The RoundHouse | 10/3/2021 3:56:00 PM

 
Wichita State coach Chris Lamb let his blockers do their own work on Sunday.
 
"He gave us a little more leniency as a blocker to choose spots," right-side Sophie Childs said. "We had a little more freedom to choose where we wanted to go based on the situations."
 
The Shockers used a simplified blocking scheme to shut down USF 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-17) on Sunday at Koch Arena. They held the Bulls to a .044 attack percentage, a season-low for the Shockers.
 
Wichita State (7-6, 1-3 American Athletic Conference) totaled nine blocks and 38 digs. USF (6-9, 0-4) finished with 26 kills and 22 errors. The Shockers grabbed a 9-0 lead in the second set and 7-1 in the third and never allowed the Bulls closer than four points in either.
 
Middle Natalie Foster led the Shockers with six blocks. Child added four and a team-leading 10 kills with a .444 attack percentage. Morgan Weber recorded 11 digs and libero Lily Liekweg added 10.
 
Wichita State's front row controlled much of the match with its blocking. The Bulls rarely saw open lanes and when they did blockers funneled the ball to the back row. Lamb gave his blockers room to read the ball and react against USF, instead of protecting certain locations or hitters, to combat USF's long sets to its pin players.
 
"We didn't worry too much about too many things," he said. "A simple blocking plan for an offense that stayed pretty simple. With a long-ball team, they've got to prove to you that they can locate wide and keep it wide."
 
 

Pleased to report that @SophieChilds8 is at it again.

📺: https://t.co/bXqIxxeCLY pic.twitter.com/4cr3xDWZpk

— Wichita State Volleyball (@GoShockersVB) October 3, 2021

Sunday's win demonstrated that the Shockers could take Friday's solid performance in a 3-2 loss to preseason favorite UCF and apply that momentum to a lesser team. It also showed that they feel more confident about surviving rough spots. In the third set, USF runs cut the Wichita State lead to 16-12 and 18-4. Both times, the Shockers responded without needing a timeout to extend to lead.
 
"We're really growing up in the sense that we don't let one point or two points or a run by the other team get to us," setter Kayce Litzau said. "We just focus on the things we can control. We're doing a lot better at rebounding and staying aggressive."
 
The Shockers, after their first sweep in conference play since last spring's opener against Tulsa, play at Memphis on Friday and SMU on Sunday.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.