Friday, Mar. 12 Match Day!

Updates: Crazy day for me, folks. On the computer just after 8 p.m. I got to watch about 10 points of the CC/Southwestern match before having to attend other matters.

Looks like Sul Ross couldn’t muster a set against UMHB. Dallas won their first match of the year although I think they lost the P/S battle. First loss for St. Thomas. Belhaven surprises ETBU. McMurry handles up on HSU while my beloved Pirates get swept by CC. I will say that during my 10 points all I saw was Coach Swan and staff begging for calls and getting them. I may be biased but there was some obvious cheating going on there. 😉

Can I also say that I’ve been up since early this morning and I don’t need any late NWC games going 5-sets. Not. A. Single. One!

Crud! It looks like Lewis & Clark aren’t starting until 9 p.m.

ETBU gets some revenge with a sweep of Belhaven. McMurry takes the second match against HSU and wins Abilene for the season. St. Thomas wins their second match with Dallas earning a split tonight.

Thank you to Whitworth for being the only NWC to listen to me. (L&C/Willamette may also go three but they started late.)

PLU beats Whitman in 5 as the Blues definitely know how to fight. Half of their matches have gone 5-sets but they have yet to win one of them.

The GFU/Pacific match also goes 5 with Pacific winning. Some real heavy hitters on both sides. Very impressed. Jordan Zweifel had like 10 swings over the last couple of points in this one. I would have kept setting here, too.

Okay, the L&C stream just went black and then switched to the worst camera angle possible in the entire world of volleyball. Now it’s back. Weird.

Arianna Khan wants me to miss my bed time.

The L&C announcer is so proud of himself that he can pronounce Ka’anelaokapu’uwai Pakaki-Pias. I hate him. Michelle McGinn has hops! Gets the match winner. Going to bed.

Random Thoughts: The NWC Oregon schools seem to be only playing today and not tomorrow. I assume it’s related to a fall break but don’t really know. Maybe a Covid protocol? All three conferences are in action today. Busy day.

Sul Ross State/UMHB – This should be UMHB all day and night. But, Concordia did some damage early this week which made the Cru look normal. Sul Ross State hasn’t looked good so far this season but this is a big step up in competition. P/S is +1.26 in favor of UMHB so pretty close. I think we still have to assume UMHB takes this but this should be closer than in years past.

St. Thomas/Dallas – I had Dallas in my rankings prior to the season but now we have St. Thomas and no Dallas. I keep thinking the real Dallas will step up but St. Thomas seems like the favorite here. PS is +3.79 in favor of St. Thomas so a big margin to make up. Bottom line, Dallas has to play much better than they have to be in these matches.

ETBU/Belhaven – One problem with being ranked is that everyone is gunning for you. ETBU is going to get Belhaven’s best effort here. ETBU did win the previous matches but one went to 5-sets. PS is +4.03 in favor of ETBU so where I might have given Belhaven a split I’m now thinking ETBU will win both. Basically, ETBU has to avoid the silly errors.

McMurry/HSU – These teams just played with McMurry coming away with the wins. Rivalry match now playing at HSU. PS is +3.45 in favor of McMurry so I think we’ll see McMurry taking two but can’t be surprised by a 5-setter springing up here.

Colorado College/Southwestern – Colorado College has been a little up and down but mostly up lately and they did just take down Trinity in two matches. Southwestern is coming off their first action after a split with Schreiner. Logic says CC. PS is +0.75 in favor of…Southwestern!?! So, I want to say tossup but I think Colorado College is talented (obviously) and doing their best to make a winner of Coach Swan in his last season at the helm. In another dimension, I have been given media credentials to this match so I could watch it in person.

Puget Sound/Whitworth – The Washington teams are finishing up their season. Puget Sound has won three straight while Whitworth is coming off their first loss to PLU. P/S is +2.11 in favor of Whitworth and beat Puget Sound in their single match to start the season. I don’t really trust Puget Sound. They have talent and the ability to win here but I think the big 4 of Whitworth takes the day.

Pacific Lutheran/Whitman – This is the first meeting between these two teams and they will actually play four straight to finish the year. P/S is +3.13 in favor of PLU. Whitman can get on these emotional upticks that seem to make them win games you wouldn’t expect. PLU is probably the most unluckiest team when it comes to losing matches they should win. In this match, if PLU just takes care of the ball and reduces mistakes they win. Open the door and Whitman is good enough to stick their foot in the jam.

George Fox/Pacific – I had George Fox in my ratings to start the year but this will be their first DIII match. They did get swept by an NAIA team in their only match so far. Pacific has the highest P/S for the NWC Oregon schools so a great first test as I did see these as the two best Oregon schools to start the year. This should be a good one and if I’m picking a winner I have to go with the team I thought would come out ahead originally so give me GFU.

Willamette/Lewis & Clark – Second set of matches for both of these teams. PS is +1.44 in favor of L&C but it is a small sample size. This really could go either way but I’ll believe in P/S and take L&C.