The Matchup We Have All Been Waiting For
By John Scognamiglio
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, it's going to be hard to replicate the earlier matches fans of Division II volleyball have witnessed all day. But for tonight's main course, the NCAA proudly brings to us No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney vs. No. 4 Truman State. A spot in the Final Four is on the line. The UNK Health and Sports Center is nearly filled with fans wearing blue and white or donning white and blue paint. For one of these teams tonight, there is no tomorrow. The previous match between Lock Haven and Cal State-L.A. set an NCAA Division II volleyball record with 3873 in attendance. Trust me sports fans, that record will be short-lived.
This has the makings of being the biggest rematch since Rocky vs. Apollo. Never have two teams wanted so badly to prove that last year was no fluke. UNK has the home-court advantage, the 'Dogs have the battle-tested mentality. When the irresitible force meets the immovable object, the outcome is always determined by who brings it more. Two matches today have gone the distance, five games. The first match went four games. If today is any indicator, tonight is going to be an instant classic.
8:40 Start your engines folks
8:51 With a 5-0 run, Kearney takes the lead 14-10, causing Coach Skoch to take his first timeout of the match
9:04 Truman State drops game one by a score of 30-25. The 'Dogs were able to hold off Kearney and following a great rally were down 25-29. There was so much action but it looked like Truman couldn't come back, being down at one point 14-21. With that last little flurry though, some of the momentum may have shifted to the Bulldogs.
9:16 Gudmundson reached double digit kills with to make the score 15-10
9:24 Truman is trying their darndest to claw back into the contest, almost tying the game on seperate occasions, but after four straight Loper points, Skoch calls timeout with the 'Dogs down 20-25.
9:28 Truman calls timeout after clawing to within three points 25-28. It has been a dynamite matchup so far, but the lingering question remains: where is the attack of Sarah Shearman?
9:31 Truman has staved off several game points again and find themselves down by one 28-29 as Kearney takes a timeout. There have been several great volleys during this game. Can Truman pull it out and even the match?
9:32 Question answered as Kearney wins game two 30-28. The Loper faithful breaks out into chants of "Ole, ole ole," as the teams switch sides for what could be the final game?
9:36 Gudmundson leads off game three with her 13th kill of the match.
9:37 Truman has their first lead since way back in early game one with a score of 2-1.
9:44 Kearney takes the lead 12-11 on a Gudmundson kill.
9:46 Gudmundson is a one-woman wrecking crew. Whenever Truman seems to get on a run, she makes a big kill to stop the momentum.
9:50 Kearney has a two point lead at 19-17 as Skoch calls his first timeout of game three. Please, Conor, Adam, Tyler and I don't want to come home tomorrow.
9:51 Kearney is on a seven point run with Gudmundson on the bench.
9:53 Skoch calls his final timeout of the game with the score at 24-18. Please, we really don't want to come home tomorrow.
9:56 Whitney Boehler service ace puts score at 22-25.
9:57 Another Bulldog run snuffed by Gudmundson. Maybe there is something to this player of the year thing.
9:58 Kearney calls a timeout with the score 27-26 Lopers.
10:01 Game point for the Bulldogs with the score 29-28. Let's hope the run can continue for a few more minutes.
10:03 Bonus volleyball as Tiffany Graham saves the 'Dogs tying the score at 30 apiece.
10:04 The Loper crowd grows restless as Sarah Shearman ensures there is a game four of the match. The squad holds on 32-30. Momentum may have shifted after several close calls. It's not unlike Rocky IV when Drago gets cut and the announcer goes, "The Russian is cut, and it's a bad cut." The 'Dogs need to start out strong and keep the Loper crowd in stunned awe and silence.
10:08 Truman starts out game four with a huge 4-0 run, prompting a Loper timeout. Kelsey has abandoned the jump serve and it has proven useful with two service aces in the run.
10:09 Gudmundson's 20th kill stops the early run.
10:15 Truman calls their first timeout as the Lopers have rallied to tie the score at 10 apiece. The Lopers just keep coming in waves, going on their own four point run.
10:17 Kearney takes first lead of game 12-11. Truman answers back tying the score at 12 apiece.
10:21 With several calls going against the Lopers, I'm staring to question, "Do refs get paid by the game?" Anyways, score tied at 18 all.
10:24 21 all in the game. First to nine wins.
10:27 Gudmundson is just playing on a high level of volleyball right now. Skoch takes his final timeout of game four with UNK up 24-26 and Gudmundson serving. My editor, Conor, tells me if we can get one point and make it 25-26, Gudmundson will have to sit.
10:31 Kearney wins 30-27. Great game all around, but a heartbreaker for the Bulldogs.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, it's going to be hard to replicate the earlier matches fans of Division II volleyball have witnessed all day. But for tonight's main course, the NCAA proudly brings to us No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney vs. No. 4 Truman State. A spot in the Final Four is on the line. The UNK Health and Sports Center is nearly filled with fans wearing blue and white or donning white and blue paint. For one of these teams tonight, there is no tomorrow. The previous match between Lock Haven and Cal State-L.A. set an NCAA Division II volleyball record with 3873 in attendance. Trust me sports fans, that record will be short-lived.
