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Post by phillytom on Nov 6, 2015 23:13:24 GMT -5
Gophers looked really awesome tonight against MSU. At times they look like national champion material to me. Big Ten is incredible this year. I really like this Penn State team but they might be the third best team in the B1G.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 0:09:23 GMT -5
Gophers looked really awesome tonight against MSU. At times they look like national champion material to me. Big Ten is incredible this year. I really like this Penn State team but they might be the third best team in the B1G. Minnesota is looking good. At the end of last year, I was thinking their coach was going to be an also-ran. Now, in his fourth(?) year, the team really seem to be coming on. PSU is going to have to expend some effort to be the top team. It's a level of "interesting" I haven't faced in a while. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 0:43:48 GMT -5
The question is this: Will they be able to handle the pressure as the matches get bigger? I know Penn State and Stanford can, as perennial contenders.
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Post by nyline on Nov 7, 2015 4:16:46 GMT -5
We won't have to wait long to find out.
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Post by phillytom on Nov 7, 2015 8:41:20 GMT -5
Gophers looked really awesome tonight against MSU. At times they look like national champion material to me. Big Ten is incredible this year. I really like this Penn State team but they might be the third best team in the B1G. Minnesota is looking good. At the end of last year, I was thinking their coach was going to be an also-ran. Now, in his fourth(?) year, the team really seem to be coming on. PSU is going to have to expend some effort to be the top team. It's a level of "interesting" I haven't faced in a while. They had a couple of great recruiting classes and all that talent is in the lineup and playing well. Daly Santana has got to be a NPOY candidate -- does so many things for that team. But you're right, having a great team and a great tournament team can be two different things. |
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Post by cross5 on Nov 7, 2015 9:30:28 GMT -5
I think we will have a successful trip up North.
Psu in 4 maybe 3
Very hard fought but I think Coach has most of his pieces in place.
He kept Ali in for almost all the games these past two games to get her touch and confidence back and she did well last night.
Keeton was better last night too.
Our middles have been stellar the past 3 weeks and are carrying us at times.
I would like to see the team defend the back slide and quick back set to the pin better. Minnesota along with a few other teams had success against us there.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 13:54:54 GMT -5
I think we will have a successful trip up North. Psu in 4 maybe 3 Very hard fought but I think Coach has most of his pieces in place. He kept Ali in for almost all the games these past two games to get her touch and confidence back and she did well last night. Keeton was better last night too. Our middles have been stellar the past 3 weeks and are carrying us at times. I would like to see the team defend the back slide and quick back set to the pin better. Minnesota along with a few other teams had success against us there. I'm going to be a little more pessimistic. I see PSU winning in 4 maybe 5, but not 3. They will definitely bring their "A" game, but MN is not going to be a pushover on their home court. I agree with all the other comments. Although I have to admit, I'm perplexed with coach Rose's decision to keep Frantti in games when she is hitting so inefficiently at times. I know she's a big game player, but maybe it would light a fire under her to take her out when she's not playing well. PSU defense is a little suspect this year, hope they can clean it up by the tourney. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 15:13:30 GMT -5
I think we will have a successful trip up North. Psu in 4 maybe 3 Very hard fought but I think Coach has most of his pieces in place. He kept Ali in for almost all the games these past two games to get her touch and confidence back and she did well last night. Keeton was better last night too. Our middles have been stellar the past 3 weeks and are carrying us at times. I would like to see the team defend the back slide and quick back set to the pin better. Minnesota along with a few other teams had success against us there. I'm going to be a little more pessimistic. I see PSU winning in 4 maybe 5, but not 3. They will definitely bring their "A" game, but MN is not going to be a pushover on their home court. I agree with all the other comments. Although I have to admit, I'm perplexed with coach Rose's decision to keep Frantti in games when she is hitting so inefficiently at times. I know she's a big game player, but maybe it would light a fire under her to take her out when she's not playing well. PSU defense is a little suspect this year, hope they can clean it up by the tourney. The Franti situation is vexing. Deja McLendon had something of a drop-off her sophomore season. She was also asked to become a six-rotation player and who knows(?), perhaps the added responsibilities combined with opposing teams being able to prepare..... I don't believe it's ever an easy game and as more is expected from a player it only gets harder. Courtney did quite a bit of growing and finally had it all together during last year's tournament. As PSU fans, we have to hope the player's development matches the learning curve that Coach Rose has projected. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 15:17:25 GMT -5
as an addendum, Daly Santana is having an incredible year--matching the accolades we've been hearing the preceding three years. As a PSU fan, I welcome her graduation. As a volleyball observer, her development and peaking after three years is not out-of-the-ordinary.
