|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 17, 2016 13:56:51 GMT -6
This weeks RPI rankings for HL teams: RPI | Team | W (Overall) | L (Overall) | W (League) | L (League) | Prev RPI | 46 | Cleveland State | 16 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 47 | 99 | Green Bay | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 101 | 117 | Oakland | 14 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 104 | 130 | Northern Kentucky | 11 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 145 | 144 | MILWAUKEE | 11 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 148 | 167 | UIC | 13 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 168 | 175 | Wright State | 8 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 180 | 206 | Valparaiso | 9 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 215 | 208 | Youngstown State | 7 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 199 |
Minor fluctuations, with Valparaiso moving past Youngstown State for eighth place. The League is back to two teams with RPIs below 100.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 21, 2016 19:47:35 GMT -6
The Panthers started the evening's match tied for fourth in the league with Northern Kentucky at 5-3. The starting lineup was familiar from recent matches: Louise Kieckhofe3r; Teagan Taylor, Jenn Dore, Jess Kalous, Bridget Wallenberger, and Kylie Wilks, with Myanna Ruiz at libero.
The Panthers got out to early leads in set one, but the Penguins kept the score close to a six-all tie. The Panthers then built the lead to 9-6 and then 12-7 to force the first YSU time-out. When play resumed, Youngstown State scored four of the next six points to narrow the lead to 14-11 and prompt the first Milwaukee time-out. Wallenberger lead the Panthers early with three kills. After the time-out, Wallenberger scored two more quick kills as the Panthers re-opened the lead to 18-12 and forcing the second Penguin time-out. The Panther momentum continued after the break, scoring three to make the lead nine. YSU rebounded to cut the lead to 22-16, and the Panthers took their second time-out. The Panthers had seven set points at 24-17, but the Penguins could score only two, and Milwaukee finished the set 25-19. Wallenberger finished the set with the five kills, followed by Kalous with four, and Caitlin Schultz with three. The Panthers hit .250 for the set.
The Panthers got out to a 4-1 lead to begin set two, but the Penguins put together a four point run to take the lead at 5-4, to which the Panthers responded with a six-point run of their own. At that point, YSU called a time-out. The Penguins played a little better, but could not get closer than five. YSU took their second time-out when the lead reached 20-12. Milwaukee's service game was very effective, scoring four points on aces, and generally making it difficult for YSU to run their offense. The Panthers had nine set points at 24-15, and finished the set 25-16.
With the Panthers up two-sets to none, i tuned in to the Oakland-Green Bay match in its fifth set. The teams had alternated wins in the first four sets, with the Phoenix winning sets one and three. Oakland played from in front in the early part of the set, but Green Bay kept within one point to a 6-5 Grizzlies lead, when Oakland scored consecutive points to take an 8-5 lead at the change of sides. The Grizzlies maintained control, and the Phoenix took a time-out trailing 10-6. Green Bay scored one point and the Oakland two out of the time-out, and the Phoenix took their second time-out. Oakland kept up the pressure, and finished the set 15-10, dropping the Phoenix out of a tie for second place for the moment.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee got out to a fast start in set three, grabbing a 5-1 lead, and opening a five point lead at 11-6 to force the first YSU time-out. When play resumed, the Panthers scored three of the next four points to take a 15-7 lead, and the Penguins called the second time-out. The Penguins scored six of the next nine points, prompting the first Panther time-out with an 18-13 lead. The teams traded points out of the time-out, so the lead was still five at 22-17 when Coach Johnson called the second time out. The Penguins resumed play with two points to cut the lead to 22-19, but the Panthers responded with two points to get to match point, and finished the match with a 25-19 victory. The Panthers hit .394 for set three and .299 for the match. Three Panthers had double-figure kill totals: the familiar trio of Wallenberger (13), Kalous (12), and Schultz (10). Wilks finished with nine kills. Dore finished with 43 assists, giving her a total of 829 for the season, keeping her on pace to be the third freshman to amass 1000 assists in a season.
