The RoundHouse | 10/20/2023 7:45:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
It is late October and Wichita State is in the race for the American Athletic Conference volleyball title. Outside hitter Brylee Kelly, who came to Wichita State in 2018, has seen bad starts and good starts to the AAC schedule.
 
This is the best of those six seasons and the Shockers are enjoying the stakes. Each match matters for the teams who want to grab the conference's automatic NCAA bid.
 
"After six years being here, this is the first time it feels like it's very reachable," Kelly said. "A lot of pieces have come together."
 
Although the conference is divided into two seven-team divisions for geographic scheduling, the champion is determined by overall record in the 14-team conference. Wichita State (13-5, 7-1 AAC) is tied for second place with Rice, percentage points behind SMU (8-1 AAC). The Shockers play Tulsa (11-9, 4-5) on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (6 p.m.) at Koch Arena (both on ESPN+).
 
The Shockers own a split at SMU and wins over fourth-place teams ECU and USF, the top teams in the East Division. SMU, Rice and WSU are in the West, home to the conference's top RPI teams in SMU (No. 30), Rice (No. 54), Wichita State (No. 60) and Tulsa (No. 86).
 
"We expected to be in the top three of our conference for sure," middle Natalie Foster said. "With our win over SMU, it definitely puts in a good position."
 
Last season, the Shockers went 5-2 in the AAC before losing three of their next four. The 2018 Shockers went 4-2 before slumping. Kelly, who redshirted in 2018, sees staying power in 2023.
 
"This year is a little different," she said. "We're winning a lot and it feels good. There's definitely a lot of experience. Our young kids complement really well and they bring a whole new perspective and different skills and it's made us better."
 
 

Brylee Kelly GOODNESS GRACIOUS@brylee_kelly 🧨 pic.twitter.com/UFXEAzzD61

— Wichita State Volleyball (@GoShockersVB) October 14, 2023

 
 
Wichita State's experience – both as Shockers and from transfers – shows up in two key areas. Seven Shockers have been on the roster for four or more years. Setter Izzi Strand and libero Gabi Maas both transferred to WSU with NCAA Division I experience.
 
Wichita State is holding opponents to a .157 attack percentage, third in the AAC and No. 18 nationally. It is also third in the AAC with 2.45 blocks per set, No. 54 nationally.
 
"The passers and littles and setters all get overlooked," Foster said. "We have such a great back row."
 
That experience pays off on offense with a balanced attack. Six Shockers average more than two kills a set and all six led the team in kills in at least two matches. Kelly, who had 20 kills in a 3-2 win at Tulane, one of two Shockers with more than 15 in a match. Opposite Sophia Rohling leads WSU with an average of 2.83 kills a set. Foster is next at 2.66 and her attack percentage of .407 is second in the American.
 
"We've built a lot of trust," Kelly said. "Knowing that anyone can go up and terminate a ball is great. It's opening up different shots for other people."
 
Kelly, Foster and Rohling, a all-conference performers, returned from last season's team to give the Shockers a talented trio of attackers. The offensive expanded with improvements by middle Morgan Stout and left Emerson Wilford. The addition of left Barbara Koehler, a junior college transfer, is paying off. Strand, a transfer from UC San Diego, came in the spring and quickly developed a connection with her hitters.
 
Koehler came through with a season-high 15 kills and hit .282 in the win at SMU. Saturday at Tulane, she had eight kills without an error.
 
"She definitely carries herself a little differently now," coach Chris Lamb said earlier this month. "She doesn't defer in serve-receive. She's throwing her body around. I think we're seeing more of the real (Barbara). She's had some runs in practice where she's put multiple days together with kill percentages that we haven't had around here in who knows how long."
 
Wichita State is in the race. The next month will tell if all those pieces form a conference title team.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.