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Thursday, Nov 14 Match Day!

Writer: goldenstateservicesj
goldenstateservicesj
Nov 14, 2024
6 min read

Updates: NPI Rankings have already been updated from yesterday. No big changes. I once again list a bunch of matches that can impact the at-large window.

Check out the article that dropped today on the Regional Host Bids.

W&L got the sweep so no issues there.

No surprises, yet, in the 6 pm matches.

The 6 pm matches are all 2-1 right now. High NPI teams are all winning.

Millikin drops the first set must to the chagrin of every other at-large team. Wartburg takes first set over Coe who has to win as they need the AQ.

Bridgewater is done. They lose to VWU. Platteville leading in the second after taking the first set 26-24.

Otterbein still has at-large hopes as they win tonight. Even thought they are outside the window, they seem to have a good chance at an at-large assuming Millikin and Eastern win their conference. Whitewater is leading UWSP 2-0.

Endicott wins 3-1. Wartburg up 2-0. Coe needs a reverse sweep to keep their tournament chances alive. Millikin takes the second set and a collective cheer rises up from the bubble teams.

Platteville takes the second set. All tied 1-1. The announcer called the WIAC, “the we ack”. I always thought it was “the why ack”. What gives?

Marietta did sweep John Carroll tonight. That’s it for JCU.

Aurora is tied with Edgewood in their tournament. Why does this matter? Southwestern beat Aurora and would get a bump if Aurora wins. They also beat UWSP and would take a hit if they lose. The last one or two at-large bids will come down to this type of indirect influences.

Another team needing their AQ is Gust Adolphus. They are down 2-0 to Saint Ben.

IWU with the sweep and the season will be done for North Central. IWU will play in the finals needing the AQ. Millikin goes up 2-1. Looking to play in the finals against IWU.

Whoa. UWW/UWSP match point and UWW blocks a ball in bounds (I think). Called out. Match point again and a nice hit by Kopp that is called out. I’m not sure it was. Would love some alternate camera angle replays in this match. Regardless, UWW goes to the WIAC final. UWSP is on the cut-line. I have them at 59.55 right now. (Personal note to Coach Klapper…do not cancel practices! You have a decent chance at an at-large bid. IYKYK.)

Carthage up in the fourth set. I need Carthage to stand down. Platteville takes set three. They are up 2-1.

Down goes Gustavus Adolphus! They are swept. That takes them to 58.57 and out of an at-large. It’s possible that the at-large bids hit the 58s but I don’t think so. It definitely would require Eastern and Millikin winning their conference.

As I watch UWO leading in the fourth, I can’t help think a Platteville win here means W&L flies to a gym in this region. They may have more on the line than Oshkosh does.

Carthage did not stand down. Going to a fifth between them and Millikin. Winner plays IWU for the AQ. Millikin will be in regardless.

Down goes Coe! They lose in 4-sets to Wartburg. They will drop to around 58.36. A lot of good teams staying home in the 58s.

Oshkosh wins the fourth and they are going to a fifth.

Millikin gets the turn at 8-7. Platteville gets the turn at 8-5.

Riley Kindt (UWO) just had her legs give out. Seems fine but point to UWP. They lead 10-6.

As a yell at the Millikin coach to call a timeout at 12-13, she refuses to listen and her team wins the last 3 points for the win. Great effort by Carthage. Millikin will play IWU for the AQ. Millikin wins and they don’t need the at-large we currently have assigned to them.

Platteville up 13-11. Now 13-12. Everyone uses all of their timeouts. The anti-Millikin strategy.

14-13 UWP. Match Point. 14-14. UWO serves out. Match Point #2 for UWP. 15-15. Riley Kindt’s legs are working. She hangs so long for her hits. UWO 16-15. Match Point #1. 16-16. 17-16 UWO Match Point #2. Serves out. 17-17. UWP 18-17 Match Point #3. 18-18. Attack error. UWO 19-18 Match Point #3.

20-18. I see you Sami Perlberg. Great defense from UWP.

Whitewater will take on Oshkosh. If they don’t get split up in a regional final, they could end up in that final, too.

Alright, heading over to CMS/PP. CMS had a big set one win. La Verne won their first set against Whittier but it was closer.

Someone explain to me why sometimes the streams have their audio and video not synched. ULV/Whittier is off so we get the audio a few seconds after the action.

La Verne still without Kimi Watanabe-Mayhew. She’s been out for a few weeks.

PP well represented in the crowd tonight.

ULV is cruising and are up 2-0. PP playing well and trying to even things up.

25-23 CMS. They are up 2-0. That really hurts the Sagehens. You just have to feel that a reverse sweep is too much to ask here. CMS at 21 Points/Set there. Tough to beat a team performing like that. Still, PP is showing they can hang.

Over at ULV/Whittier, Mya Ray is at 13 kills. Brooke McKee is at 14 for CMS.

Riley “I am” DeGroot is a dancing machine right now for Whittier. 9 kills with a lot of energy.

Third set in both matches is close. No one wants to be swept.

Whittier had a set point but couldn’t convert. ULV with the next 3 points for the sweep. They will be in the finals.

21 kills for Brooke McKee but we’ll have a discussion about serving later. CMS gets the sweep. 25-23 as PP played another outstanding set. CMS will host La Verne on Saturday.

Alright…big day tomorrow and we’ll get some more clarity on the at-large window. I feel like I keep eliminating teams to the point there is no one left. Maybe only 15 total at-large bids this year? Yeah, probably not going to happen.

NCAA Scoreboard Ricky’s site has a page with all of the conference tournament links.

(NPI numbers are from yesterday.)

Region X Matches:

Pomona-Pitzer 0 CMS 3 Video / StatsWhittier 0 La Verne 3Video / Stats

Random Thoughts: There was a light day yesterday with no surprises but a bigger day today before the huge day that is Friday.

In our region, we have the SCIAC semi-finals. CMS is coming off a recent loss to Pomona-Pitzer and PP has played really well their last two matches (including against CMS). I think CMS is too tough here at home but any kind of a set one win by PP could cause a steamroll. PP has been very efficient lately and that needs to keep up against the conference’s top seed. La Verne took a loss to Whittier earlier in the year but finished the season with a pretty easy sweep of the Poets. La Verne should take this one and I feel more confident about this one than the CMS match just because of the way PP is playing. I do think if either La Verne or CMS loses, they are still a lock for an at-large bid.

For the at-large window matches, I have a mix. I listed W&L just because they can afford to lose and still make the tournament but they would lose the Top 8. Otterbein is first team out right now so they need this win to keep that up. A loss and they are out of the running. Endicott is one of those teams that is supposed to win their conference but if they lose they are out totally. Bridgewater needs this win to keep their at-large hopes alive. Virginia Wesleyan is fine either way. Both Oshkosh and Platteville are in the tournament but a win is needed by UWO for Top 8. Basically, if Oshkosh loses then the advantage goes to Colby. The Millikin match is interesting simply because the rest of the at-large hopefuls want them to win conference to free up an extra spot. We currently have Millikin with an at-large. UW-Whitewater is in and with an Oshkosh loss, they could host a regional even if not Top 8. UW-Stevens Point needs this to assure a spot in the tournament. A loss here puts them right on that anticipated cut-line depending on what others do. Coe is in that Endicott boat. They need to win their conference. Unlike Millikin, every at-large hopeful wants IWU out of this tournament. IWU needs to win the conference as they do not have a chance at an at-large. The same can be said about North Central but they both can’t lose here.

 
 
 

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