The win raised the Panthers's record to 6-3 in league play, pulling them into a tie for third place with Green Bay. Oakland's victory raised their record to 7-2, good for second place, pending the result of the UIC-Cleveland State match. UIC was giving CSU a fight, rebounding from a 25-18 first set loss to take set two 25-14. After CSU won the third set 25-15, UIC fought hard in the fourth set, keeping the score within two to three points, to a Flames time-out trailing 20-17. The Flames then scored three of the next four points, forcing a Viking time-out with the CSU lead down to 21-20. Cleveland State held on to win set for 25-22 and the match, to go to 8-1 in league play, in first place going into their match in Milwaukee tomorrow afternoon.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 22, 2016 17:42:31 GMT -6
The Panther lineup for today's match with league-leading Cleveland State: Louise Kiekhofer, Jenn Dore, Jess Kalaous, Bridget Wallenberger, Kylie Wilks, Caitlin Schultz (back into the starting lineupe) and Myanna Ruiz at libero.
Cleveland State got out to an early 5-1 lead in set one, leading to the first Panther time-out. The Vikings block was working right from the beginning of the set. The Panthers strung together three straight points out of the time-out, then two of the next three to tie the score at six-all. CSU then strung together five points, including scoring on their fourth block of the set, and the Panthers took time-out number two. The run pushed the lead to 12-6 before the Panthers could counter, scoring four straight points to prompt a CSU time-out. When play resumed, CSU briefly pushed the lead back to four, but the Panthers cut the lead to one at 16-15, and 17-16 and took an 19-18 lead to force the second CSU time-out. The teams traded points until CSU scored four points to get to set point at 24-21. The Panthers fought off the three set points to tie the score and force extra-points, and took a set point at 25-24, and won the set on a Viking error.
After Milwaukee scored the first two points of set two, CSU scored six of the next seven points to lead 6-3, forcing a Panther time-out. The Viking momentum continued, and the Panthers too their second time-out trailing 12-6. CSU kept up the pressure, expanding the lead to 20-10. The Panthers responded with a three point run, and Cleveland State took a time-out. The Panthers scored four of the next six, and the Vikings took another time-out, up 22-16. The Panthers scored four more after the time-out to cut the lead to 22-20 before the Vikings scored again. The Panthers tied the score at 23-all before the Vikings got to set-point at 24-23. The Panthers fought of the first set point, and the second at 25-24, then scored twice to get to set point at 26-25. Cleveland State then scored twice to get to their third set point at 27-26, but the Panthers fought off that point and scored again to get their second set point, which the Vikings again fought off, and scored again to get their fourth set point at 29-28. The Panthers tied the score, but CSU took a 30-29 lead, the Panthers tied the score at 30-all, 31-all and 32-all, but Cleveland State continued to keep the pressure on by preventing the Panthers from getting a lead, and finally scored the winning point, 34-32 to tie the match at one set each. Wilks led all scorers with 12 kills, Kalous had six, and Wallenberger and Schultz had five.
Set three started with errors on both sides. The Panthers then took a 3-1 lead, but the Vikings quickly tied the score, and at four-all, and at five-all before taking a 6-5 lead, and it was Milwaukee's turn to tie the score, and seven-all and eight-all, and then taking a 10-8 lead. Back and forth play continued, with the Panthers alternating between a one- and two-point leads until CSU scored three to take a 15-14 lead and the Panthers took their first time-out. The lead reached four at 18-14, which the Panthers cut to two on a couple of occasions, before tying the score at 20-all and CSU called a time-out. Milwaukee's run continued when play resumed, to a 23-20 lead and the second CSU time-out. Out of the time-out, the Panthers finished the set, 25-21, on a Wallenberger kill (her 11th of the match) and a Wallenberger-Dore block.
