By Stevie Corio — Staff Writer
San Jose State (10-18) fell in an intense heartbreaker to No. 11 Colorado State (27-1) on Thursday night in a five-set game.
There are three things that the Spartans need to tighten up on if they want to be able to close these close games in the future.
1. Limit Unforced Errors
The Spartans have proven to be a scrappy team that gets up those impossible balls, but when it comes to making smart moves in tight situations, they tend to make mistakes.
Unforced errors usually include things like serving into the net or out, hitting the ball out of bounds or other technical errors.
The one unforced error in particular that the Spartans need to improve on is reducing the amount of doubles.
A double is when the setter goes to set the ball, but it isn’t a clean set. It’s essentially a free point to the other team.
2. Cut Back on Overpasses and Freeballs
Colorado State had some extremely tall hitters on their team which of course is going to lead to some wild dig on the Spartans’ side of the net.
In the third set, the Spartans failed to tighten up on controlling their digs on these hard-hit 10-foot line kills.
When a player is essentially standing above the net and bouncing balls on the ten-foot line, the other team is bound to over-pass or send over a scrappy free ball.
If the Spartans would have been able to keep these balls in play on their side of the net, it would have given them a better opportunity to get three solid touches on the ball.
Overpassing a ball or sending a free ball over the net is exactly that, a free ball. It’s an easy return for the other team and typically ends in them running the perfect fast-paced offense and obtaining a kill.
“Getting a couple more swings in transitions would have been nice which we didn’t quite execute,” said head coach Jolene Shepardson. “That’s why they kind of ran up the score early in the fifth set.”
3. Move the Ball Around
The Spartans definitely utilized their go-to hitters Thursday, but if the team on the other side of the net is any good, they will be able to read the setter and the hitter on their opponent’s side.
Colorado State began to pick up on the Spartan’s go-to players and was setting up their blocks and defense accordingly.
If the Spartans’ setters moved the ball around more on their side of the net, there may have also been some more opportunities for kills.
For example, Haylee Nelson and Fernanda Vido are the two right sides for San Jose State and often times the right sides tend to get some funky sets that are either pushed way to far passed the pin, or are dying inside.
“I don’t respect their block,” Vido said. “I didn’t respect that the girl was super tall and right in front of me so I just focused on hitting high and hard above their blocks.”
To allow them more opportunities for kills, why not have them hit different sets. Instead of always hitting that backset five, have them swing around and hit a one if they are pushed too far outside.
Setting the back row could have also been used as a tactic instead of a last resort. Freshman outside hitter Makayla Lewis was tied for the most kills for the Spartans in this game. Utilizing her ability to obtain kills and stay consistent could have been useful to them.
“I was thinking we’re playing against the No. 11 in the nation for volleyball,” Lewis said. “What do I have to lose?”
San Jose State will have its final game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 23 at home against Wyoming.
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