Service errors bug fans more than Wichita State coaches and players

Wichita State assistant coach Matt Hoffman ran the numbers that explain volleyball’s most misunderstood play — the service error.

Fans hate them. Service errors bother coaches and players considerably less.

On Saturday, WSU committed 10 service errors in a 3-1 win over Illinois State and the frustration of the fans grew audibly as balls sailed long or wide or into the net. Coach Chris Lamb, without being asked, addressed the serving game and said he knew fans were freaked out.

Coaches and players see most service errors as the price for the crucial element of serving tough. By Hoffman’s count, WSU entered last weekend 11-14 in sets with none or one service error, 20-6 in sets with two or more and 14-3 with three or more.

“I think we served pretty well,” Lamb said after the Illinois State match. “I like to move Illinois State’s passers, and I thought we were able to get them to pop a few balls up.”

WSU, which plays Missouri State on Friday at Koch Arena, is fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with an average of 1.33 aces a set. For the season, the Shockers have 80 aces and 117 errors, while giving up 50 aces to opponents. Lamb can live with those numbers. His view is that service errors often don’t sting, because many other things must go right before earning a point. Attack errors are costly, because they represent a much better chance to win a point.

“Statistically, it’s the lowest-priced error,” he said. “Hitting errors — you should have won the rally.”

The most important part of the service game is putting stress on passers with speed, location and variety. A get-me-over serve accomplishes little, and likely results in a sideout, because it allows the opponent to run its attack smoothly. A tough serve sends passers running and diving and disrupts the offense.

“It’s helped us win a lot of game, coming up with big serves,” WSU senior MaryAshton Floyd said. “If we’re going for it, we’re OK with a miss as long as we’re hitting it hard. In the end, it’s going to balance out. We’re going to get our aces and our big points.”

Shockers freshman Shimen Fayad committed three service errors on Saturday. She was also serving during a 9-0 run that gave WSU the lead for good in the fourth set. Floyd had an error and an ace, one that gave WSU a 24-23 lead on its way to a 25-23 win in the second set.

“When I get service error, but I know I served it in the right direction and I know I served it hard, like I was told, then I don’t really feel bad about it,” Fayad said. “I assume most of the girls playing on the other side are going to be relatively good passers and I know I don’t want to give them an easy free ball to be able to pass and shove back down our throat.”

There are times players want to keep the ball in play. They’re taught not to commit a service error after a timeout, after a teammate’s service error and at match point, among other circumstances. Fayad thinks of her serves as three entities — her absolute best, one that challenges the passers while safely crossing the net, and one that is intended only to stay in. Sometimes a rotation or a situation calls for her to back off a bit.

“I’ve gotten better at placing my serve, so that I’m able to put them out of system just as much as I could with a harder serve,” she said.

Worth noting — Friday’s match is on ESPN3.com.… Missouri State sophomore outside hitter Lily Johnson ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference with an average of 4.2 kills a set. Setter Kinsey Batten leads the MVC with an average of 10.9 assists a set, ahead of WSU’s Emily Hiebert at 10.8.… WSU middle Abbie Lehman, named MVC defensive player of the week, ranks second in the MVC with an average of 1.2 blocks a set.… The Shockers play at Evansville on Monday as their first experience with the new MVC format that opened up a fourth tournament weekend by moving two matches to weeknights.

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Service errors bug fans more than Wichita State coaches and players."