Milwaukee scored the first two points of set four, but CSU scored five straight, and the Panthers took the first time-out. The teams traded a couple of points out of the break, but Cleveland pushed the lead to 8-4. The Panthers second time-out came with CSU up 10-5. The Vikings maintained momentum, pushing the lead to 14-6, then 16-7. The Panthers rebounded with three points to cut the lead to 16-10 and Cleveland State called a time-out. The Panthers extended the run to five points to cut the lead to 16-13 before the Vikings scored again, and then went on a run to open an eight point lead at 22-14. The run continued to 24-17, seven set points, and the Vikings won the set 25-17 to force a fifth set.
The last two times the Panthers went to a fifth set, they played poorly in the set and lost the match, in contrast to their early season success in fifth sets. The teams traded the first ten points of the set, with several tie scores, ending with a 5-5 tie and a Cleveland State time-out. The Vikings scored two points to a 7-5 lead, and the Panthers took their first time-out. Cleveland State led 8-5 at the change of sides. Milwaukee took their second time-out trailing 9-5, trying to end the slide. The Panthers were unable to do so, and the Vikings continued to asser themselves, getting to a 13-7 lead, and denying the Panthers a chance to put together a significant run. CSU had five match points at 14-9, and gave up only one to win the match 15-10.
The Panthers were led by Wilks's 24 kills, a match and career high for her. Wallenberger had 14 kills, Kalous nine, and Schultz eight.
The Panthers are much improved this year, but they have not yet caught up to the league's best programs. All four of their losses are to teams ahead of them in the standings; those are matches the Panthers have to win to prove they are back among the elite, and they have not yet done so this season, perhaps a sign of their youth, though i think Coach Johnson would not choose to make that an excuse. They have been close, as three of their four league losses went to five sets, but have not been able to finish. Two of the five-set losses have been at home. There should be no question of making the tournament field, but to earn a high seed, they would need to win out the rest of the way, which would represent an impressive achievement.
The remainder of the league schedule has the Panthers on the road for two consecutive weekends, playing at UIC and Green Bay next weekend, and then at Wright State and NKU the following weekend. The last weekend of the regular season brings Oakland and Valparaiso to the Klotsche Center.
The Vikings improved to 9-1 in league play, and picked up a game on Oakland, who lost a five-set match in Chicago to UIC. Oakland remains in second place, but is now tied with Green Bay, who swept Youngstown State, at 8-3. The Panthers are a half-game behind Northern Kentucky, who swept Valparaiso at Valparaiso. NKU is 6-3, and the Panthers ar 6-4. NKU plays Wright State (3-6, 6th place) tomorrow in Kentucky. Valpo remains in seventh place at 3-7, followed by UIC and YSU.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 24, 2016 15:23:16 GMT -6
This weeks RPI rankings for HL teams: RPI | Team | W (Overall) | L (Overall) | W (League) | L (League) | Prev RPI | 41 | Cleveland State | 18 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 46 | 103 | Green Bay | 15 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 99 | 110 | Oakland | 15 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 117 | 128 | Northern Kentucky | 13 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 130 | 144 | MILWAUKEE | 12 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 144 | 168 | UIC | 14 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 167 | 188 | Wright State | 8 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 175 | 206 | Valparaiso | 11 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 206 | 207 | Youngstown State | 7 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 208 |
Minor fluctuations, with two schools, including Milwaueke, holding steady. CSU's RPI number continues to drop, but no one else in the league is below 100, so the Vikings will probably have to win the league tournament to get an NCAA tournament berth. The inclusion of Valpo, Oakland, and NKU has increased competition within the league, but has yet to improve the league's standing. If Valparaiso's season hadn't been so badly hurt by injuries to key players, the log-jam at the top of the league standings would be even larger, but I'm not sure it would have helped much. Valpo in a typical year probably has an RPI ranking much closer to 100 than to 200, even that might not have helped enough.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Oct 28, 2016 19:30:04 GMT -6
Comring off a tough loss at home to the league leader, the Panthers went on the road to Chicago to face a UIC team that had been playing better volleyball of late.
