I stormed around my living room last night shaking my fist at Live Stats and those that were supposed to be assuring its function in Lake Charles. No stats. And no, I am not signing my life away and paying money to McNeese just so I can watch some crummy video feed. I want my Live Stats, man!!
Then, after every other match in the SLC finishes and some are already written up by Sports Information Directors (Texas State beat UTSA! Told you.)...finally McNeese decides to post our box score.
What in the world?
Let's recap this stuff:
Hanlan is hurt and against UTSA replaced by Hall. After the match, a short conversation with Debbie Humphreys made me think that we'd see Hall or Miksch in the libero jersey. So, if you give me two guesses as to who started at libero last night, those would be my first two. Then, I guess, if you told me I was wrong, my next level of guesses would go to the DS types on the team.. maybe Spicer or hmmm.. maybe Hill.
Wrong Again. SFA starts (usually) primary L1 Katzy Randall at libero and tabs Miksch to swing near 50 times. Huh?
And then... weirdness ensues....check it:
- SFA kills more balls (82) than any other SLC team in a match this year.
- SFA lands one attack shy (218) of having the most attacks of any SLC team this year.
- SFA has the most assists (78) of any SLC team in a match this year.
- SFA has the most digs (103) [tied] of any SLC team in a match this year.
- SFA outhits McNeese .229 to .177, has 18 more kills, 14 more assists, 26 more statistical points and out blocks McNeese 13-8 and still manages only to squeak by in five...using extra points in the 5th set
- Paige Holland has 74 assists...10 more than the previous individual high in the SLC this year and even more than the previous TEAM high in the SLC this year.
- As noted by SID extraordinaire Ben Rikard, Holland has more assists than any SFA player in a match in over a decade. What the...?
- Miksch....oh...Melissa Miksch... can I get an "amen" from the crowd?? Career high 23 kills. That SHATTERS her former record of 15 on a career high 49 attacks. Ice, please.
- Jill Ivy: Career high 20 kills on a career high 44 attacks. Career high 11 digs.
- Holland, in addition to 74 assists: Career high in digs with 14.
- Amanda Hall: Career high 16 digs. Do you have the theme of these bullets, yet?
- Taylor Gross: Career high 45 attacks.
- MC Bottles: Career high 10 digs. Wow. Ok, I do want video now.
- Sabrina Burns: Career high 31 attacks.
- Katzy Randall.. excuse me... Katzy 'Libero' Randall (or KLR, pronounced "killer") with 27 digs. Yep, career high.
- I know a lot of these "career" higs are freshman, but roll with it. It's fun. And don't doubt me.
- SFA hits a ridiculous .515 in Set 1 (18-1-33)
- The match lasts 2 hours and 20 minutes (and none of it was on Live Stats. Boo!)
- Stuff I missed
- SFA has four players with a double-double (Bottles 10k, 10d), (Ivy 20k, 11d), (Holland 74a, 14d) and Miskch (23k, 19d). Miksch lands one dig shy of a double 20, and Burns lands three blocks shy of a double-double and Bottles is five blocks shy of a triple-double.
Now, THAT's a volleyball match.
It appears (other stuff can happen) that SFA is headed for the 5th or 7th seed in the tournament. If we win and UTA loses to UTSA, then we'll be 5th and play host UCA in the first round in the night game on the first day of the tournament. If we lose (still assuming UTSA beats UTA), then we'll be 7th and play UTSA in the first round. That's assuming TAMUCC doesn't upset Texas State, which they probably aren't.
If we win and UTA wins against UTSA, then we'd be 6th and play Sam Houston in the first round. If we lose, and UTA wins, they we are still 7th. We cannot slip to 8th in any scenario because there are four teams TWO games behind us at 5-10 going into the last game of the season. A 6-10 team WILL make the tournament. I wonder if that has ever happened before?
I will end this post with a reminder that if you would like to fund me on your next casino visit, then I am fair game for a road trip. Way back on September 14 in this post I said the following concerning picks for the end of the year standings:
"I think I would have gone: Texas State, UTSA, UCA, SHSU and then throw us, UTA and Lamar in a pot and draw out cards for 5th, 6th and 7th."
Thank you. Thank you very much. Nailed it with slight exception that SHSU and UCA flip-flopped. All year I've been saying there was little-to-no gap between UTSA and Texas State and all year I've been saying that Sam Houston is legit.
Now, I am not the only one that picked the standings like that. A few of the coaches and SID's and others as well probably thought similar. I just think people got carried away with UTSA. They still have just as much a shot to win the tournament as other folks. But, let's not forget this: Sam Houston was the one that beat UTSA first. As recently as October, Sam Houston lost to Corpus Christi who probably isn't going to be in the tournament. My point: Take NOTHING as a given.
Once we all get to Conway, a lot of stuff can happen. But one thing is for sure. You slip up once and don't play your best? Your season is over.
Reminder: Live Chat available tomorrow afternoon against Lamar! Make sure you are supporting the 'Jacks and please join us in the chat room right here in this space tomorrow!
I hope to see a lot of you in Beamont, in Conway or in the chat rooms! Axe' Em!!