2018 Women's Volleyball Thread

VUGrad1314 · August 18, 2018, 05:24:34 PM

Valpo defeats Milwaukee in exhibition match 3-1 25-18 21-25 25-15 25-19

Their first match will be this Friday at 10 AM vs Fresno State They will also play St Francis (PA) Iona and Eastern Illinois in the two day round robin event hosted by EIU.

VUBBFan · August 18, 2018, 07:28:49 PM

https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1030916337776951296

VUBBFan · August 18, 2018, 09:24:59 PM

https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1031002410834186240

vu84v2 · September 17, 2018, 11:21:35 PM

Hats off to the Valpo's women's volleyball team that is 12-2 after winning three matches over the weekend.

vu72 · September 18, 2018, 08:14:47 AM

Watched some of these games and was very impressed by the quality of the announcers. Renee Turpa is back but was joined by a guy named Brian Jennings, who also did post match interviews. Hope he is a permanent part of the team.

FWalum · September 18, 2018, 10:17:34 AM

Hoping to go to the VU Fort Wayne match tonight at the Fort Wayne Gates Center.

FieldGoodie05 · September 18, 2018, 11:34:50 AM

Quote from: vu72 on September 18, 2018, 08:14:47 AM
Watched some of these games and was very impressed by the quality of the announcers. Renee Turpa is back but was joined by a guy named Brian Jennings, who also did post match interviews. Hope he is a permanent part of the team.

I see their record is 12-2, is that indicative of their abilities or are their opponents soft?

vu84v2 · September 18, 2018, 05:13:59 PM

There is usually an weekly RPI published for women's volleyball, but I cannot find it. Maybe it does not come out until later in the season.

Valpo's best wins (at least by record): Cal Baptist (9-3), Air Force (10-4), Wright State (8-4). The three Illinois teams that they have played (DePaul, WIU, EIU) are a combined 7-31.

Losses are to Fresno State (8-5) and Michigan (11-0 and ranked in the Top 20 in the Coaches Poll).

Brandon · September 19, 2018, 04:09:46 PM

Quote from: vu72 on September 18, 2018, 08:14:47 AMWatched some of these games and was very impressed by the quality of the announcers. Renee Turpa is back but was joined by a guy named Brian Jennings, who also did post match interviews. Hope he is a permanent part of the team.

Indeed, Brian is our play-by-play broadcaster for volleyball this season. He's been calling preps around Northwest Indiana for a long time and also does fill in work for various college teams. Happy we were able to bring him in and pair him with Renee' for volleyball.

FWalum · September 19, 2018, 05:40:45 PM

Went to the match last night and saw a very tightly contested 5 set match between the Crusaders and the Mastodons. I sat with the parents of Sydney Bronner and they were very nice! Jaclyn Bulmahn also has a Fort Wayne connection so some of her family were in attendance last night.

The Mastodons are a respectable 9-5 and VU is now 13-2 after last nights game. For comparison, Indiana State beat PFW in three straight sets, Indiana State lost to Oakland in 5 sets and Oakland beat PFW in 4 sets. Their other 3 losses are to IUPUI, Florida Atlantic and now VU.

We were the better coached team and I believe that showed in the block numbers, VU had 17 blocks to PFW's 9. Other than that statistic the match was basically even Box Score. I have to say that as a whole I thought that PFW was more athletic, they really could get up and hit the ball hard but their attack was more predictable and blocking was not as coordinated as VU, as indicated by the 8 block discrepancy.

From the few games that I watched online last year I remember thinking that the "Valley" teams seemed more athletic and harder hitting than VU and I am afraid that this might still be the case this year. Lets hope my concern is unfounded and that the women can carry the OOC record forward as momentum into the conference portion of the schedule!!

VULB#62 · September 19, 2018, 10:08:24 PM

By athletic do you basically mean leaping ability and power on shots?

FWalum · September 20, 2018, 12:27:56 AM

Quote from: VULB#62 on September 19, 2018, 10:08:24 PM
By athletic do you basically mean leaping ability and power on shots?

