4.5.et al.
Maverick, I appreciate all the info you have put out over the years.
But I do take issue with you saying I was beating a dead horse, not to mention the ‘be intellectually honest’ about it.
I wasn’t doing anything except mentioning what happened to Arizona;s RPI after splitting its match. I could have easily picked out what happened with other Hawaii opponents but didn’t.
I wasn’t griping. was just a point of information since we had discussed Arizona on the previous thread.
62. As pointed out by 63, HawTel broadcasts Wahine volleyball on Ch. 89/1089. However, HawTel subscribers do not have access to the streaming video if you live in Hawaii. Only Oceanic subscribers when they sign in with their ID can get the stream.
All other Hawaii residents are geo-blocked. which means they are blocked because of their geographic location.

I am not sure what the future holds, and do remember a few seasons ago where Oceanic “bundled” a couple of Wahine outings with some desirable men’s basketball (and maybe men’s volleyball?) and we as Oceanic subscribers back then had to pay for that access. We didn’t and sent them a letter expressing our irritation.

Difficult to calculate the odds of getting to a tie-breaker #4 that would necessitate comparing records with LB vs. Cal Poly, since it assumes a lot of other things among a lot of other possibilities, but I’d guess the odds of getting to that one particular ‘foreseeable’ scenario could be characterized as ‘small’ but ‘not insignificant’.

If coaches, players, and fans are wondering what to make of it, it’s not hard to sum up what the mission forward must be. The goal has to be to win all remaining conference matches, do it in the fewest sets possible, and don’t just win each set but dominate in each set to the greatest degree possible. That’s what is required to give themselves the best chance at automatic qualifier.

Of course, the future could play out a lot different ways for all the remaining contenders. Cal Poly could get hot, LB and Hawaii could get cold or sustain injuries, and then maybe advantage goes to Cal Poly. I’d say the odds of that are also ‘small’, but not insignificant. If you are a Mustang fan, they still have rational hope, but they need to have a particularly good outing this weekend.

In the event two teams tie for first place in the final standings, the following tie-breaking formula shall be used to determine the automatic qualifier:

1. The winner of the two-match series between the tied teams shall be declared the automatic qualifier (AQ).
– If Hawaii wins the next match with LB and they both go on to have identical conference win/loss records, then go to #2 below. If LB wins the next match with Hawaii and they both go on to have identical win/loss records then LB is the AQ.

2. If still tied, the team with the best record in conference matches against common opponents beginning at the top of the standings and working down the standings until the tie is broken shall be declared the automatic qualifier. Ties among teams at the top of the standings should be broken first to establish a ranked order.
– This tie-breaker compares win/loss records against common conference oponents starting at the top. It does not compare set records. If Hawaii and LB finish with identical common opponent win/loss records, which would happen if Hawaii and LB lose only to each other, then go to #3 below.

3. If still tied, the team with the best total win/loss set record in conference matches against all conference opponents, including the matches between the tied teams, shall be declared the automatic qualifier.
– This rule compares the two tied teams to see which has the overall best conference set record. It gives both teams from this point on extra incentive to win every set and not mess around. If both teams are still tied after tie-breaker #3, go to #4 below.

4. If still tied, the team with the best win/loss set record against common conference opponents, excluding the team with which it is tied, beginning at the top of the standings and working down until the tie is broken shall be declared the automatic qualifier. Ties at the top of the standings should be broken first to establish a ranked order.
– If we are at rule #4 there could be more than one scenario that gets them here, but the one that is most foreseeable I think assumes that Hawaii beats LB on 04 Nov., both Hawaii and LB finish 15-1 only losing to each other, and both finish with identical in conference set records. If that happens, we have to start looking at the set records against common opponents (not each other) starting at the top. As of tonight, that first team they’d be looking at that they have in common is Cal Poly. If LB beats Cal Poly 3-0 this coming weekend, then LB would have the better record against the first common opponent beneath them in the standings and LB would be the AQ. If LB beats Poly 3-2 then Hawaii would be the AQ. If LB beats Poly 3-1, then again we have a tie and we must go to #5 below.

5. If still tied, the team with the highest point ratio in all conference matches shall be declared the automatic qualifier.
– I think this rule is looking at the conference teams stat page to see which team has the highest points per set ratio in conference. The advantage here is to Hawaii for the moment, but going forward that could change. This rule gives both teams incentive to keep their best line-ups on the floor at all times, to score in system, and to dominate every set. Playing down to the competition or having a flat night won’t help with the points scored per set stat, and would add to the risk of losing any advantage under tie-breaker rule #5.