|
Post by ohiovb on Sept 13, 2006 12:15:10 GMT -5
There doesn't seem to be any interest on these boards for anything other than DI, but here goes.
The Walsh Cavaliers (North Canton, OH), who just a few seasons ago made four consecutive trips to the NAIA Nationals, are off to a good start this year. The Cavs are 12-1, with their only loss to DII California University (PA). In the process, they've knocked off three other DII schools, and when the latest NAIA poll appears today, they should move somewhere into the top 20.
They're young, with only one senior in outside hitter Jamie Herr. They have some good size and firepower and their ball control is improving. Probably only Cedarville is a threat (and they're a serious one) to their returning to nationals, which this year are in Columbia, Missouri.
If anyone else follows NAIA volleyball, please post something about your teams.
|
|
|
Post by Wolfgang on Sept 13, 2006 12:33:08 GMT -5
Even if you think no one cares, you should post anyway.
I don't understand the lurker mentality. People come to this forum (and other forums) to read and they complain no one discusses this-that-and-the-other. Then they leave. Well, it doesn't work that way. This forum grows with the posters and the subject matter they post about.
From 1997-2000, I used to frequent a gamer's forum on the NCAA College Football series. I was the ONLY fan of the Univ. of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. I was the ONLY one who posted game scores (mostly losses, btw). I was the ONLY one playing with Hawaii on that PlayStation game. I was the ONLY one suffering through a boring WAC season. I posted my dynasty seasons, the scores, the highlights, the lowlights. Not only that, I was one of the few playing the game in Coach Mode. Yes, in the beginning, it was very lonely. But did it stop me? Does anything stop me? No! But over time, people cared. Yes they did! *sniff*
|
|
|
Post by ohiovb on Sept 13, 2006 15:02:56 GMT -5
Well, I'm not a lurker, I've posted on other subjects (Ohio State, Ohio U.), and I wasn't complaining, I was just wondering if there was any interest in NAIA (or even DII or DIII) vb. If there are responses, I'll continue to post. If not, well, I don't see much point in posting just to read my own thoughts. :-)
Hawaii has a football team? Sand or grass? ;-)
|
|
|
Post by FreeBall on Sept 13, 2006 15:33:49 GMT -5
I am a fan of Hastings College, an NAIA school located in Hastings, Nebraska. They have a 10-0 record so far this season and are ranked 11th in the latest poll. Unfortunately, my work schedule and trips to Lincoln for Nebraska matches make it difficult to attend very many of the home matches. Hastings College is hosting 12 teams this Friday and Saturday for an event in which each team plays four matches. The 12 teams include five from the same conference as Hastings College (Great Plains Athletic Conference) and seven others from around the country. Included in the group of seven are #1 ranked National American out of Rapid City, SD and #10 ranked Azusa Pacific. Hastings College plays Azusa Pacific at 8:00 PM (CDT) on Friday and National American at 4:00 PM (CDT) on Saturday. Unfortunately, it does not look like Azusa Pacific and National American are scheduled to play each other. The schedule for the event and results will be available at: www.hastings.edu/igsbase/igstemplate.cfm?SRC=DB&SRCN=&GnavID=17&SnavID=50&TnavID=370
|
|
|
Post by learning on Sept 13, 2006 16:14:00 GMT -5
Thanks for posting the link. I am a fan of this division as well. I think this tournament weekend will let us all know how the teams will be doing this season.
|
|
|
Post by The Bofa on the Sofa on Sept 13, 2006 16:20:32 GMT -5
I'm not a NAIA guy, but if you have any DIII insight, don't hesitate to post it.
|
|
|
Post by ohiovb on Sept 13, 2006 17:12:14 GMT -5
I wish Walsh could bring in teams like your Hastings is for that tournament. But this area, though, just doesn't have that caliber of team. The majority of the NAIA teams around here are very weak and honestly not of much interest to watch. Besides the DII tournament that Walsh was in, they also went to a tournament in Chicago where they went undefeated in four matches. The competition there was better, but only Cornerstone was nationally ranked, and Walsh didn't play them.
