ESU hopes it can legitimize ranking vs. Washburn
By C.J. Moore
moore@emporiagazette.com
Arica Shepard and Brittney Miller were talking recently and trying to figure out how they let a 2-0 lead slip away two weeks ago against West Texas A&M.
The answer still escapes them, but the loss has served as motivation. Emporia State has won six straight since the loss, and all six wins have come without dropping a set.
“We’ve been trying to keep that one in mind,” Shepard said, “and not let us drop any dumb matches anymore.”
By dumb matches, Shepard is referring to the gimmes, the matches against teams that are inferior to the Hornets. West Texas A&M might not have been inferior — both teams were ranked No. 6 at the time — but the Hornets had the Lady Buffs in a position in which a loss became inexcusable.
They’ve been waiting for their chance at redemption, and they see Friday night’s match against No. 7 Washburn at White Auditorium as the perfect opportunity.
“I think both of us are going to have something to prove on Friday,” Shepard said. “Hopefully we can come out like I know we can and be the better team.”
For the eighth-ranked Hornets, the something-to-prove part of the equation would be beating a top 10 team. They have lost both of their top 10 matchups — at Central Missouri and the loss to West Texas A&M — and a win would legitimize their place near the top of the rankings.
The Hornets admittedly didn’t show up ready to play at Central Missouri — losing 3-0 — but the West Texas A&M loss magnified a problem that had been looming all season — finishing teams off in the third set.
“When you lead by two sets, they’re anxious to finish, but a lot of times you need to keep your composure going,” coach Bing Xu said. “You need to focus on positive things. Instead of, ‘We need to finish, we need to finish.’ ... you have to keep playing a smooth game.”
The Hornets have obviously corrected their third-set woes recently with their six straight sweeps. Senior Amy Byfield said the biggest reason for the change has been that the loss to West Texas A&M helped open everyone’s eyes.
“I think that really just drives us in a way that every other loss hasn’t, because that’s not the team we want to be, and having those stupid losses doesn’t reflect who we are as a team,” Byfield said. “So we’ve been going out trying to prove that.”
The Hornets have gone on their winning streak without middle hitter Brianne Boner, who injured her knee in the fifth set against West Texas. Boner returned on Tuesday and saw limited action, and she will be back in the starting lineup on Friday.
Byfield said Boner’s absence has actually helped the team, because it’s given some of the team’s freshmen a chance to gain confidence against some of the easier teams in the league.
Of course, the Hornets are happy to have Boner back against their biggest rival.
“She has the experience and she’s a really talented middle hitter, so having her back, I think it settles everybody’s minds a little bit,” Shepard said.
The matchup against Washburn not only gives ESU a chance for a win against a top 10 team, but the game also has big implications in the MIAA. Emporia State (20-2, 7-1 MIAA) needs a win to keep pace with Central Missouri, the only other one-loss team in the league at 9-1. Washburn (22-2, 6-2) also needs a win to have a chance to compete for the league title.
Then, of course, there’s always the rivalry fit for a clever nickname — Turnpike Tussle — and the sister-sister battle between Shepard and Washburn’s Ashley Shepard.
“Washburn is our big rival, and it’s always a team we want to beat,” Arica Shepard said. “Being me, I kind of want to beat my sister.”