In general, yes.

vu72 · September 20, 2018, 08:52:49 AM

Quote from: FWalum on September 19, 2018, 05:40:45 PM
Went to the match last night and saw a very tightly contested 5 set match between the Crusaders and the Mastodons. I sat with the parents of Sydney Bronner and they were very nice! Jaclyn Bulmahn also has a Fort Wayne connection so some of her family were in attendance last night.

The Mastodons are a respectable 9-5 and VU is now 13-2 after last nights game. For comparison, Indiana State beat PFW in three straight sets, Indiana State lost to Oakland in 5 sets and Oakland beat PFW in 4 sets. Their other 3 losses are to IUPUI, Florida Atlantic and now VU.

We were the better coached team and I believe that showed in the block numbers, VU had 17 blocks to PFW's 9. Other than that statistic the match was basically even Box Score. I have to say that as a whole I thought that PFW was more athletic, they really could get up and hit the ball hard but their attack was more predictable and blocking was not as coordinated as VU, as indicated by the 8 block discrepancy.

From the few games that I watched online last year I remember thinking that the "Valley" teams seemed more athletic and harder hitting than VU and I am afraid that this might still be the case this year. Lets hope my concern is unfounded and that the women can carry the OOC record forward as momentum into the conference portion of the schedule!!

I think you are correct, though we will find out more starting Friday night. While we are a veteran team, the majority of these women were recruited for the Horizon League. The Valley is clearly a step up. Let's hope we can continue the winning!

IndyValpo · September 21, 2018, 07:58:46 PM

Good start with a 3-0 win on the road to open conference play

covufan · September 22, 2018, 03:43:31 PM

According to Massey, this Valpo Volleyball team is ranked highest in 10 years. The only problem is that the MVC is tough, with Northern Iowa and Illinois St. ahead of us in the rankings.

https://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=8361&s=302965

talksalot · September 22, 2018, 08:28:16 PM

and another sweep in the Valley... 25-14, 26-24, 15-19...at Evansville...

2-0, tie for first place...15-2 overall, best record in the Valley.

SIU Comes to the ARC on MONDAY night... 6pm first serve... come early to get a good seat!

vu72 · September 23, 2018, 07:43:58 AM

Watched the match yesterday and we really looked good, albeit against and Evansville team that didn't look very good. Both venues, at Indiana State and Evansville, appeared very small with bleachers on one side of the court, like what would happen if we played our matches at Hilltop. In this hotter weather I still think that is where we should be playing.

I'm looking forward to seeing my first match in person Friday night of Homecoming!

FieldGoodie05 · September 23, 2018, 07:56:36 AM

Quote from: vu72 on September 23, 2018, 07:43:58 AM
Watched the match yesterday and we really looked good, albeit against and Evansville team that didn't look very good. Both venues, at Indiana State and Evansville, appeared very small with bleachers on one side of the court, like what would happen if we played our matches at Hilltop. In this hotter weather I still think that is where we should be playing.

I'm looking forward to seeing my first match in person Friday night of Homecoming!

Wonder what the hold up is for them to start playing in Hill Top? Someone posted the ceiling height was not a concern as originally thought.

talksalot · September 24, 2018, 09:22:25 PM

Another sweep! Your first place crusaders take SIU to the woodshed tonight. Wowsers

VULB#62 · September 25, 2018, 10:19:33 AM

Quote from: FWalum on September 19, 2018, 05:40:45 PM
I have to say that as a whole I thought that PFW was more athletic, they really could get up and hit the ball hard but their attack was more predictable and blocking was not as coordinated as VU, as indicated by the 8 block discrepancy.

From the few games that I watched online last year I remember thinking that the "Valley" teams seemed more athletic and harder hitting than VU and I am afraid that this might still be the case this year. Lets hope my concern is unfounded and that the women can carry the OOC record forward as momentum into the conference portion of the schedule!!

