Vanderbilt Volleyball (2-3) finished the fourth week of the season with a 1-1 record. It started with a dominant four-set win against Lipscomb, followed by a three-set defeat at the hands of then-No. 14 Minnesota. The loss came despite Kamryn Chaney matching her season high in service aces (four) and the ‘Dores almost matching the Gophers in kills and points. The Commodores will head to the West Coast in Week 5 in search of a pair of wins over California and UC Santa Barbara.
Block battle
It’s not hard to recognize that Vanderbilt lacks the height that many other Division I programs possess. But Vanderbilt will need to overcome what it lacks in stature to be more competitive on the court — and it has the athletes to do it. The ‘Dores had only 2 blocks in their most recent match while Minnesota totaled 12 — despite having similar kill totals (33 and 35, respectively). Vanderbilt must prioritize a disciplined back-row defense and strategic offensive hitting to overcome this blocking deficit. An increase in roll shots or cut shots when the situation allows could help even the score against taller teams.
Chaney takes charge
Chaney, a junior transfer from Princeton, was dominant in Vanderbilt’s last two matchups. She led the team in both kills and aces – with 21 and 4, respectively — against Lipscomb. A day later she did the same, leading her team with 11 kills and another 4 aces against Minnesota. Overall, Chaney accounted for 41% of Vanderbilt’s points scored last week. The 2024 Ivy League player of the year is heating up quickly, and when she is playing her best, Vanderbilt has its best chance of winning.
Road work
Vanderbilt has perhaps its easiest two-match stretch of the season and will want to take advantage of this opportunity. California holds a 2-2 record and is coming off a two-match losing streak, where it lost in five sets to Wright State and No. 1 Nebraska. The Golden Bears have only won matches in which they swept the opponent, so Vanderbilt will want to get out in front first. UC Santa Barbara has a 3-2 record with two five-set losses to ranked teams — then-No. 22 USC and then-No. 13 Creighton. This is similar to Vanderbilt, which has played several ranked teams but only went to five sets once in its very first match against then-No. 15 Kansas. Furthermore, Vanderbilt’s first long road test this week will be a good indication of the strain of playing consecutive away matches. The Commodores’ matches against California and UC Santa Barbara are a chance to make a statement on the road and build some momentum in their last two matches before conference play.
Vanderbilt Volleyball will face California on Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. CDT before facing UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. CDT. The matches can be viewed on ACCNX and ESPN+, respectively.
