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Post by toomuchvb on Sept 8, 2023 21:15:55 GMT -5
Nice to see Stark doing well. I would really like to see Angelina do well as she seems to be a good teammate and a good/nice person. Hope she can learn to tool the block and change things up when the opposing team is blocking her. When I think of players being blocked, I always think of Jonni Parker. She had so many different shots and was such a creative player. Teams knew that she was the best OH and that the majority of sets would go to her, especially on oos balls. Yet she was still able to get her fair share of kills. I wonder, why can't other players learn that too? Obviously, it's MUCH more difficult to do than I, as a fan, thinks. Parker was a good player for Penn State who carried a heavy load on attack. She faced the challenge of hitting shots while maintaining positive attack efficiency. Parker, a RS attacker, managed modest hitting percentages. She always gave a stalwart effort. .246 2021 .218 2020 .264 2019 .260 2018 Efficiency is a challenge that continued in the last couple seasons. This season, PSU has pin hitters who have previously hit very good percentages for their position. Maintaining those .300s efficiency levels at Penn State will be key to a top 15 season and deep tournament run in December. |
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Post by elliotberton on Sept 8, 2023 22:43:11 GMT -5
PSU up 19-14. Touch on Temple for PSU pt. No challenge by Temple. Maddy serving. Nice kill by Angelina for pt. Her 5th. TO Temple Dont know if they had the cameras set up. There were a bunch of points which merited a challenge including a howlingly bad in call favoring TU during set 1. KSC groused to the down ref but they just played on. |
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Post by dc155 on Sept 8, 2023 23:01:00 GMT -5
Whoever made this video used an old photo for the cover, but did a great job making a video of every point.
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Post by elliotberton on Sept 8, 2023 23:09:27 GMT -5
It was fun to see the team up close and personal. Liacorous Center has stadium seats - so chair backs (yay!). The TU band was fun as well. The over head score board was pretty low though-surprised no balls hit that thing.
TU ran a 6/2 with two of the shortest setters I have seen in D1. Temple got a few hard swings but they were clearly not anywhere near talented enough to trouble PSU.
My impression was that this match was used to build some confidence for players who need it. Zoe probably wishes she could hit against this group every day. TU was helpless against her. Stark got to dust herself off and while she still hits cross court and won't go line, she did tool the block once. Her passing was not up to her standard though and Gillian had to reposition to protect her on serve receive. (Like others I really root for her to do well)
I am surprised that the setting is not farther along. Still too many missed sets-even with some good passes. I did detect some improvement with sets for Allie's slide. But the setter hitter connection has got to get better faster.
I am glad that the team did not overlook this match given the Sunday opponent.
As we were exiting the parking garage, we saw Alexa walking through with (I assume) her family. I was curious why she did not get some court time. Hope she is healthy.
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Post by jojonito on Sept 9, 2023 1:33:47 GMT -5
\ ... I am surprised that the setting is not farther along. Still too many missed sets-even with some good passes. I did detect some improvement with sets for Allie's slide. But the setter hitter connection has got to get better faster. ... My feeling also. I've seen some really bad sets this year upon occasion. I wonder if Mac has been nervous and has let her nerves get the best of her. (There is a ton of expectations for this year because of Mac's tranfering to PSU). I was just talking to my brother and wondering if Mac was feeling so much pressure to be the "really good" setter coming in that her expectations of herself were affecting her play in a negative way. Regardless, I've seen improvement, and expect that over time, she'll be the setter we were expecting to see. |
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Post by jojonito on Sept 9, 2023 1:51:29 GMT -5
