The RoundHouse | 10/13/2018 9:45:00 AM

 
The number means a lot and it means more to Wichita State volleyball coach Chris Lamb when he attaches names to the number.
 
The Shockers committed a season-low seven errors in Friday's 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-21) defeat of East Carolina at Koch Arena. That's an indication the old-school drills in practice did some good. It's an indication setter Kora Kauling, scheduled to play as part of the 6-2, performed admirably after a right knee injury sidelined setter Kali Eaken for most of the match. 
 
Maybe it's an indication Wichita State's attack is moving toward its traditional efficiency.
 
"We were just wild in August and September," Lamb said. "You have to control errors. There's no way around it."
 
Lamb will live with a few errors from outside hitter Tabitha Brown, who earns that freedom with her power. He needs the rest – especially his middles – to play cleaner than in previous matches.
 
Middle Grace Burken – no errors on 16 swings with six kills. Middle Brooke Smith – no errors on nine swings. Chase Jackson – one error. Regan Stiawalt – no errors on 10 swings. Brown – three errors on 21 swings for a .238 attack percentage, her best over the past eight matches. 
 
"We were really in sync the whole time," Kauling said. "There was a different energy on the court. Everyone was working really hard to keep errors away."
 
Those performances produced a season-high .292 attack percentage and the first match of the season with single-digit errors.
 
"If those guys can keep it clean, so Tabitha can just keep banging and we can, maybe, give our errors to Tabitha so she can keep swinging – that kind of a thing can go a long way," Lamb said. "This team's been high error all year. It's been a talking point."
 
Wichita State (9-8, 4-2 American Athletic Conference) set up its biggest match of the season with its best overall performance. On Sunday, first-place Cincinnati (15-4, 6-0) visits Koch Arena. The Shockers moved into a three-way tie for third behind Cincinnati and Central Florida (also 6-0). 
 
The path to the American title and the NCAA automatic bid is uphill and the margin of error might not exist. Sunday's match is crucial if the Shockers want to carry hope into November. 
 
"One part of us is very excited about still having the chance to come out on top," Brown said. "The other part is kind of freaking out, because now we really, really have to focus on each and every game, each and every point."
 
The Bearcats lead the American in attack percentage (.263) with outside hitter Jordan Thompson leading the nation, entering the weekend, with an average of 6.07 kills a set and 431 total kills. Thompson, who did not play last season due to injury, earned the American Player of the Year honor in 2016.
 
"You have a high attempt, prolific attacker," Lamb said. "So, there's that. But I haven't forgotten some of the other Bearcats. I know they can do a lot."
 
Cincinnati swept its first four conference matches before defeating Connecticut and Tulsa by 3-1 scores. In non-conference play, the Bearcats went 5-2 in five-set matches.
 
"People have been able to get to them, they just haven't gotten three," Lamb said. "It's close, but you're going to have to play well."
 
Friday's win over East Carolina (12-5, 4-2) is evidence a team that committed 20 or more errors in 12 matches can clean up some of the off-target and ill-advised shots with work in practice.
 
"We worked on specific shots . . . which I absolutely loved," Brown said. "I think that allowed people to see where their errors were coming from and how to fix them. We were getting a lot of good feedback."
 
Eaken used crutches after her non-contact injury, which occurred when she chased a ball toward the sideline and just missed running into outside hitter Megan Taflinger. Eaken, on the ground, immediately grabbed her knee and trainers helped her off the court. Taflinger, in a move Lamb termed precautionary in his post-game radio interview, also came out. Middle Emma Wright missed her fifth game with an injured hand.

That adds to the challenge on Sunday. 
 
"I'm super-proud that we had to make adjustments we weren't expecting to, and a lot of people came off the bench," Lamb said. "Kora knew she was playing tonight, but she didn't know she was running the (5-1). That was an all hands on deck moment and we were consistently good."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.