2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsMSU gets surprise at-large bid
Jeff Faust
Issue date: 11/27/07 Section: Sports
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What a difference a weekend makes.
On Thanksgiving, the Missouri State volleyball team was at the University Plaza hotel accepting their Missouri Valley Conference regular season awards. Five players were named to all-valley teams including the Defensive Player of the Year in senior Sara Thomas.
The team's expectations were high going into the MVC tournament, which they hosted for the first time since 2003. A win against Illinois State and then a little revenge over Wichita State, the No. 22 team in nation, and the Bears are putting their dancing shoes on.
Then on Black Friday, apparently the tryptophan was a little strong from their banquet turkey. Missouri State feel asleep at the wheel and got swept by the No. 5 team in the tournament in Illinois State.
Sunday night rolls around and the Bears were watching their selection Sunday at Stokes' house. Without expecting much, the team had an open mind and ended up with a spot in the field of 64.
The Bears will play at 5:30 p.m. Friday night at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan, Kan. against the No. 13 team in the nation, the Oregon Ducks.
"It's an amazing feeling," Thomas said. "It feels like we're getting a second chance. It makes my senior year feel more accomplished."
On Saturday night, Missouri State wasn't overly confident in its chances of making the NCAA tournament.
"Prior to the Valley tournament, I thought Wichita State was in and we were in too," Stokes said. "25-7 and 32 in the RPI is a really good resume, but the loses at the end are probably going to hurt us and the loss to Illinois State is definitely going to hurt us."
The Bears started out the season 16-2 and had marquee wins over tournament qualifying teams like Sacramento State, Middle Tennessee, Tulsa and South Dakota State.
"We were so good in the beginning and I expected that would be at the end and the end would be at the beginning because that has been our tradition," Stokes said. "We kind of did things backwards a bit."
On Thanksgiving, the Missouri State volleyball team was at the University Plaza hotel accepting their Missouri Valley Conference regular season awards. Five players were named to all-valley teams including the Defensive Player of the Year in senior Sara Thomas.
The team's expectations were high going into the MVC tournament, which they hosted for the first time since 2003. A win against Illinois State and then a little revenge over Wichita State, the No. 22 team in nation, and the Bears are putting their dancing shoes on.
Then on Black Friday, apparently the tryptophan was a little strong from their banquet turkey. Missouri State feel asleep at the wheel and got swept by the No. 5 team in the tournament in Illinois State.
Sunday night rolls around and the Bears were watching their selection Sunday at Stokes' house. Without expecting much, the team had an open mind and ended up with a spot in the field of 64.
The Bears will play at 5:30 p.m. Friday night at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan, Kan. against the No. 13 team in the nation, the Oregon Ducks.
"It's an amazing feeling," Thomas said. "It feels like we're getting a second chance. It makes my senior year feel more accomplished."
On Saturday night, Missouri State wasn't overly confident in its chances of making the NCAA tournament.
"Prior to the Valley tournament, I thought Wichita State was in and we were in too," Stokes said. "25-7 and 32 in the RPI is a really good resume, but the loses at the end are probably going to hurt us and the loss to Illinois State is definitely going to hurt us."
The Bears started out the season 16-2 and had marquee wins over tournament qualifying teams like Sacramento State, Middle Tennessee, Tulsa and South Dakota State.
"We were so good in the beginning and I expected that would be at the end and the end would be at the beginning because that has been our tradition," Stokes said. "We kind of did things backwards a bit."
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