The RoundHouse | 12/2/2022 10:15:00 AM

 
Coach Chris Lamb didn't need to take a vote to gauge his team's desire to keep playing volleyball. The past month told him.
 
"All of us are really good competitors," middle Morgan Stout said. "We're still hungry and we're like 'This is not enough for us. We still want more than what we got this season.'"
 
Wichita State proved that by winning seven of its final eight matches and moving up to No. 60 in the NCAA's power rankings. The Shockers (18-12) finished fourth in the American Athletic Conference and knocked off third-place SMU in their second-to-last match of the regular season.
 
That finish made Lamb happy to host National Invitational Volleyball Championship matches at Koch Arena. The Shockers open the 32-team tournament against Grand Canyon (17-10) at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Drake (26-7), the runner-up in the Missouri Valley Conference, plays Weber State (17-11) at 1 p.m.
 
The NIVC gives the Shockers more chances to play quality competition, more chances to show what a healthy team can do and more chances to play in front of their fans. It is, for all on the roster, the first opportunity to play in college post-season (outside hitter Brylee Kelly redshirted in 2018).
 
The NIVC can serve as a springboard into 2023 for a roster that should return largely intact. It is an opportunity to show recruits momentum.
 
After a grind that started in August – Lamb's well-known saying is the season is like immersion in a four-month submarine ride – the Shockers still want to practice and play and are having fun.
 
"I'm so excited to play this tournament," defensive specialist Lara Uyar said. "We have big goals. We really want to go to the NCAA Tournament next year, so for that reason this tournament is really important for us."
 
 

She put it on the 10-foot line 😳😳😳

Goodness, @morgannstout

📺 https://t.co/z9ViowciGs pic.twitter.com/EQPC2O15v2

— Wichita State Volleyball (@GoShockersVB) November 25, 2022

 
 
Lamb made sure his team knew that the athletic department stepped up financially to host the NIVC.
 
"Our AD, Kevin Saal, really pushed for us to do this and that's awesome for our program," defensive specialist Annalie Heliste said. "He believes in us and thinks we can go pretty far, which is awesome."
 
The Shockers last played in post-season in the 2018 NIVC. They last played in the NCAA Tournament in 2017. Lamb views the 2022 NIVC as a reward for this season's work and preparation for 2023. The field includes top-100 RPI schools such as No. 57 Texas-Rio Grande Valley, No. 62 Drake, No. 68 Omaha, and No. 70 Liberty, in addition to higher-profile schools such as Clemson, Wake Forest, Boston College and Xavier.
 
"You know you're in this sprint, this race, and it's energizing and it's fun," Lamb said.
 
The Shockers raced to the finish as injured stalwarts such as right-side Sophia Rohling, libero Lily Liekweg, Heliste and Uyar returned to good health.
 
"We had a lot affect our defense mid-season," Lamb said. "All at the same time, defense took a hit. As we got our players back and started to gel, we won seven out of our last eight."
 
Middle blocker Natalie Foster continued to produce big numbers, hitting .375 or better in seven of the final eight matches. Kelly recorded double-digit kills in five of the eight. Both earned all-conference honors with Rohling on the second team. Stout surged late in the season and earned AAC defensive player of the week honors after recording 10 blocks in the 3-2 win at SMU.
 
Setter Kayce Litzau averaged 10.4 assists a match in conference play, tied for second, and directed an offense that hit .243 in conference matches, fourth best. The Shockers hit .255 or better in five of their final eight matches and Lamb considers Litzau's numbers worthy of all-conference mention.
 
Wichita State worked through November to earn a few more matches. On Sunday, they start the work to extend their season well into December.
 
 

What's that you want to see all 13 of Brylee's kills from the 3rd and 4th set in 60 seconds? Say less@brylee_kelly 🤩 pic.twitter.com/lAbtoLr2au

— Wichita State Volleyball (@GoShockersVB) November 22, 2022

 
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State Athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.