This has the makings of being the biggest rematch since Rocky vs. Apollo. Never have two teams wanted so badly to prove that last year was no fluke. UNK has the home-court advantage, the 'Dogs have the battle-tested mentality. When the irresitible force meets the immovable object, the outcome is always determined by who brings it more. Two matches today have gone the distance, five games. The first match went four games. If today is any indicator, tonight is going to be an instant classic.
8:40 Start your engines folks
8:51 With a 5-0 run, Kearney takes the lead 14-10, causing Coach Skoch to take his first timeout of the match
9:04 Truman State drops game one by a score of 30-25. The 'Dogs were able to hold off Kearney and following a great rally were down 25-29. There was so much action but it looked like Truman couldn't come back, being down at one point 14-21. With that last little flurry though, some of the momentum may have shifted to the Bulldogs.
9:16 Gudmundson reached double digit kills with to make the score 15-10
9:24 Truman is trying their darndest to claw back into the contest, almost tying the game on seperate occasions, but after four straight Loper points, Skoch calls timeout with the 'Dogs down 20-25.
9:28 Truman calls timeout after clawing to within three points 25-28. It has been a dynamite matchup so far, but the lingering question remains: where is the attack of Sarah Shearman?
9:31 Truman has staved off several game points again and find themselves down by one 28-29 as Kearney takes a timeout. There have been several great volleys during this game. Can Truman pull it out and even the match?
9:32 Question answered as Kearney wins game two 30-28. The Loper faithful breaks out into chants of "Ole, ole ole," as the teams switch sides for what could be the final game?
9:36 Gudmundson leads off game three with her 13th kill of the match.
9:37 Truman has their first lead since way back in early game one with a score of 2-1.
9:44 Kearney takes the lead 12-11 on a Gudmundson kill.
9:46 Gudmundson is a one-woman wrecking crew. Whenever Truman seems to get on a run, she makes a big kill to stop the momentum.
9:50 Kearney has a two point lead at 19-17 as Skoch calls his first timeout of game three. Please, Conor, Adam, Tyler and I don't want to come home tomorrow.
9:51 Kearney is on a seven point run with Gudmundson on the bench.
9:53 Skoch calls his final timeout of the game with the score at 24-18. Please, we really don't want to come home tomorrow.
9:56 Whitney Boehler service ace puts score at 22-25.
9:57 Another Bulldog run snuffed by Gudmundson. Maybe there is something to this player of the year thing.
9:58 Kearney calls a timeout with the score 27-26 Lopers.
10:01 Game point for the Bulldogs with the score 29-28. Let's hope the run can continue for a few more minutes.
10:03 Bonus volleyball as Tiffany Graham saves the 'Dogs tying the score at 30 apiece.
10:04 The Loper crowd grows restless as Sarah Shearman ensures there is a game four of the match. The squad holds on 32-30. Momentum may have shifted after several close calls. It's not unlike Rocky IV when Drago gets cut and the announcer goes, "The Russian is cut, and it's a bad cut." The 'Dogs need to start out strong and keep the Loper crowd in stunned awe and silence.
10:08 Truman starts out game four with a huge 4-0 run, prompting a Loper timeout. Kelsey has abandoned the jump serve and it has proven useful with two service aces in the run.
10:09 Gudmundson's 20th kill stops the early run.
10:15 Truman calls their first timeout as the Lopers have rallied to tie the score at 10 apiece. The Lopers just keep coming in waves, going on their own four point run.
10:17 Kearney takes first lead of game 12-11. Truman answers back tying the score at 12 apiece.
10:21 With several calls going against the Lopers, I'm staring to question, "Do refs get paid by the game?" Anyways, score tied at 18 all.
10:24 21 all in the game. First to nine wins.
10:27 Gudmundson is just playing on a high level of volleyball right now. Skoch takes his final timeout of game four with UNK up 24-26 and Gudmundson serving. My editor, Conor, tells me if we can get one point and make it 25-26, Gudmundson will have to sit.
10:31 Kearney wins 30-27. Great game all around, but a heartbreaker for the Bulldogs.
posted by Anonymous at Thursday, December 01, 2005
3 Comments:
Nice work with the running diary...tough way to lose. Was the crowd a big factor? Was Gunmundson THAT much better than the rest? What were the Truman player reactions after the game? What about Skoch? And, are you guys coming home tomorrow?
-Joe
dude, the webcast was about to give me a heart attack. Such a tough way to end the year, but you can't give the 'Dogs enough credit for the way they hung in there. That's why we love them so much!
John,
Would have been fun to follow, but being there...and part of that crowd was worth it. The only real problem with the game is that someone has to lose. Sure, it was a "rematch" of Truman vs UNK, but no way were we watching the same personnel from the 2004 semi-final match in Miami Shores. UNK was the same (except for one) but Truman has many new faces. Coach Skoch, startinng freshmen and of course, just where did K Wack come from this season? Truman's middle's have been there before, but basically, this team had a completely different look from the Sears, Mini, LD and AnnieMarie era.
Getting to the Elite 8 was a great accomplishment. Sure, I would have liked to see Truman go the distance, but I think this team can hold their heads high, bid their Seniors a sad farewell and look forward to a rewarding 2006 season.
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