I was surprised to see Grimes back a libero. Not sure what KSC is thinking. I just hope that it isn't a reprise of 2015. RR never did settle on a libero and, from my memory of the year, was switching them back and forth for most of the year. I thought at the time, (and still do  ) that it would have been better to have stuck with 1 person so that that person could get more time in games. Maybe it was RR's 2nd mistake ever in coaching. (The first being when he stuck with a good player in the NCAA finals instead of subbing in somebody else). I remember him mentioning that in an interview. I joke. I'm sure he would tell you about tens if not hundreds. To quote somebody, (incorrectly), "You need experience to stop making dumb mistakes. You get experience by making dumb mistakes.) True, Grimes and Maddy are both better than the liberos back then. It could be that KSC is just giving Grimes a second chance. I remember Kristen Carpenter talking about her years after the 2010 year when she set the PSU team to an NCAA championship. She said that in a year she lost 4 jobs, setter, libero, back row specialist and serving sub. (That was the year that Micha came in and took over the setting position). BUT, she was grateful to RR that he kept giving her another chance. Her whole attitude after the fact was amazing. I really doubt that I would have gone thru that whole year without becoming bitter. Especially after the hell that RR put her thru in 2010, when she was coming back to setting after not having set for a number of years. RR did seem to push players to the brink in order to make them as good as he thought they could be. |
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Post by jojonito on Sept 9, 2023 2:08:13 GMT -5
A funny quote from Kristen Carpenter about that year, "Lori Rose isn’t an official coach on the team, but her impact is enormous. “I wouldn’t have made it through last year without her,” Kristin Carpenter said. “For one, him being so hard on me and two, being thrown into a position I hadn’t played in four years, it was hard. With her constant motivation and constant positivity, she’s one of those people who will go out of her way to help anyone. If you would have asked me what type of girl I would have picked for Coach, I would have picked a stripper. But just to balance out his craziness, she’s perfect.” (You could always depend on Kristen Carpenter to give you a good line, a trait she shared with RR. She had this student interview while at PSU that was hysterical)."
Here is another quote from Christa (Harmotto) Dietzen. "Dietzen still sounds exhausted recounting practices from 2007 -- the beginning of Penn State's four-in-a-row string of championships. "We lost all the time in practice, she says. Monday to Thursday he would create these situations where it was really hard to win. He'd add his assistant to the scrimmage. ... He'd raise the net higher. He knew the potential of what we could handle, and he'd push the ceiling.'"
P.S. I have a bundle of quotes from RR and about RR. He was such a character and such a funny guy.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2023 3:24:48 GMT -5
I was surprised to see Grimes back a libero. Not sure what KSC is thinking. I just hope that it isn't a reprise of 2015. RR never did settle on a libero and, from my memory of the year, was switching them back and forth for most of the year. I thought at the time, (and still do ) that it would have been better to have stuck with 1 person so that that person could get more time in games. Maybe it was RR's 2nd mistake ever in coaching. (The first being when he stuck with a good player in the NCAA finals instead of subbing in somebody else). I remember him mentioning that in an interview. I joke. I'm sure he would tell you about tens if not hundreds. To quote somebody, (incorrectly), "You need experience to stop making dumb mistakes. You get experience by making dumb mistakes.) True, Grimes and Maddy are both better than the liberos back then. It could be that KSC is just giving Grimes a second chance. I remember Kristen Carpenter talking about her years after the 2010 year when she set the PSU team to an NCAA championship. She said that in a year she lost 4 jobs, setter, libero, back row specialist and serving sub. (That was the year that Micha came in and took over the setting position). BUT, she was grateful to RR that he kept giving her another chance. Her whole attitude after the fact was amazing. I really doubt that I would have gone thru that whole year without becoming bitter. Especially after the hell that RR put her thru in 2010, when she was coming back to setting after not having set for a number of years. RR did seem to push players to the brink in order to make them as good as he thought they could be. I'm not sure changing liberos is going to be the problem this year. Efficient hitting is the problem. We need one more OH being productive, consistently, in order to stay competitive. I was happy to see Willow. I'm hoping either she or Markley shine this year. Watching Mac this year, gave me the impression that she was a bit overrated, but I agree that I think it may be nerves, which I'm hoping she'll work out soon. |
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Post by seeyajohn on Sept 9, 2023 7:15:36 GMT -5
I was pleased to again see Katie play her subs. Russ rarely did so. I wish Katie had left the subs in when the going got tough in that third set to see how they would respond.
