How about 62?
After three very good sets, the wheels fell off for the Lady Bucs' (1-3) offense, turning in nineteen attack errors and a negative attack percentage in the final two sets against Appalachian State (4-0) to lose 3-2 after going up 2-1 out of the intermission.
The Ladies committed 46 attack errors in total, along with seven service errors, four return errors, and five blocking errors. For comparison, Whitney Cogburn had 46 assists (although she could have easily had 60 or more). This is nothing new, unfortunately, but let's focus on the here-and-now, and why this is such a serious problem.
One of my favorite things about volleyball is that, like baseball, it lends itself well to heavy statistical analysis, so I'm going to throw some numbers out for you, the reader. The VolleyBucs are committing 27.3 attack errors per match. For the uninitiated, in volleyball, unlike baseball, each error concedes a point to the other team. It takes 25 points to win a set (unless it's the fifth set of a match, which is fifteen). So, during the course of regular play, that's a set's worth of points every match given away on attack errors through their first four tilts of the year. If you factor in all other forms of errors, it's 40 points per game that they're conceding on unforced errors. They gave away two sets' worth against the Mountaineers on Tuesday. Even the central fixtures of ETSU's offense - Cogburn, Alysa Long (13 kills, 3 blocks, .250 ATT%), and Erin Ryan (11 kills, 8 digs, .161 ATT%) combined for seventeen attack errors. Cogburn had two service errors and three blocking errors on top of that. High-school All-American Megan Devine had turned in nine attack errors to offset an otherwise very good overall night. It's enough to make a coach's hair fall out.
And under her calm, composed presence on the sidelines, Coach Devine has to be searching for a way to get this team on track. Even against Lipscomb, who could very easily run the table again this year, the VolleyBucs can't afford a performance like the one they had last night.
But, to keep this from sounding like a totally portentous piece, there are positives to be taken away from
Tuesday night's breakdown. Mainly, that this team has very talented position players. Cogburn and Long are givens, and Ryan has come roaring out of the gate as well, but I'm talking more about the underclassmen. At just 5'3", juco transfer Kiley Tamblyn is going to be a very big presence on defense for this team. She does a great job of getting to the ball from the back line and setting up the offense. I encourage my readers to find a good nickname for Tamblyn based on her defensive abilities. And no, "Diglett" (or "Diglette") is not an option.Aforementioned frosh Megan Devine will also be an impact player if she can keep the errors down, and Summer Kremer, after a wholly unmemorable first home serve, looked like she could be a solid player on the flanks as well.
In unrelated news, my shoes stink.
Speaking of things that stink (like that really bad segue), Kelly Hodge reported today that basketball assistant coach Will Bailey (right) is now an assistant for prestigious La Salle in the A-10. He'll have a chance to make immediate improvements on a team that finished 4-12 in conference play in a league that includes mid-major powers Temple and Xavier. Best of luck, coach!
Speaking of luck, Calabrese and the men's footy squad dropped their regular season opener 1-0 to Furman yesterday. I wish I could have seen this game live. With only sixteen combined shots and three bookings (all three in the first half, within ten minutes of each other), it sounds like it was a fairly chippy affair in Greenville, especially the first half.
The women's team will debut the lights tonight against King College at 7 PM.
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