The Flames bounced back from a set one loss and won three straight sets to win their third league match of the season, 18-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-21.
The Panthers played fairly well in set one, putting together a five-point run to make a 4-2 Flames lead into a 7-4 Panther lead, which they never lost. A four-point Panther run gave them their largest lead at 20-13. Kylie Wilks had three consecutive kills during the early run, and finished with seven kills for the set.
After the first set, the Flames gradually took control. The Panthers led throughout the early portion of set two, getting out to leads of 8-4 and 12-8. UIC then scored six of the next eight points to tie the score at 14-all, and then after a three-point Milwaukee run re-opened a 17-14 lead, the Flames again scored six of eight points to take a 20-19 lead, and seized the momentum. UIC scored five of the next seven points to win the set, 25-21, and even the match at one set all going into the break.
Set three was fairly closely played, but the Flames had the upper hand. The Panthers could not put together a run of more than three points, and managed three consecutive points only twice. The three-point run gave the Panthers a lead of 13-12, and their last lead of the set was 14-13. The Panthers stayed close, but could only manage to pull into tie scores the rest of the way, the last at 24-24, on their second three-point run, fighting off three set points. After that, The Flames scored two points and finished the set, to go up two sets to one.
Milwaukee played better early in set four, but could not withstand a late UIC surge, giving up the last five points to lose 25-21.
The Panthers did not play poorly from a statistical point of view, hitting .220 for the match, and finishing with three players with double-digit kills: Wilks and Caitlin Schultz with 18 each, and Bridget Wallenberger with 10. Louise Kiekhofer had nine kills. The Flames just played better, hitting .271, and having 14 blocks to seven for the Panthers, besides controlling momentum for most of the evening.
Elsewhere, Wright State, Cleveland State and Oakland won tonight. Green Bay, who the Panthers will play on Sunday afternoon in Green Bay, was idle.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Nov 11, 2016 19:57:02 GMT -6
i was unable to watch last weekend's matches, but the Panthers split two road matches to go 7-7 in league play, putting them alone in fifth place. This matched their totals for league wins last year, and also clinched a spot in the horizon league tournament.
Tonight, the Panthers hosted Oakland, who came into the match tied for third in the league (with Northern Kentucky) at 10-5. The Panthers lost a five-set match in Michigan to the Grizzlies earlier in the season.
The Panthers's starting lineup reflected their recent struggles with injuries: Louise Kiekhofer, Jenn Dore (who became just the third freshman in UWM D1 history to amass more than 1000 assists in a season), Jess Kalous, Lexie Uselding, Bridget Wallenberger, Kylie Wilks, and Myanna Ruiz at libero. Frequent starters Sydney Book, Mykie Olsen, and Caitlin Schultz were not in the starting lineup, though Olsen did play.
Injuries had had a major impact on the Panthers's ability to string together long runs, which had led to their overall play suffering. The Panthers went from 6-3 to 7-7 over the last five matches. Tonight, however, was quite different.
The Panthers swept the Golden Grizzlies, 25-19, 25-16 and 25-17, behind balanced scoring: nine kills from Kiekhofer and Wilks, eight from Wallenberger, and seven from Kalous. Milwaukee outhit Oakland .265 to .071, outdug them 30-25, outblocked them 10-9, and most significantly were much better in the service game. Both teams had nine service errors, but Oakland, who is generally one of the better league teams at serving the ball, managed only two aces, to seven for the Panthers.
i won't speculate as to what the main difference was in this match. Being at home (after four road matches) probably helped. Certainly Oakland had an off night at the service line, but some of the Panthers's success has to be attributed to good play by the Panthers, who in all three sets managed to put together a late surge to put the match away. The Panthers had five set points in set one at 24-19, and finished the set on the next play. The Panthers had nine set points in set two, and gave up only one. In set three, Milwaukee had seven match points and finished the match on the next point.
