Late Season and Postseason Aggie Volleyball Part 2

Continued from Part One.

 

[I apologize.  The length of this post forced an awkward break.  We continue with the Aggies vs. the Chicago State Cougars.]

 

During the volleyball halftime, I switched back to Aggie Football and caught the end.  It was a 59-3 nailbiter as the Crimson Tide squeaked out a win.  Alabama had their fourth-string quarterback playing when it ended.  At least the Aggies could console themselves with their $1.9M payout. 

 

The Aggies put it together well in Set 3 with had a six-point run.  Darian Markham made a great save on a point and Cat Kelly got her second solo block.  She was blocking players taller than herself.  She also served up an ace and swatted away a dump shot attempt.  Carly Aigner-Swesey had an ace to get it to set point, which the Aggies closed out, 25-19.  The team almost lost Adam Young on  the radio on a point.  He flinched as a shot by Yanlis Feliz on Chicago State came at him on the sidelines.

 

In addition to the refs arriving late, Adam was really questioning some of their decisions.  They weren’t signaling some of the calls and were calling several tacky double touches and net violations.  The Aggies ran away with the final set, 25-15.  The Chicago State coach had called both of his timeouts early trying to stem the tide.  Late in the match, the Cougars couldn’t stop play or the bleeding.  Cat took the shot for the match, 3-1, and the championship.  I saw that coming. 

 

Katie Birtcil led the way with 19 kills.  Cat Kelly had 15, Shaney Lipscomb 13, and Lia Mosher 10.  Yanlis Feliz led everyone with 21 kills.  Given the quick turnaround to change the court over to basketball, the hour delay, and the Senior Day ceremony, the postgame was a complete rush.  I was kind of glad I wasn’t there for the UTEP game, as that would have been very disappointing.  With the delay, this game would have been long to sit through, but would have had a happy ending. 

 

I was really sorry that I didn’t get to see the ceremony for Cat and Shaney.  The coach was probably going to be full of praise for them.  I’ve heard a couple of interviews with Shaney, so I know she speaks well.  I was really curious to hear Cat address the crowd, as she always feels like the quiet one, but she’s extremely dedicated.  I know she’s a really nice girl from talking to her a couple of times.  One of the coaches said he thought she bled crimson (I’m sure that’s literally true) and would do anything for the team.  I know both of these girls have really set an example. 

 

I didn’t find out anything about the Women’s Basketball game that night.  It wasn’t on the radio or on TV.  (They have been on local over-the-air TV before.)  When I turned on the radio, our old friend from the El Paso Chihuahuas, Tim Hagerty, was doing the Men’s Basketball game, since Jack was coming back from Alabama and Adam was doing the TV side of the game (which wasn’t on over-the-air either).  He said this was his third time filling in.  The first two had been wins, so he was hoping to continue the streak. 

 

I forgot this was an early season rivalry game with UTEP.  It sounded like a good crowd there.  I’m not going to recap the game.  The Aggies mostly had the Miners under control.  They ran up a good lead late, but then slacked off and let it finish with a 77-71 victory.  Perhaps it could have been more dominating, but we’ll take it.   

 

 

WAC Tournament Quarterfinal vs. Utah Valley Wolverines 11-18-21

Coach Jordan was furious about the tournament seeding on the Aggie Coaches Show.  He thought the teams would paired up against opposing divisions.  Instead, the Aggies would be facing Utah Valley, whom they’ve already played twice.  The good news was that they’d beaten them both times.  The bad news was that it’s real hard to beat the same team three times in a season.  Coach Jordan was effusive in his praise of their star player, Kazna Tanuvasa.  “She’s been a thorn in our side for years.”  He’d also tried to recruit her, but she wanted to stay near family.  (He was very impressed with Yanlis Feliz on Chicago State.) 

 

The coach had expected to play Abilene Christian.  Host, Adam Young, had mentioned that seven of the eight teams had a good chance of winning.  I’m guessing AC was the team he didn’t give a chance to.  Coach Jordan was already mad enough over having the WAC move the tournament last year.  (That was mostly our governor’s fault.)  If he’s frustrated with the WAC, I’m sure their indifference will look like tender loving care compared to Conference-USA’s attitude in a couple of years.  Shoot, some conferences also put a postseason ban on new members for a couple of years.  The coach is probably trying not to think about any of this.   

