeout, another service error gave the Flames five set points at 24-19. The Panthers were unable to get any more than one point, and lost the set 25-20.
In set two, the Panthers continued their inconsistent play. again giving up points on unforced errors. The first Panther timeout came trailing 8-4. Again, the Panthers' inability to string points together allowed the Flames to maintain the lead, until the Panthers narrowed the lead to 15-12 and the Flames took a timeout. The Panthers scored a point to make it 15-13, but UIC scored two points to retake a four point lead, and the Panthers took their second timeout. The Panthers continued to be unable to reduce the lead, trading points until the Flames scored the last three points to head into the break up two sets to one, 25-18.
The Panthers got out to a 3-1 lead in set three, but the Flames quickly tied the score. Back and forth play continued, with the Flames taking their first lead at 7-6. The Panthers quickly tied the score, and then scored three more points to take a 10-7 lead and force the first timeout of the set from UIC. Out the timeout, the Flames tied the score at 10. After a tie score at 11, the Panthers reopened a three point lead at 14-11, only to see the Flames pull back into a 15-14 lead to force a Panther timeout. Timeout allowed the Panthers to regroup and score four consecutive points and retake the lead, 18-15, prompting UIC to take their second timeout. The Flames scored the next three points out of the timeout to tie the score again, and the Panthers took their second timeout. The Panthers retook a two point lead, which they maintained to 23-21, and then reached set point for the first time in the match, and finished the set 25-21 on a block. The Panthers raised their hitting percentage to .124 through the third set.
After giving up the first point on service error, the Flames scored the next four points to take an early lead in set four, two by Yancy, whose 16 kills lead all scorers, and the Panthers took their first timeout. The Panthers narrowed the lead to 7-5, but the Flames reopened a 10-5 lead and the Panthers took their second timeout. The teams alternated points and the lead remained at five, to a Flame run to a 16-8, when a three point Panther run narrowed the lead to five, prompting a Flame timeout. Out of the timeout, the Panthers scored four more points to narrow the lead to one. The Flames reopened a three point lead, only to see the Panthers fight back to tie the score at 20 and then pull into a 21-20 lead forcing the second UIC timeout. After the Flames tied the score at 22, the Panthers scored the last three points to even the match at two sets each, 25-22.
UIC scored the first two points of set five, and four of the first six points.and the Panthers took a timeout trailing 6-3. At the switch of sides, the Flames lead 8-4, and the Panthers took their second timeout down 9-4. The Flames took a timeout when the Panthers closed to 9-6. The Flames regrouped to a 13-9 lead, but the Flames reached match point at 14-10, and finished the match 15-11. The Panthers are 3-4 in league play, and 1-4 on the road.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 14, 2015 13:36:11 GMT -6
The NCAA RPI Rankings for October 12th: RPI | Prev RPI | School | Overall | League | 74 | 86 | Cleveland State | 16-3 | 5-1 (1st) | 113 | 123 | Oakland | 10-10 | 4-2 (T2nd) | 134 | 157 | Green Bay | 13-7 | 4-3 (4th) | 142 | 132 | Valparaiso | 16-4 | 4-2 (T2nd) | 184 | 174 | Milwaukee | 5-14 | 3-4 (T6th) | 206 | 203 | Wright State | 12-9 | 1-6 (9th) | 213 | 223 | UIC | 9-10 | 3-3 (5th) | 240 | 221 | Youngstown State | 7-14 | 2-4 (8th) | 262 | 261 | Northern Kentucky | 7-11 | 3-4 (T6th) |
Four teams moved up, and five teams dropped.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 14, 2015 16:30:07 GMT -6
The Panthers will reach the midpoint of the season on Friday, when they play at Green Bay. The Panthers are 3-4 in league play for the season, 2-0 at home and 1-4 on the road, good for a sixth place tie with Northern Kentucky.
The road losses have been all been similar: the Panthers have not played well, making numerous errors (hitting errors and service errors, mostly) which keep them from stringing points together, and contributing to multiple scoring runs for their opponents. Scoring runs of more than two points have been rare. In three of the four losses, the Panthers have been swept. Only in the last match, against UIC, did the Panthers manage to sustain quality play, winning sets three and four. In contrast with the Panthers' one road win at Oakland, the Panthers did not continue playing well in the fifth set against the Flames.
The Panthers' two home wins were a five-set victory over Wright State, followed by a sweep of Northern Kentucky, so their play at home has not been especially good. But they have played better in the two home matches than in their road matches so far, with the exception of the win at Oakland. Fortunately for Milwaukee, six of the eight matches in the second half of the league season will be at home.
Friday night's match will pit the Panthers against the Phoenix, 4-3 in league play. The Phoenix have beaten Youngstown State, Wright State, UIC and Valparaiso so far, and lost to Cleveland State, Oakland, and Northern Kentucky. The Panthers will need to break their trend of playing poorly on the road to beat the Phoenix, to begin climbing up the standings.
Judging from the various starting lineups that Coach Johnson has used, it appears that a reliable lineup has not emerged. Whether injuries have played a significant role, I can't say. Only two players have started every match: Kayla Price and Myanna Ruiz (who reached 1,000 in career digs against UIC). Three other players, Kaisa Mattson, Mykie Olsen, and Maggie Williams, have played in every match this season.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 16, 2015 19:31:04 GMT -6
Set one of the Panthers' match with Green Bay began with the familiar pattern of struggles on the road. Milwaukee was not able to sustain runs. Play was close to a tie at 13, and then the Phoenix becan to pull away. The Panthers first time came with them trailing 18-15, and the second with the score 20-16. The lead reached 23-16, and the Panthers did manage to score four consecutive points, but the hole was too deep to get out of, and the Phoenix closed out the set 25-20.
Set two began with a series of Panther hitting errors, leading to a timeout trailing 8-5. Again, the Panthers struggled to keep the serve once they won it, failing to score consecutive points. The second Panther timeout came with the Phoenix up 11-6, and the Phoenix pulled away from there. The lead reached 20-9 before the Panthers managed to score consecutive points, but the Phoenix still won 25-18.
Set three started with a Panther service error, and the Phoenix were off and running, scoring five points and forcing a Milwaukee timeout before the Panthers could get on the scoreboard. After the lead reached 18-9, the Panthers finally put together a sustained run, scoring five points to cut the lead to four and force the first Phoenix time out. Green Bay reasserted itself with two points out of the timeout, but the Panthers responded with five more points to cut the lead to one, forcing the second Green Bay timeout. Out the timeout, the Panther run continued for three more points to a 22-20 Milwaukee lead. Green Bay battled back to force a tie at 24, and then conesecutive Panther errors gave the match to Green Bay.
Milwaukee fell to 3-5 in league play, and 1-5 on the road. Fortunately for the Panthers, they have only two road matches in second half of the league season.
The broadcaster for the Phoenix still can't be bothered to learn the names of the opposition.
Elsewhere in the league, Valparaiso (tied for second place) traveled to Cleveland to face Cleveland State, the first place team. The Crusaders took sets two and three, but the Vikings rallied to win sets four and five to win the match and remain alone in first place. Oakland won at Northern Kentucky to move into second place alone. Valpo fell into a tied with UIC at 4-3.
|
|