Wednesday, Oct. 6 Match Day!

Updates: Where to begin…A couple of close nationally ranked matches tonight. Berry needed 5-sets to get by Oglethorpe and Ohio Northern needed 5-sets to get by Baldwin Wallace. In our region, Southwestern pulled off the reverse sweep to take down Concordia. I was worried, as a fan of Southwestern, going into this one. Concordia has three really good players in Block, Ghormley and Legette. Legette can do almost anything but they had her setting tonight and I think that’s the right place for her. Block (19 kills) and Ghormley (26 kills) were just terminating early. Southwestern brought in a taller right side and that seemed to help a bit. I really like Concordia’s defense and it’s just weird to me they haven’t won more than they have this year. Maybe they save their best match for Southwestern? For Southwestern, Crabtree hit 0.409 (she needs more attacks, coach). Emma White (15 kills) and Andie Valenzuela (12 kills) led the offense. I honestly stopped watching this after set two, which enabled the comeback. Turned it back on late in set 4 and watched set 5 just to make sure I wasn’t a season long jinx.

I watched a bit of the Juniata match and I have to say they looked pretty good to me. I have them ranked lower than what the AVCA has because their schedule isn’t the strongest. May have to bump them up this week. They definitely are in the Wartburg to Northwestern range. Watched a little of the UW matches. Whitewater and Eau Claire are both pretty good, too.

Whitworth won set one and is leading in set two against Whitman. Whitworth with the sweep.

Nationally ranked matches not involving the West Region (links provided to the video stream of interesting matches):

#1 Johns Hopkins beat Gettysburg #9 UW-Whitewater beat UW-La Crosse (7pm)#11 UW-Eau Claire beat #21 UW-Stevens Point (7 pm)#12 Juniata beat Susquehanna (6 pm)#14 Ohio Northern beat Baldwin Wallace #15 Berry beat Oglethorpe #24 Bethel beat Carleton #25 Otterbein beat Marietta

Random Thoughts: The cover photo is Whitman’s senior setter Tate Cadang.

We get the return match for Southwestern/Concordia. This was a really close match with Southwestern winning. It was the opener for both teams. Kylexus Block had 20 kills for Concordia that day. Things haven’t gone well for Concordia this season but they looked good in the first match. Tough defense and now they are getting the match on their court.

Whitman/Whitworth is a rivalry match and these are always interesting. Last time Whitman beat Whitworth away was in 2012 so you have to give this to the Pirates. The thing to worry about, however, is that both spring matches went 5-sets and 3 out of the last 4 have gone to a fifth set. Rivalries can do that.