 

Later on the show, Athletic Director Mario Moccia made a Freudian slip mentioning going to the Sunbelt Conference by accident.  I’m sure he wishes the football team was still with them.  This current conference move was strictly to find the football team a home.  It was not out of desire.  Even though a couple of teams in C-USA changed their minds and stayed in, I’m sure them and UTEP are still looking to move.  El Paso Sports Talk host, Steve Kaplowitz, was excited about NMSU and UTEP being together, along with John Tischer, voice of the Miners.  I think the fans are for it, too.  I just have a feeling that things are going to come apart before or shortly after it happens.         

 

Since I was off quarantine, I could have gone to the tournament.  I was already slotted to take those days off.  However, when I got back to work the day before the tournament, I came back to a big mess to clean up there after being off for ten days unexpectedly.  For a variety of reasons, I waived off going back on vacation.  I hate to make excuses, but it just didn’t feel right to go.         

 

As for the quarterfinal game on Thursday, I could only follow along with the live scoring.  It’s a way too nerve wracking way to follow any game.  Just to pull the band aid off, the Aggies lost 2-3 in five sets, 25-22, 17-25, 26-24, 21-25, 12-15.  Not having seen the game or listened to it, all I can do is look at the stats for the story.  Unfortunately, they’re not telling the story.  The Aggies and the Wolverines were pretty close, as the set scores indicate.  The biggest disparity I noted was on serve.  Utah Valley had 8 aces to 3 service errors.  The Aggies had 7 aces, but 8 service errors.  The Aggies led in kills, but trailed in blocks 10 to 14.

 

Individually, the Aggies did a good job of containing Kazna.  She finished with 11 kills, but she was in single digits until the fifth set.  However, Tori Dorius picked up the slack for UV with 14 kills.  For the Aggies, Katie Birtcil was unstoppable with 24 kills.  (So much for having a sore shoulder.)  Shaney Lipscomb had 14.  Unfortunately, everybody else was in single digits.  It looked bad on the stats that the setter, Carly Aigner-Swesey, had 4 kills.  That meant they were desperate for points.  I can only guess that the Wolverines did what UTEP did and just focused on containing Lia Mosher.  I’m also going to suspect that Cat Kelly’s great performance on Saturday came at the cost of exacerbating her nagging injuries.           

 

The team’s bug-a-boo this season may have been serving and receiving, but what they lacked was the ability to put teams away.  They were continuously getting forced into five-setters against nearly every tough team.  The Aggies had a short bench lacking options.  When a good team made an adjustment on them, Coach Jordan didn’t have any levers to pull to counteract them.  I hate to put this on one player, but Victoria Barrett not playing up to her spring season form and then getting booted from the team blew a hole in the Aggies that other teams kept exploiting.  It was bad foreshadowing that the newspaper ran a picture featuring Shaney and Victoria the first day of the tournament. 

 

I have to single out some seniors.  I’m guessing the coach didn’t really plan on using Cat Kelly as a starter this season with her chronic injuries, but she really stepped up and gave everything she had.  Shaney Lipscomb was an upper classman transfer.  She probably didn’t want to step on any toes, but finally took over team leadership this season.  It really sucks that I was never able to get that souvenir ball she threw me at the beginning of the season signed by her.  Lastly, since Lia Mosher is coming back next season, she needs to take over that mantle and improve her game.  She’s got a great hitting percentage, but not enough kills.     

 

I guess I’ll go ahead and post my sketches of alternate setter, Alana Embry, since the occasion never came up during the season.  She is very photogenic.  Since Carly is coming back, I’d think Alana would still be on bench mostly next season.  Coach Jordan kept mentioning Alana in encouraging tones in interviews.  He must like her and is hoping to groom her for the starting role later. 

 

Well, this all frees up my Saturday night.  I’d planned on going to the championship game if the Aggies were in it.  I should be more upset.  That 10-day layoff really took the enthusiasm for everything out of me.  I’m sorry I couldn’t have been there more.