Volleyball | 9/10/2021 8:19:00 AM

 
 
Wichita State will play volleyball this weekend with a roster shortened by COVID-19 protocols. That is progress after last weekend's cancellation and coach Chris Lamb sees plenty to accomplish, no matter the difficulties.
 
The Shockers (3-0) play Kent State (3-4) at 11 a.m.  and Kansas (2-3) at 7 p.m. Friday in the Kansas Invitational at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena. On Saturday, they play Delaware (5-1) at 11 a.m.
 
Lamb views the matches as a chance for his Shockers to compete and learn, further preparing for American Athletic Conference play. The invitational is also a chance for Shockers to step into increased playing time and earn more. Outside hitter Sophie Childs is one of several Shockers Lamb is eager to see in a prominent role.
 
"Sophie Childs has been doing everything right," Lamb said. "All she did last spring was get better. All she's done in our preseason camp is get better. She's looking, already, like the player we want her to be some day."
 
Childs, from Tulsa, played in one match last spring and briefly in wins over Missouri State and Arkansas State earlier this season. As a freshman, she spent 2020-21 adjusting to college life, increased competition and new teammates, all during a pandemic. She returned this fall more confident and more comfortable.
 
"A lot of it was just getting over the hump of being a freshman," she said. "Mentally, I'm a lot happier this year. I've worked a lot with Lambo on arm-swing and things like that, broken that down, especially with hitting, and going back to the basics."
 
A good portion of her confidence started to grow in strength and conditioning sessions. She took on optional work and spent hours in the weight room over the summer. She notices better energy during long rallies, more pop on the ball and a resistance to minor injuries that slowed her in 2020-21.
 
"We really worked on agility and endurance, and I think the combination of both of those things made me a lot stronger and in better shape," she said. "Last year, during the spring, I realized how much I liked lifting weights. When I went home, I really went hard."
 
Like with many freshmen, Lamb watched her grow into his expectations. Childs is a biology major who wants to attend dental school. Lamb sees her athletic goals rising to meet her academic standards. He compares her to former Shocker middle Jen Ray as an athlete who wasn't sure about a role in NCAA Division I volleyball before growing into an important one.
 
"Some girls just don't know where their lot is in their volleyball life," Lamb said. "You help them get past that and to another level and that's exciting. I'm seeing a competitive spirit in her come out. I think she has really high expectations for herself academically and I want to see her put athletics in the same spot."
 
Childs' priority is expanding her range of attacks. She wants to add more off-speed options and improve her accuracy hitting down the line.
 
"I can hit cross, pretty much, all day long," she said. "Down the line is a little harder for me. They've definitely been trying to get me to do that in the gym and appreciate the learning process, instead of being frustrated with it."
 
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.