Volleyball Rivalry with VCU

[udisit19]

Think about favorite sports rivalries. What comes to mind when you think of the most competitive rivalry? Is there any chance Dayton vs. VCU in volleyball is what came to mind. While, the matchup is pretty new in the history book, we are currently witnessing two programs that have remained competitive. Dayton and VCU have played 15 times since the black and gold rams have joined the A-10 in 2012. Since then only one match didn’t at least make it to a 4th set. That lonely, quick, boring 3-set match was the first of the 15. That means 14 straight matches between these two couldn’t be decided in just 3 sets.

Dayton has had some strong conference rivals. Saint Louis and Xavier both come to mind in the last 15 years. SLU joined the A-10 in 2005 and between ‘05 and ‘09, UD and SLU traded championships. UD in in the odd years and SLU in the even. Twelve matches pitted UD vs. SLU against each other during this time period, but 4 matches were sweeps. During this memorable rivalry, the longest competitive match streak was 4. UD and Xavier had a three year streak where they met in the A-10 Tournament Finals, so peak UD vs. X was around 2010-2012. These two have a long stretch of competitive matches between ‘09 and ‘16. However, in the A-10 Championship match of 2010, Dayton won in 3, ending a four match streak of 5 set matches. At its longest, UD and X played 9 matches from 2011-2016 where neither got a decisive 3 set win.

Rivalry is a tough topic to define. Is the above definition even a good one? Would a better definition be how many 5-set matches? If so, the Dayton vs Xavier rivalry can make a strong case. In ‘09 and 2010, UD and X played 4 straight 5 set matches. A similar 3 match streak followed between 2012 and 2015. Dayton and SLU only once had back to back 5 set matches. The first of the two matches on 11/22/09 was very memorable. SLU had already won the first two sets and were closing in on a three set victory. A close set most of the way, SLU takes their first 3 point lead at 22-19. Dayton goes on a 6-1 run to win the set, before going on to win sets 4 and 5 and the 2009 A-10 tourney. This match shows that the gap between a 3-set match and a marathon 5-set match can be surprisingly small. Despite these great moments, we only saw one more 5 set match before the teams went their separate ways. Dayton stayed steady with RPIs of 34 and 19 in the years following their peak RPI ranking of 12 in 2010, but SLU slipped from 58 in 2010 to 82, then to 179.

VCU and Dayton haven’t matched the 4 straight 5-set matches that UD and X had. However, in their last six matches UD and VCU have played five 5-set matches. I have found only three other instances of competition this equal. (Toledo from 1991-2004, Marquette from 1994-2009, and Ohio from 1989-1994). What I’m trying to say is, competition like this is rare. Coaches change and students never stop graduating themselves out of every program. Staying at a similar level as another team for an extended period only happens every once and a while. We are still in the middle of this period with VCU and we need to enjoy it before it is gone. The next match could be a 5-set thriller or a blowout that ends the streak.
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	Xavier XAVIER MUSKETEERS Dayton's biggest rival dating back to the early 1900s. Founded in 1831, Xavier University is a Jesuit, Catholic university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its three colleges offer 78 undergraduate majors, 43 minors and 11 graduate programs to 6,646 total students, including 3,961 undergraduates. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide. Xavier's nickname is the Musketeers and are fellow A10 Conference members.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.

[BeckysTXA]

2007-2010 the team thought SLU was their biggest rivalry or more specific who they would battle for the A10 regular and tourney titles. There was the marThon 5 set match at UD in 2007 that Dayton won and the longest rally I’ve ever seen made the sports center top 10. Both made the NCAAs a couple of those years. So the X data is interesting. I do know we traveled to the Cintas Center and lost more than we should have. We had the better team. People thru out the large arena vs small Frericks environment as the reason we had problems playing X at Cintas.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.

[udisit19]

Did the A-10 screw up by having only one Dayton vs. VCU volleyball match in 2019? I'm pretty disappointed it won't occur until the last match of the conference regular season. By that time, there is a chance the A-10 tournament seeding could already be set. It will be one day shy of a year between their meeting in the 2018 A-10 finals. (Nov. 18th 2018 to Nov. 17th 2019) Will the large gap make the rivalry less intense, or will the time apart make it stronger?

