The RoundHouse | 12/27/2021 11:37:00 AM
Immediately after losing in five sets to UCF, Wichita State understood the significance of the effort.
The Shockers built a 2-1 lead against the American Athletic Conference's preseason favorite and then lost the final two sets on Oct. 1 at Koch Arena. They exited the court disappointed, not discouraged.
"I saw growth tonight," coach
Chris Lamb said. "The ceiling looks higher to me. And the floor might not be as low. We might have put some of that behind us."
Lamb nailed that assessment.
The Shockers had lost their fifth straight match. They started an eight-match win streak two days later with a sweep of South Florida. Players and coaches recognized the match against UCF, which won its fourth consecutive conference title and defeated Pepperdine in the NCAA Tournament, as a turning point.
"We hung right in there with them and that really showed us, individually, and increased our confidence," setter
Kayce Litzau said. "We were so close. We could play our volleyball with their volleyball."
Lamb built a team that enjoyed playing and exhibited impressive spirit and a sense of fun, embodied by the fist-pumping and yells from
Morgan Weber and
Morgan Stout after big moments. As the Shockers gained experience, they became a factor in the conference race again.
Wichita State went 19-10 overall and 13-7 in the American Athletic Conference, both its best marks since 2017. Lamb saw tremendous growth over the season from a team that battled injuries and featured a youthful roster.
"It was a joy to play this year," outside hitter
Brylee Kelly said. "Everyone on the team contributed. We're only going to get better from here."
Many American opponents featured "super seniors" taking a bonus year of eligibility after COVID-19. The Shockers did not benefit from that level of experience and finished in fifth while splitting with third-place Cincinnati and SMU and losing five-set matches to all four teams that finished ahead of them.
"This team was handed a very difficult hand to play," Lamb said. "I've been here 22 seasons, and this is the farthest we've gone from last season to the end of this season."
Despite those obstacles, the Shockers set the stage for 2022 with most of the starters and top reserves eligible to return. Kelly earned all-conference honors with Litzau and middle Natale Foster on the second team. That is the most representation on the all-conference teams for the Shockers since 2017.
"Every single individual on our team contributed," Litzau said. "Everyone knew what they needed to do for our team. Everybody was on board the whole entire time. Nobody was a downer."
Litzau's command at setter might be the best sign for 2022. She started to take over the role during a 3-2 win over Arkansas State in August. While she didn't start that match, her presence late in the first set and helped the Shockers rally from a 2-1 deficit.
"She helped turn that match around," Lamb said. "I think that did wonders for Kayce. This (fall) was her biggest sign of growth. What we need out of Kayce is sort of that exact amount of growth next year. I want to go from good to great."
The Roundhouse is counting down the 10 most interesting and significant stories of 2021 for Wichita State athletics. Check back this week for more.
