Solid blocking can't save 'Dogs' offensive shortcomings
Blake Toppmeyer
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: 2007 South Central Regional
On a night when the Truman's offense performed below average, the Bulldogs couldn't quite block Washburn University (37-3) from reaching the Elite 8.
With Truman hitting just .145 for the match, the Bulldogs (36-6) relied on their defense - specifically strong front-line blocking - to thwart the Washburn attack. But Truman's 23-block effort wasn't enough. The Lady Blues claimed a 3-1 victory to advance to the Elite 8.
Truman head coach Jason Skoch said his Bulldogs needed every player performing well to beat Washburn.
"We just never had six solid people," Skoch said. "And that's it. When you get to good teams, you have to have six people. … You can't have someone taking a day off when you play great teams."
Truman's blocking Saturday was a continuance of what it had done to shut down opponents' offenses all season. The Bulldogs entered South Central Region play as the best blocking team from the MIAA conference and eighth best blocking team in the nation.
In the regional semifinals and finals combined, Truman outblocked its opponents 41 to 21.
Against Washburn, the Bulldogs limited the Lady Blues to a .183 hitting percentage, almost 100 points below their season average. Truman also contained Washburn's senior right side hitter Tessa Jones, a two-time All-American and the MIAA player of the year, early in the match. The Bulldogs' double-team blocking duos helped limit Jones to just one kill and a negative .250 hitting percentage in game one.
"Honestly she wasn't that big of a factor," Skoch said.
Behind their nine blocks in game one, the Bulldogs claimed a 1-0 lead. Truman hit just .167 in the game but junior middle blocker Allie Cherven led the Bulldog defense with one solo block and five block assists in the opening game. Leading 27-26, Cherven teamed up first with junior outside hitter Eli Medina and then with freshman right side hitter Courtney Larson to earn Truman two points off of blocks.
The Lady Blues shut down Cherven on the offensive side of the net, but the middle blocker was a defensive force all night. She finished the game with three solo blocks and 11 block assists.
With Truman hitting just .145 for the match, the Bulldogs (36-6) relied on their defense - specifically strong front-line blocking - to thwart the Washburn attack. But Truman's 23-block effort wasn't enough. The Lady Blues claimed a 3-1 victory to advance to the Elite 8.
Truman head coach Jason Skoch said his Bulldogs needed every player performing well to beat Washburn.
"We just never had six solid people," Skoch said. "And that's it. When you get to good teams, you have to have six people. … You can't have someone taking a day off when you play great teams."
Truman's blocking Saturday was a continuance of what it had done to shut down opponents' offenses all season. The Bulldogs entered South Central Region play as the best blocking team from the MIAA conference and eighth best blocking team in the nation.
In the regional semifinals and finals combined, Truman outblocked its opponents 41 to 21.
Against Washburn, the Bulldogs limited the Lady Blues to a .183 hitting percentage, almost 100 points below their season average. Truman also contained Washburn's senior right side hitter Tessa Jones, a two-time All-American and the MIAA player of the year, early in the match. The Bulldogs' double-team blocking duos helped limit Jones to just one kill and a negative .250 hitting percentage in game one.
"Honestly she wasn't that big of a factor," Skoch said.
Behind their nine blocks in game one, the Bulldogs claimed a 1-0 lead. Truman hit just .167 in the game but junior middle blocker Allie Cherven led the Bulldog defense with one solo block and five block assists in the opening game. Leading 27-26, Cherven teamed up first with junior outside hitter Eli Medina and then with freshman right side hitter Courtney Larson to earn Truman two points off of blocks.
The Lady Blues shut down Cherven on the offensive side of the net, but the middle blocker was a defensive force all night. She finished the game with three solo blocks and 11 block assists.
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