Let us know how that tourney plays out; I wish I could watch it.
I did see a very good NAIA team play last week, Georgetown College of Kentucky. They knocked off DII Ashland in three straight. Georgetown's offense was decent, but nothing special. But they played excellent defense, both on hard hit balls and in anticipating tips and dumps. Great ball control. I don't think they have the hitters to be a factor at the nationals, though.
|
|
|
Post by 2c on Sept 13, 2006 17:43:13 GMT -5
NAIA championships aren't at PLN? Bummer.
How's CSM out of Omaha look this year?
|
|
|
Post by IdahoBoy on Sept 13, 2006 19:47:50 GMT -5
I used to watch a lot of NAIA volleyball, but not since moving to Hawaii. Lewis-Clark State College was the home-town team, but I also followed others in the Northwest.
|
|
|
Post by freeballer2 on Sept 13, 2006 23:10:26 GMT -5
National American with its team of Brazilians will kick everyone this year.
|
|
kj18
Freshman
Posts: 52
|
Post by kj18 on Sept 14, 2006 15:16:13 GMT -5
How about the GSAC Conference? They are pretty solid with the #2 team in Fresno Pacific #3 in Cal Baptist #4 in Concordia #10 in Azusa Pacific #16 in Point Loma and #20 in Biola. I know National American beat Cal Baptist in 4 games the first weekend of the season, but the teams that come out of this conference will be tested numerous times during the season. The GSAC would be one of the best if not the best DII conference and their top 3 teams would hold their own against a lot of D1 teams. Cal Baptist plays UC Riverside this weekend and Fresno Pacific playes Fresno State in a few weeks. Last year Fresno Pacific hammered Fresno State in 3 games.
|
|
|
Post by ohiovb on Sept 14, 2006 16:29:10 GMT -5
There's definitely a lot of overlap in the divisions. Not now, but 3-4 years ago when Walsh was loaded I believe they would have held their own in the DI MAC conference, probably finishing in the middle of the pack. Even this season, as I mentioned earlier, they've gone 3-1 against DII teams.
|
|
|
Post by freeballer2 on Sept 16, 2006 18:05:05 GMT -5
cal baptist @ uc riverside and fresno pacific @ fresno state should be awesome matches. i say the naia schools will prevail.
|
|
|
Post by FreeBall on Sept 17, 2006 12:19:38 GMT -5
I was working Friday and out-of-town yesterday, so did not have the opportunity to attend any of the matches this weekend.
#11 Hastings College beat #10 Azusa Pacific in five games on Friday (30-25, 28-30, 30-27, 22-30, 15-9).
#1 National American swept Hastings College on Saturday (30-21, 30-25, 30-24).
As stated previously, Azusa Pacific and National American did not play each other. However, National American swept all four of its matches and surrendered more than 25 points in only one game out of 12. They were obviously the class of the field. On a somewhat ironic note - the local paper had an article a couple of days ago that mentioned National American only had two American players on their roster. The rest of the team was all from Brazil.
|
|
|
Post by ohiovb on Sept 17, 2006 13:23:23 GMT -5
Walsh had a successfull weekend playing at Taylor University (Indiana), winning all four of their matches. The competition was decent, if not stellar, and Walsh was probably extended more than they should have been. They knocked off Trinity International, Taylor, Campbellsville, and Trinity Christian. However, the only sweep was against Trinity Christian in their last match of the invitational.
Walsh almost always breaks out of the gate strong, taking early leads and playing at a level that few of their opponents are capable of matching. But they rarely are able to sustain that level of play. And as you all know, momentum is king in volleyball. Once you lose it, it's hard to get back. If they are hoping to go far this year, to bump off Cedarville on the road to nationals, they're going to have to improve dramatically in that area, to play at or near their peak for longer stretches. Easy to talk about, tough to do.
|
|