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Post by elliotberton on Sept 9, 2023 7:33:53 GMT -5
I was surprised to see Grimes back a libero. Not sure what KSC is thinking. I just hope that it isn't a reprise of 2015. RR never did settle on a libero and, from my memory of the year, was switching them back and forth for most of the year. I thought at the time, (and still do ) that it would have been better to have stuck with 1 person so that that person could get more time in games. Maybe it was RR's 2nd mistake ever in coaching. (The first being when he stuck with a good player in the NCAA finals instead of subbing in somebody else). I remember him mentioning that in an interview. I joke. I'm sure he would tell you about tens if not hundreds. To quote somebody, (incorrectly), "You need experience to stop making dumb mistakes. You get experience by making dumb mistakes.) True, Grimes and Maddy are both better than the liberos back then. It could be that KSC is just giving Grimes a second chance. I remember Kristen Carpenter talking about her years after the 2010 year when she set the PSU team to an NCAA championship. She said that in a year she lost 4 jobs, setter, libero, back row specialist and serving sub. (That was the year that Micha came in and took over the setting position). BUT, she was grateful to RR that he kept giving her another chance. Her whole attitude after the fact was amazing. I really doubt that I would have gone thru that whole year without becoming bitter. Especially after the hell that RR put her thru in 2010, when she was coming back to setting after not having set for a number of years. RR did seem to push players to the brink in order to make them as good as he thought they could be. I'm not sure changing liberos is going to be the problem this year. Efficient hitting is the problem. We need one more OH being productive, consistently, in order to stay competitive. I was happy to see Willow. I'm hoping either he or Markley shine this year. Watching Mac this year, gave me the impression that she was a bit overrated, but I agree that I think it may be nerves, which I'm hoping she'll work out soon. By my observation, including last season, Gillian is a better passer than Maddy. But Maddy is a flashier defender and brings an intense energy that the peppy Gillian does not have. What is needed is the combo of both-which we can get by playing them together. BUT I was not too happy when in set three Maddy and Gillian let an easy ball hit the floor which was right between them (Alfonse and Gaston). Mac is the best blocking setter I have seen at PSU. She is also clearly the leader. In the timeout huddle during the set 3 meltdown with the subs Mac was the one talking to the team and then exhorted Ally one on one. I was impressed with that. Mac lifted OSU's whole program so I have been pretty perplexed (especially when a set is timed so poorly that the ball hits the floor or has to be rescued by the Libero). |
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Post by ethankasales on Sept 9, 2023 8:53:40 GMT -5
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Post by traveler on Sept 9, 2023 9:34:15 GMT -5
Libero:
I think there's something intangible that Maddy brings that hasn't been discussed: floor management. I think it may be the critical difference between the two of them right now. I also think putting Maddy back in the jersey was critical to the team performing better after our Lost Weekend. If Maddy is available, I'd sleep better knowing the jersey is hers for the rest of the season.
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Post by jojonito on Sept 10, 2023 11:34:42 GMT -5
Libero: I think there's something intangible that Maddy brings that hasn't been discussed: floor management. I think it may be the critical difference between the two of them right now. I also think putting Maddy back in the jersey was critical to the team performing better after our Lost Weekend. If Maddy is available, I'd sleep better knowing the jersey is hers for the rest of the season. I agree. It may be that Maddy is just a better leader. The defense seems to be better when she is on the floor. I don't know how to take Grimes being the libero against Temple. Was it just to help her continue to develop, or does KSC think she is the better talent and maybe has a higher upside and will be the better libero? Who knows. I certainly don't |
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Post by jojonito on Sept 10, 2023 11:39:09 GMT -5
I'm not sure changing liberos is going to be the problem this year. Efficient hitting is the problem. We need one more OH being productive, consistently, in order to stay competitive. I was happy to see Willow. I'm hoping either he or Markley shine this year. ... By my observation, including last season, Gillian is a better passer than Maddy. But Maddy is a flashier defender and brings an intense energy that the peppy Gillian does not have. What is needed is the combo of both-which we can get by playing them together. BUT I was not too happy when in set three Maddy and Gillian let an easy ball hit the floor which was right between them (Alfonse and Gaston). ... Somebody posted a list of the top passing liberos in the B1G or nation last year, not sure which. Grimes, Maddy and some other PSU back row defender were on the list. Grimes had the best receive percentage for any PSU player. |
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Post by ethankasales on Sept 10, 2023 16:23:57 GMT -5
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) that it would have been better to have stuck with 1 person so that that person could get more time in games. Maybe it was RR's 2nd mistake ever in coaching. 
