Not exactly Waterloo but alright, "I'm Game"
So ISU has a bunch of games this year for the schedule, and I thought, "hm, I'm going to need some help on this. I know! The Duke of Wellington can help! He's a smart, agreeable fellow!" So Arthur Wellesley, the legendary 1st Duke of Wellington, is going to help me look at the schedule!
Wellington: Well now this looks like a rather tough schedule. Nothing the British Heavy Cavalry couldn't take head on. But because this is sport, I am certain that full horse charges are not permitted (blast!)
Me: Trust me, Wellington, I feel the same way.
Wellington: Quite alright friend! Now, let us take a look at this schedule of yours
*Looks at schedule*
Goodness! This is quite a campaign!
The schedule:
Texas Pan-American Tournament; Edinburgh, Texas
08/27-UTPA (12:00)
08/27-Oral Roberts University (3:00)
08/28-Lamar University (9:00am)
Wellington: So we start in Texas...and then we march back closer to home...
Me: In Provo, Utah
Wellington: I send my condolences. I'd rather be the French at Borodino
Brigham Young Tournament; Provo, Utah
09/03-Cal Poly (4:30)
09/04-BYU (10:00am)
09/04-Nebraska (5:00pm) (Wellington: Nebraska?! I'm beside myself with shock! They are one of the most formidable opponents in the United States! Me: Yes, we have a game with the Cornhuskers, a Top 5 team every year. Wellington: Blücher would love your team! Your Bengals shy away from nobody!)
Drake Tournament; Des Moines, Iowa
09/10-South Dakota (9:00am)
09/10-Drake (6:30)
09/11-Wisconsin Green-Bay (9:00am)
09/11-Stephen F. Austin (1:30)
Wellington: Well now that's quite the start. Your team shall be away for the first 3 weeks of the school year! Tsk tsk...well it cannot be helped. And then you shall be starting conference correct?
Me: Yes, that's right. Here are the first 4, to end the month of September:
09/17-Northern Arizona (7:00)
09/18-Northern Colorado (7:00)
09/24-@ Eastern Washington (8:00)
09/25-@Portland State (8:00)
Wellington: Gracious me, those are the 4 most solid teams in the conference! With all due respect to Sacramento State of course.
Me: That's quite the start to the conference, eh? The first 4 teams we face are indeed, the major title contenders this year
Wellington: At least October has a decent mix of opponents as to not lower morale...indeed this is a good month to enter with momentum, like when the momentum shifted to our favor when the Prussian cavalry entered the fray at Waterloo!
10/01-Montana (7:00)
10/02-Montana State (7:00)
10/05-@ Boise State (7:00)
10/08-@ Sacramento State (8:00)
10/09-@ Seattle (8:00)
10/12-Montana Western (7:00)
10/16-Weber State (7:00)
10/22-Portland State (7:00)
10/23-Eastern Washington (7:00)
10/28-@ Northern Colorado (7:00)
10/30-@ Northern Arizona (7:00)
Wellington: Well, this is the major meat of your schedule, where the campaign really heats up. You have 6 home matches and 5 on the road, so we can hope that the travel doesn't wear you down too badly. From what I have gathered, the month of October is highly crucial as always.
Me: You are correct good sir! The next month of November is hopefully the tune-up for the Big Sky Tournament which we shall hopefully be participating in...
Wellington:...and routing any opponents that stand in your way!
11/04-Texas Pan American (5:00) (Wellington: Them again? Next time we'll exile them to...where DO you exile your enemies, Ross? Me: usually to somewhere barren and lifeless, like Ann Arbor, Michigan...but you know, Napoleon is kind of lonely on St. Helena...we should take them there! Wellington: A fine choice! He can always use company...and some exercise would do him well!)
11/06-Sacramento State (7:00)
11/12-@Weber State (7:00)
11/19-@Montana State (7:00)
11/20-@Montana (7:00)
Big Sky Conference Tournament (Also known as the Battle of Nations, Part 2)
11/26-Big Sky Conference Tournament
11/27-Big Sky Conference Tournament
Wellington: Well that's that. You start on the road and end your season like so. I'm feeling particularly good with this campaign, considering we have so many veterans back from previous years of battle. These women are battle hardened and General Teichert has done good work in making this a fighting unit to be reckoned with. If everything falls into the right places, Idaho State could very well be crowned queen of a new empire in November! The prospects and potential of this season and team excites me!
Me: Thank you so much for your help Lord Wellington! I'm fairly certain that ISU will roll to victory. That first stretch of all important conference games in September will be the critical point of the season, in my opinion. Because we have all the title favorites in one swoop...
Wellington:....it's imperative that you strike and strike quickly! ISU could very well establish control early on in the campaign if it wins these first 4 matches. Win those 4 and you could very well control your fate for the rest of the season! So you must get going! You should really emulate my ally and fellow commander, Gebhard von Blücher. "Marshall Forward" they used to call him; always SO aggressive and direct. This is the spirit I see in your team. You have all the pieces my good sir!
Me: That we do. You are correct that we must come out of the gates like Blücher did at Waterloo. This volleyball team is, in a singular word, awesome. We have the skills and power and the fire. This is our season if we want it!
Wellington: Best of luck upon you and this team for the season! May you all have your laurels at campaign's end!
Well that's pretty much it for the preview! ISU has a rough start but also has a huge opportunity in a 4-game stretch this September against the 4 best conference teams from last season. Win here and ISU could enter October riding on a wave of sheer momentum; that month starts with a pair of home games against the Montana schools. The rest of October will feature us in a 4-game stretch at home with one patsy in Montana-Western. November will see only 2 home games and unlike the last 3 years, the home season will end before the 10th (whereas the home season was extended to the 3rd week of November).
Don't forget that the home matches will be in Reed's Gym!
This should be a fun season with lots of excitement and expectations and I am confident the gals can hold up and deliver BIG! RAN WIE BLÜCHER!!!
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