[udisit19]

The scheduling of A-10 volleyball did not have the two favorites to win the conference, Dayton and VCU, face off twice in the regular season. The A-10 instead put the meeting between its two favorites in the last possible weekend and the last match for both teams. In one aspect, the strange schedule looks like it worked out. The number 1 seed for the conference will likely still be up for grabs into the last match because both Dayton and VCU will be undefeated. That is of course if Dayton can beat Davidson (who will likely finish in 6th place), and if VCU can beat Saint Louis (who will likely finish in 3rd place). The pressure and excitement will be high in Frericks as both teams try to win the regular season Championship and the top seed. And no matter the outcome, both teams will go to the A-10 Tournament and get a bye with only one more match between a rematch for the A-10 Tourney Title.

Dayton has reason to be favored this weekend. They will be at home with their fans, they don't have to travel the day before, and they don't need to worry about playing the 3rd place Bilikens on Friday.

You have read all of that correctly. The VCU Rams have put together a 12-0 conference record without playing the #3 or #1 teams in conference. The Bilikens are in 3rd even after losing to Dayton twice.

That also means Davidson punched their ticket to the tournament without having to play Dayton or Saint Louis either. Davidson lost their last two matches at Rhode Island and at Fordham. If they lose to UD and SLU they will enter the A-10 Tournament on a 4 match losing streak. Had the A-10 season end with a DAV/VCU pairing vs FOR/RI pairing or a DAV/VCU pairing vs. a LAS/DUQ pairing, you potentially could have had Davidson and Duquesne or Davidson and Fordham playing for the last spot in the tournament.

It's easy to criticize the opinion of others, especially after we already can see some of the outcome, but I don't think the DAY and SLU vs VCU and DAV in the last weekend should have happened. The final 3 weeks should be saved for repeat conference matches so all teams have played each other once. It creates a fair situation when trying to enter the postseason. Separating repeat matches also gives teams more time to make improvement based on the first meeting.

	Rhode Island RHODE ISLAND The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

	Fordham FORDHAM Fordham University is an independent Jesuit university established in 1841 as St. John's College on old Rose Hill Manor in the village of Fordham, then part of Westchester County in the Bronx, NY. The name Fordham is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "ford" and "ham," meaning a wading place or ford by a settlement. Rose Hill is the name given to the site in 1787 by Robert Watts, a wealthy New York merchant, in honor of his family's ancestral home of the same name in Scotland. The College was originally staffed by diocesan clergy. The name was officially changed to Fordham University in 1907. Fordham's 10 schools enroll 14,448 students. There are 7,652 undergraduates, of whom 3,842 live in University-managed housing either on-campus or in the local community. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams. Athletic claim to fame is consistent mediocrity in nearly all sports and few A10 title winning programs.

	Duquesne DUQUESNE Duquesne University is a private, coeducational university, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania located on 48 secluded acres, on a bluff above downtown. Founded in 1878 as a Catholic college by the Order of the Holy Spirit. It is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the world. Duquesne offers 10 schools of study and 100 degree programs to 6,000 undergraduates and 3,800 graduate students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Dukes.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.

[udisit19]

Aside from my critique of the schedule, VCU has a tough path to the number one seed. SLU is coming off a loss to La Salle and is still playing for a chance to not tie for 3rd place. SLU holds a head to head tie-breaker over GW, but I'm sure they would like to own 3rd place without an asterisk next to it. Playing Dayton is hard, its even tougher when you have to play the 3rd best team two nights before. For a long time SLU and UD have helped to insulate each other during conference play. With SLU improving, Dayton once again has that buffer as road teams have to run the gauntlet against two of the 3 best teams.

Dayton vs VCU will most likely live up to its hype and give us at least 4 sets of volleyball, but probably 5. 2019 will most likely become the next chapter of this great rivalry. Figstats points to that as well. Dayton and VCU are barely separated. Dayton is at 49 and VCU is at 53. Look at the rpiPct and you need to go to the 3rd decimal place for separation, Dayton 0.5888 to VCU's 0.5840. The difference between these two is microscopic.

	LaSalle LA SALLE In 1863, La Salle University was established through the legacy of St. John Baptist de La Salle and the Christian Brothers teaching order, which De La Salle founded 300 years ago. Located in Philadelphia, La Salle is an educational community shaped by traditional Catholic and Lasallian values. La Salle's main campus is an ideal place for students to pursue an education. The 130-acre park-like setting includes 54 buildings and is located approximately six miles from Center City Philadelphia. The University can accommodate 2,114 resident students in its 12 residence halls, two apartment complexes, and 75 townhouses. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Explorers. Notable athletes include Tom Gola and Lionel Simmons.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.