Next up for the Panthers is the regular season finale, tomorrow afternoon in the Klotsche Center, hosting Valparaiso in the last home regular season match for seniors Taylor Mansfield, Kaisa Mattson, and Ruiz. The Crusaders have overcome major injuries to key players to stand sixth in the league standings at 6-9.
The Panthers have a chance to clinch a winning record for the overall season and in league play by beating the Crusaders.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Nov 12, 2016 18:07:10 GMT -6
The Panthers started the same lineup in this afternoon's season finale who swept Oakland last night.
The Panthers picked up this afternoon against Valparaiso where the Panthers left off against Oakland. The Panthers scored the first five points of the set, and Valparaiso took a time-out. After two Crusader points, the Panthers went on a four-point run. The Panthers later went on another five point run to expand the lead to 16-5, and finished the set on a four-point run to finish the set 25-13. Valpo made numerous setting, hitting and blocking errors in the set, and hit -.074. The Panthers hit .333.
Set two started much more like a typical Milwaukee-Valparaiso match, but the Panthers quickly pulled away again. Valpo took an early 2-0 lead, then a 3-1 lead. The Panthers then went on a three-point run to take their first lead of the set at 4-3. The Crusaders then retook the lead at 5-4, and the Panthers responded with six of the next seven points to take a 10-6 lead and force a Crusader time-out. The Panther roll continued when play resumed, scoring six of the next seven points to extend the lead to 15-7. Valpo responded with two straight points, and Milwaukee took their first time out. Valpo's run continued and cut the lead to 15-12, but after the Panthers broke the string with two points of their own, the Crusaders took their second time-out of the set. The Panther run continued for two more points and a 19-12 lead. Another Panther run put the lead at 23-15. The Panthers had eight set points at 24-16, and Jenn Dore finished set two by finding the back corner on a cross-court shot. Milwaukee was hitting .250 at the end of the set, and had out-dug Valparaiso 48-35 and out-blocked Valpo 10-5. Jess Kalous led all hitters with seven kills, followed by Louise Kiekofer, Bridget Wallenberger and Taylor Mansfield with five. Dore had four kills.
Milwaukee started set three well, getting out to a 13-6 lead, but Valparaiso put together a six point run to cut the lead to 13-12. The Panthers scored a point, but Valpo responded with two more points to tie the score, and the Panthers took a time-out. Back and forth play continued from there, with the Panthers in a one to two point lead up to a 21-all tie and a 22-all tie. Caitlin Schultz entered the match late in the third set and gave the Panthers a spark, giving the Panthers match point at 24-22, and the Crusaders took a time-out. Valpo fought off one match point on a long rally, but Schultz finished the match with another kill. Of the six sets the Panthers played this weekend, this was the only one in which the opposition scored more than 19 points.
The Panthers hit .205 for the match, to .088 for the Crusaders (who hit for a negative percentage in two of the three sets). Kalous finished with 11 kills, Walenberger with eight, Kiekhofer with seven, and Mansfield with six.
The Panthers finish the season in fifth place in the league, where they were predicted to finish, at 9-7, two games better than in 2015. Their overall record is 15-12, six wins better than in 2015. i don't know how much recognition the Panthers will get on the all-league teams, but Wallenberger, Dore, and Wilks should get consideration, as they contributed at a high-level all through the season.
Cleveland State (14-2) and Green Bay (11-4 going into a home match with Wright State) have the top two seeds and byes to the semi-finals in the tournament. Milwaukee will face either Oakland or Northern Kentucky, depending on the outcome of NKU's match with UIC this afternoon. If NKU wins, they will take the third seed and play Valparaiso. If NKU loses, they will take the fourth seed and play Milwaukee. Wright State, UIC and Youngstown State did not make the cut for the tournament.
|
|
|
Post by skrapheap on Nov 15, 2016 20:22:11 GMT -6
|
|