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snj
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Post by snj on Nov 7, 2015 16:06:12 GMT -5
The Minnesota match looks like a toss up or perhaps MN a slight favorite. Whichever team plays the most complete in all phases, most consistently, will win. We will see if PSU plays up to the level of Minn and Neb, after playing down to the level of MD and at times vs Rutgers. Some of you will disagree, say the scores show PSU played well at Rutgers, but when you factor in the clear difference in talent, I don't think it was all that good.
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snj
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Post by snj on Nov 7, 2015 16:50:59 GMT -5
Last night there were several times when Rutgers sent over a free ball and PSU was not able to get off a shot, sending over a free ball in return. This is a team with very fine talent that plays sporadically at the historic PSU championship level. At this time last year PSU was rolling through the conference schedule with 3-0 wins all the way to the NCAA regional final. The coaches must be pulling their hair out trying to find a way to get the team to play well every day. If they were playing well consistently it would be easier to credit some of these set losses to the Big Ten opponents being stronger this season, which some clearly are.
I think less about the record, wins/losses/sweeps,than about the visible quality of play. Six games left in the Big Ten season, is PSU looking like they will be ready to take on USC, Washington etc? How many of us on this forum have seen Washington? I watched some of their match vs UCLA. Washington looks like a tough team. Their libero has a fastball serve, not much side movement, in baseball terms its a four seam fastball, not a hard slider like Micha fired.
Bases on history, I contend that if PSU is going to be a Final Four team, they have to play like it consistently against stronger and less strong teams starting now
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 17:37:53 GMT -5
The Minnesota match looks like a toss up or perhaps MN a slight favorite. Whichever team plays the most complete in all phases, most consistently, will win. We will see if PSU plays up to the level of Minn and Neb, after playing down to the level of MD and at times vs Rutgers. Some of you will disagree, say the scores show PSU played well at Rutgers, but when you factor in the clear difference in talent, I don't think it was all that good. Last night there were several times when Rutgers sent over a free ball and PSU was not able to get off a shot, sending over a free ball in return. This is a team with very fine talent that plays sporadically at the historic PSU championship level. At this time last year PSU was rolling through the conference schedule with 3-0 wins all the way to the NCAA regional final. The coaches must be pulling their hair out trying to find a way to get the team to play well every day. If they were playing well consistently it would be easier to credit some of these set losses to the Big Ten opponents being stronger this season, which some clearly are. I think less about the record, wins/losses/sweeps,than about the visible quality of play. Six games left in the Big Ten season, is PSU looking like they will be ready to take on USC, Washington etc? How many of us on this forum have seen Washington? I watched some of their match vs UCLA. Washington looks like a tough team. Their libero has a fastball serve, not much side movement, in baseball terms its a four seam fastball, not a hard slider like Micha fired. Bases on history, I contend that if PSU is going to be a Final Four team, they have to play like it consistently against stronger and less strong teams starting now Last year's PSU team was much better than this year's in almost all aspects of the game. A new setter and libero will do that; those positions have to suffer growing pains. I agree with you that consistency is important, but this team has moxie. They have a knack to show up for the big games, and they don't get flustered by being in the spotlight. I remember the 2013 UW team was rolling and we had to play them on their home court in the semifinal game. PSU swept UW on their home court. UW seemed nervouse and out of sorts; when the big lights were on them they wilted under the pressure. I just have a feeling that MN may suffer the same fate in the big-time, once-and-done matches. They aren't used to being there. The perennial powerhouses are more accustomed to the pressure; I'm not sure I would bet the farm on MN yet. We'll see how they do on Nov. 14th. |
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snj
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Post by snj on Nov 7, 2015 20:36:58 GMT -5
Just watched the first set of Michigan vs Minn. Santana! PSU had better block her effectively or she might score crazy numbers.
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Post by cross5 on Nov 7, 2015 20:53:39 GMT -5
Just watched the first set of Michigan vs Minn. Santana! PSU had better block her effectively or she might score crazy numbers. Michigan up big game 2 |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2015 20:57:04 GMT -5
Just watched the first set of Michigan vs Minn. Santana! PSU had better block her effectively or she might score crazy numbers. Michigan up big game 2 Took the words right outta my mouth. MI hitting .371 vs .265 for MN in set 2. |
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