After blanking ISUb, EU and SIU, perhaps we are more athletic than originally thought. No doubt about the good coaching. Congratulation so far ladies!

vu72 · September 25, 2018, 11:09:53 AM

Quote from: VULB#62 on September 25, 2018, 10:19:33 AM
Quote from: FWalum on September 19, 2018, 05:40:45 PM
I have to say that as a whole I thought that PFW was more athletic, they really could get up and hit the ball hard but their attack was more predictable and blocking was not as coordinated as VU, as indicated by the 8 block discrepancy.

From the few games that I watched online last year I remember thinking that the "Valley" teams seemed more athletic and harder hitting than VU and I am afraid that this might still be the case this year. Lets hope my concern is unfounded and that the women can carry the OOC record forward as momentum into the conference portion of the schedule!!

After blanking ISUb, EU and SIU, perhaps we are more athletic than originally thought. No doubt about the good coaching. Congratulation so far ladies!

Great start but, against teams that are a combined 0-9 in conference. It will get a lot harder Friday against Drake who is 12-4 on the year. Looking forward to seeing my first volleyball game in person and hope to see the streak continue!

agibson · September 25, 2018, 12:05:49 PM

Quote from: vu72 on September 25, 2018, 11:09:53 AMGreat start but, against teams that are a combined 0-9 in conference. It will get a lot harder Friday against Drake who is 12-4 on the year. Looking forward to seeing my first volleyball game in person and hope to see the streak continue!

This sounds about right. It gets tougher with Drake: the first MVC opponent we'll face this season with a winning record, and decent place in the pre-season poll. And then a lot tougher with UNI (NCAA at-large last year, undefeated in MVC play this year, etc.) on Saturday.

But, a fantastic start! Hopes are high.

Last year it felt like we lacked the thunderous hitters that the top MVC teams, and had to make up for it by leading the nation in digs to finish middle of the pack. We return a lot of talent, but will our offensive game have changed fundamentally? I'll be curious to see the freshmen. Hopefully I'll make it out Friday or Saturday, or both. Or, maybe we can find a winning recipe building on our existing strengths. Clearly it's been working so far this season, if against less-than-stellar opposition.

KL31NY · September 26, 2018, 03:28:44 PM

Looking forward to being back for Homecoming this weekend with the UNI volleyball match Saturday. Here's a link to the UNI weekly game notes with a fun inside reference to the forum http://unipanthers.com/news/2018/9/26/womens-volleyball-panther-volleyball-visits-loyola-valparaiso.aspx

VULB#62 · September 26, 2018, 08:12:19 PM

Where did they find Saders of the Lost Arc?

agibson · September 30, 2018, 03:59:36 AM

Quote from: KL31NY on September 26, 2018, 03:28:44 PMLooking forward to being back for Homecoming this weekend with the UNI volleyball match Saturday.

The VU women looked good against Drake, very confident, and got the 3-0 sweep against an opponent with a decent resume, to clinch the best start in program history.

Saturday against UNI, Valpo dropped the first set, but won the second. It's the first set anyone in the Valley has taken off UNI this season. (Earlier on this road trip UNI went to Loyola, previously undefeated in conference, and swept them.) (Recall that UNI got an at-large bid last season, then swept Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament; UNI got six points off two national #23 votes in the last VB poll this season, so RV.)

Valpo looked good, confident, and was certainly in the game. Lots of long points and hustly digs, which was Valpo's game last year. UNI did much of the same, really, and I don't know that our hitters were out-muscled. Seemed like a pretty tight rotation from Valpo, with an interesting habit of bringing a freshman in just for one rotation to serve. I'm no VB player, but she serves from the opposite side of most players, kind of a knuckleball feel, and gets some aces.

We should definitely make some noise in the Valley this season. Should be fun.

Good crowds both nights (listed around 600 Saturday? probably more Friday, but some fraction were students there apparently more socially than for the VB; that's OK too). Nice to hear the ARC get loud for VB.