@Illinois Aug 31-Sep 1

**klamath632** · 07-17-2012, 07:40 AM

I live in the Chicago suburbs and I'm thinking about taking my wife and daughter down to Champaign to see the matches against UIUC. It would be nice to sit near other ISU fans, does anyone have advice on if the school sells any tickets for road games? Or any other advice you can give someone for travelling to an ISU road game?

**klamath632** · 08-31-2012, 08:13 PM

The girls are off to a bad start tonight. We've dropped the first two sets 25-16 and 25-22. The passing is not crisp, the offense is sputtering as a result. We also can't block their 6'6" OH Liz McMahan. I hope we have a comeback in us but it is looking grim.

**klamath632** · 08-31-2012, 11:08 PM

Really ugly match tonight. ISU couldn't string anything together. The offense just wasn't in sync at all. I wandered down near the benches at the end of the game, and it looked like one of the monitors with statistics had us around .190 hitting.

The only girl that could put it down consistently was Victoria Hurtt. She looked great on offense. Our blocking was ragged, rarely did we have a good block in place in time to force the hitter to take it easy. That made it that much harder to get a good pass to the setter. Just all around not in sync.

I hope we can put a better match together tomorrow. Illinois looks shaky on defense themselves, if we can just press the attack a little harder, I think we can make them beat themselves.

Final game lost 25-16, so wrap things up on the night with a 0-3 loss.

**Buster28** · 09-01-2012, 09:12 AM

Yuk. It just doesn't seem like we've got it together so far. There were chances in the FSU and Tennessee matches, but seems like we fell apart at Illinois. Hopefully today's match will be better and we'll pull out a win since Christy will have more of an idea of what to expect now.

**klamath632** · 09-01-2012, 05:52 PM

Signs of fight from the girls today. Woke up in the middle of the first match when down 23-19, and forced their way back into the game before falling 28-26.
Came out and dominated game two 25-19. Kristen Hahn was amazing in the back row for the Clones, digging balls that had no business staying alive. The offense clicked getting out to a 16-6 lead and cruising to the 25-19 win.
Just starting game three and it is more of the same. Our girls will not let the ball touch the floor, and we are out to a 5-1 lead. Illinois just called timeout. Go Cyclones!

**klamath632** · 09-01-2012, 06:20 PM

And our girls hang on to win game three 25-22, winning a war of attrition. The blocking is coordinated and the defense is impenetrable. Cannot say enough about the play from Hahn today. Inspired.

Game four starting now, Cyclones up two sets to one.

**Royalclone** · 09-01-2012, 07:17 PM

Whew, they got rid of that monkey. Another five match set, but ISU comes out on top with a 15-10 win in the last set. 25 kills for Bigbee with a .409 pct. Landwher with 59 assists, Hahn with 21 digs and Hock with 17 digs as well.

**TCG** · 09-01-2012, 07:54 PM

Awesome, I thought we might win after the football team did. This has to build our confidence; losing two close 5 setters then going to a loud illinois gym and losing in straight sets. Bigbee was huge, she's going to be special.

**klamath632** · 09-01-2012, 11:18 PM

The body language today was night and day different from last night. The girls looked frustrated, and almost resigned to their fates last night. Today, they looked determined, and when something didn't go their way, they smiled and cheered each other on. I'm hoping today's match was this season's turnaround point.

Also, I hadn't noted yet: the same two officials reffed both matches, and they were many very questionable calls. Phantom tips on blocks that weren't even close to being tipped; several four-hit offenses; one spike that rolled on the tape on top of the net all the way across the court falling out of bounds ruled a block, even though not a single player even thought about challenging it (they were all crouched down waiting for it to come off the net...) I thought the officiating was appalling, just awful.

**gizzsdad** · 09-04-2012, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by klamath632

The body language today was night and day different from last night. The girls looked frustrated, and almost resigned to their fates last night. Today, they looked determined, and when something didn't go their way, they smiled and cheered each other on. I'm hoping today's match was this season's turnaround point.

Also, I hadn't noted yet: the same two officials reffed both matches, and they were many very questionable calls. Phantom tips on blocks that weren't even close to being tipped; several four-hit offenses; one spike that rolled on the tape on top of the net all the way across the court falling out of bounds ruled a block, even though not a single player even thought about challenging it (they were all crouched down waiting for it to come off the net...) I thought the officiating was appalling, just awful.

Based on your extensive experience officiating D1 I'm sure.

**klamath632** · 09-05-2012, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by gizzsdad

Based on your extensive experience officiating D1 I'm sure.

What's your beef dude?

**BoxsterCy** · 09-05-2012, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by klamath632

The body language today was night and day different from last night. The girls looked frustrated, and almost resigned to their fates last night. Today, they looked determined, and when something didn't go their way, they smiled and cheered each other on. I'm hoping today's match was this season's turnaround point.

Also, I hadn't noted yet: the same two officials reffed both matches, and they were many very questionable calls. Phantom tips on blocks that weren't even close to being tipped; several four-hit offenses; one spike that rolled on the tape on top of the net all the way across the court falling out of bounds ruled a block, even though not a single player even thought about challenging it (they were all crouched down waiting for it to come off the net...) I thought the officiating was appalling, just awful.

Thanks for sharing with us who couldn't watch. Hope to get down to at least one of the upcoming home matches.

**gizzsdad** · 09-06-2012, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by klamath632

What's your beef dude?

No beef. I just find it amusing when people who likely have no training, no experience and no knowledge of the rules have such strong opinions on officiating.

**klamath632** · 09-06-2012, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by gizzsdad

No beef. I just find it amusing when people who likely have no training, no experience and no knowledge of the rules have such strong opinions on officiating.

Let's see. Went to Davenport North High School in the late 80s, early 90s-- powerhouse state of Iowa program back then under Amy Baker. Played volleyball during the summer with all of the players. Coached USVBA teams for North High School. Organized my own volleyball team to play in weekend tournaments and the Iowa Games. Worked for the Davenport School District coaching volleyball at the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade levels. Played volleyball in leagues, indoor and outdoor. Entered beach volleyball tournaments during the summer. Worked for the City of Davenport reffing their summer league games. Coach youth volleyball in Wheaton, IL now.

I've got a little bit of experience to draw from.