Volleyball 2012... FIRST YEAR BIG SKY!

[SWSiouxMN]

In spite of the close road loss to NAU, that plus the PSU win seem to indicate that UND has improved during the course of the season. Where they need improvement is the second match of the weeknd.

Without question, they have really grown up and have really started to gel, they will still be a tough out for any of the top teams. Just imagine how scary this team is going to be next year.

[SWSiouxMN]

Score updates

NAU edges UND 3-2

UNC sweeps SUU 3-0

PSU sweeps Weber 3-0

EWU is leading ISU 2-1

Sac State is leading MSU 2-1

[SWSiouxMN]

UPDATE: EWU has upset ISU 3-1, they have really come along to finish strong.

[SWSiouxMN]

UPDATE: MSU now tied with Sac State at 2. We will see if we clinch the 5 seed or all 6 playoff spots will be decided by the end of the night

[SWSiouxMN]

UPDATE: Sac State bail out UND with a 5 set win over MSU. We clinch the 5 seed and will play UNC in the first round in the Big Sky tourney. Sac State keeps their slim playoff hopes alive with the win and now have the head to head over MSU

[Smoggy]

When I saw she was up to serve toward the end of the fifth set, I called the error before she did it. It was the turning point toward UND's doom.

Ya jinxed us!!!

In all seriousness it was a momentum killer after we had stopped their run.

[Teeder11]

Ya jinxed us!!!

In all seriousness it was a momentum killer after we had stopped their run.

LOL, Yeah, to be honest, I didn't say it out loud, but I mumbled it under my breath. I've just seen it to many times this year. I should not be down on the ladies, though, they are doing fine. And, as I look to next year, wow, just wow...we should be stacked.

[Smoggy]

LOL, Yeah, to be honest, I didn't say it out loud, but I mumbled it under my breath. I've just seen it to many times this year. I should not be down on the ladies, though, they are doing fine. And, as I look to next year, wow, just wow...we should be stacked.

What a change from the start of the year in terms of the level of play from UND. This team has really been playing well as we get to tourney time. I feel we can play with anyone in the league as we've hung with even Idaho St. for the most part. Still very disappointed in those Montana St. losses.

[SWSiouxMN]

Scenarios for Saturday/Monday games for Big Sky Play

1. IDAHO STATE (16-3, 22-6)

The Bengals have clinched a playoff spot

They will win the conference outright and get the #1 seed with

1. A win over PSU
   

They will also clinch a first round bye if

1. A win over PSU OR
   
2. A NAU loss to UNC
   

2. Portland State (16-3, 20-10)

The Vikings have clinched a playoff spot

They can win the conference and take the #1 seed with

1. A win over ISU
   

They can clinch a first round bye with

1. A win over ISU OR
   
2. A NAU loss to UNC
   

3. Northern Arizona (15-4, 24-5)

They have clinched a playoff spot

They can get a first round bye with

1. A NAU win over UNC AND
   
2. The ISU/PSU loser
   

4. Northern Colorado (13-6, 20-10)

They have clinched a playoff spot and cannot move from the #4 seed

5. North Dakota (10-9, 15-15)

They have clinched a playoff spot and cannot move from the #5 seed

6. Montana State (8-11, 14-13)

The Bobcats hold the last playoff spot, but missed a golden opportunity to clinch it last night in a 5 set loss to Sac State

They can clinch a playoff spot with

1. A MSU win over Montana OR
   
2. A SUU loss to UND AND
   
3. A Sac State Loss to Montana
   

7. Southern Utah (7-12, 11-20)

SUU is 1 game back from Montana State for the last playoff spot

They can clinch a playoff spot with

1. A SUU win over UND AND
   
2. A Sac State loss to Montana AND
   
3. A MSU loss to Montana
   

8. Sacramento State (7-12, 11-18)

Sac State is 1 game back from Montana State for the last spot and have the critical tiebreaker over MSU (head to head 2-0)

They can clinch a playoff spot with

1. A Sac State win over Montana AND
   
2. A MSU loss to Montana
   

So here is what the bracket possibilties would look like

1. ISU/PSU

BYE

4. UNC

5. UND

3. NAU/PSU/ISU

6. MSU/SUU/SAC STATE

2. NAU/PSU/ISU

BYE

[SiouxVolley]

With EWU winning over ISU, the UND's wins last weekend over EWU and PSU are all the more impressive. EWU could have been a top team with their current lineup.

UNC may be overlooking UND too because of their wins here and in Greeley. It's hard to beat a team three times in a row, especially with UND improving. But with the tournament in Greeley, that may be the key to UNC.

[SWSiouxMN]

Updated Big Sky Tournament

1 PSU

BYE

4 UNC

5 UND

3 NAU

6 MONT ST/SAC ST

2 ISU

BYE

A Montana state win over Montana gets them in, if they lose Sac State gets in

[SiouxVolley]

Updated Big Sky Tournament

1 PSU

BYE

4 UNC

5 UND

3 NAU

6 MONT ST/SAC ST

2 ISU

BYE

A Montana state win over Montana gets them in, if they lose Sac State gets in

The loss to SUU last night seems to show that UND is well prepared for the first game of a weekend, but not so much for the second. Maybe it's just mental from a youthful team. The loss to SUU also shows UND isn't surging as much as previous matches indicated.

The timing of the matches - Friday noon for the quarterfinals and Friday evening for the semifinals - is not a schedule that UND thrives on. Now think it takes a miracle to win this.

[Smoggy]

I do like our two matchups because we've gone 5 with unc twice and beat Portland st. in 3. But that should give Portland St. some motivation and that 2 matches in a day thing doesn't sound fun.

[SWSiouxMN]

Montana State took down Montana in 4 tonight, so the tourney is set

1 PSU

BYE

4 UNC

5 UND

3 NAU

6 MSU

2 ISU

BYE

[Smoggy]

I believe we will be looking to play about 11 (after first game) and then at 7ish if we win.

[dmksioux]

Well, UNC came out hot in the first set. It didn't help that UND had 5 service errors as well as a few receiving errors when UNC was serving. Final Score was 25-13. UND will have to step it up a couple of gears to match the intensity and level of play that UNC is demonstrating if they want a chance to continue their season.

[dmksioux]

In the second game, UND kept it close until it was 15-13. UNC took over that point and won the set 25-13. Just too many errors by UND. Also need to give UNC credit as they look darn good today. Unless something changes, UND will have to chalk this up to a learning experience for next year. Teams need to step it up a couple notches come tourney time. UNC has and UND hasn't.

[Teeder11]

UNC is really good at sucking our players up close to the net and then hitting it hard to our backrow where we have one defender, if any, to make a futile attempt flail at the ball and save it.

That leads me to the fact that we flail around way too much. UNC blocks and digs are very controlled and usually bounce high into the air and well within the boundaries.

Finally, save Munkeby and sometimes Parlich and Robinson, why do so many of our kill attempts appear to be rainbow shots instead of low trajectory lasers?

Maybe I'm being too hard on the girls but these things and the service and receiving errors have frustrated me all year.

[Smoggy]

Well as disappointing as it was to lose it seems UNC was on as they came back from 2-0 deficit to beat Idaho St.

[dmksioux]

UNC drew the #5 seed, Oregon, in the NCAA vb tournament. This means that UNC is basically a #15 seed since only 16 teams are seeded in the tournament of 64 (1-4 are #1 seeds, 5-8 are #2 seeds, etc). UND played two other teams beside UNC that made the tournament...USC and Texas A&M. If anyone is interested, here is a link to the tournament bracket: http://www.ncaa.com/...l-women/d1/2012

[dmksioux]

I received my football ticket renewal info in the mail today. The packet included info on season tix for other sports ad well. It appears as though UND will be hosting Texas A&M in volleyball next season. So the women's bb team is hosting a Pac 12 team and the vb team is hosting an SEC team...nice to see some home games against the big conference schools. A&M had a solid vb team last year and made the NCAA tourney.

[WeAreNorthDakota]

Which Pac 12 team is coming for WBB? Is Utah making a return trip?

[dmksioux]

Yep, the Utes are coming to the Betty.

[SiouxVolley]

Would think that Ole Miss also owes UND a return trip in volleyball, but likely not in the same tournament that Texas A&M will come for as both are in the SEC. Just having Texas A&M at the Betty makes UND's own tournament very attractive.

With Texas A&M, NDSU, SDSU, as well as challenging for the Big Sky, hopefully average attendance will be over 1500.

South Florida seems to owe women's basketball a return trip.

For volleyball, the spring "exhibition" season seems to be going very well:

The University of North Dakota volleyball team embarked on its 2013 Spring schedule at the University of Northern Iowa Saturday, defeating some top talent in the process. UND went 7-2 on the day, sweeping the host Panthers (2-0), splitting with the University of Minnesota (1-1) and getting the best of both South Dakota (2-1) and Iowa Ice (former Division I players, 2-0).

[darell1976]

Is the schedule for vb available online?