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Post by cross5 on Dec 2, 2015 13:29:34 GMT -5
I have from the beginning believed that this year's team has the talent, personnel and coaching to win it all even against a more overall competitive field than we have seen in recent years.
The coaches know what they are doing.
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Post by tillie1014 on Dec 2, 2015 15:02:42 GMT -5
I too would like to see Keaton return. Her numbers early in the season were staggering and I suspect as Russ indicated that she is just one very tired, busy, freshman who is overwhelmed with all this and being from Texas has not yet adjusted to the State College weather and collegiate scene. I have immense admiration for Kendall and would love to see her do well but she has had 3 full years to prepare and still was not able to convince the coaching staff that she was superior. The other alternatives do not seem to be in the same league from what very modest exposure I have had to them.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2015 15:40:55 GMT -5
My vote goes to Nebraska. Picked them at the beginning of the season, pick them now. Do not like Cook's overall coaching style, but he has the players and those players are PLAYING! Defensively, they are right up there with Wisconsin. Wisconsin is a wonderful sleeper, and can certainly reach the finals. On a side note, does anyone else feel that Keeton should be playing libero? I have been watching some replays, and she has certainly proven she can pass a ball better than the other back row players. Her serve receive can be off with a good serving team, but she is our best dig/passer, in my humble opinion. She had a bad receiving game against 2 teams, and Kendall, whom I respect so much, was our new libero. I love Kendall's fight and spirit, but her passing has not been good enough for setter to set a good ball. Evidenced in both Minnesota and Nebraska games. Watching Keeton pass in the Ohio State games, as well as Illinois and others I have recorded, shows me she can adjust. Everyone has a 'bad game', but I think her development is wonderful. I'd love to see her back at lbero. Also, would love to see Heidi in. Her blocking presence is awsome, and she is able to free the outside hitters with good touches on D. Just wondering whether we might see her in the playoffs. Hope so! Go Lions!! I agree with you on Keeton, she is the best passer. However, I think, Kendall is better at digging and communicating in the back row. At this point it be good to just put in whoever is hot on that particular day. Wouldn't be surprised to see coach start one then change liberos mid-match; it's do or die time. Also, Thelen is definitely a presence in the middle, I'd like to see her come in too. I trust coach will do the right thing with her. We'll wait and see.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2015 17:01:42 GMT -5
Coach Rose might do anything. In 2010 he played three freshman front row players in the semis and finals--only one of whom had played most of the regular season. It worked out pretty well and they were All Americans in 2013.
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Post by traveler on Dec 3, 2015 10:26:17 GMT -5
My vote goes to Nebraska. Picked them at the beginning of the season, pick them now. Do not like Cook's overall coaching style, but he has the players and those players are PLAYING! Defensively, they are right up there with Wisconsin. Wisconsin is a wonderful sleeper, and can certainly reach the finals. On a side note, does anyone else feel that Keeton should be playing libero? I have been watching some replays, and she has certainly proven she can pass a ball better than the other back row players. Her serve receive can be off with a good serving team, but she is our best dig/passer, in my humble opinion. She had a bad receiving game against 2 teams, and Kendall, whom I respect so much, was our new libero. I love Kendall's fight and spirit, but her passing has not been good enough for setter to set a good ball. Evidenced in both Minnesota and Nebraska games. Watching Keeton pass in the Ohio State games, as well as Illinois and others I have recorded, shows me she can adjust. Everyone has a 'bad game', but I think her development is wonderful. I'd love to see her back at lbero. Also, would love to see Heidi in. Her blocking presence is awsome, and she is able to free the outside hitters with good touches on D. Just wondering whether we might see her in the playoffs. Hope so! Go Lions!! I agree with you on Keeton, she is the best passer. However, I think, Kendall is better at digging and communicating in the back row. At this point it be good to just put in whoever is hot on that particular day. Wouldn't be surprised to see coach start one then change liberos mid-match; it's do or die time. Also, Thelen is definitely a presence in the middle, I'd like to see her come in too. I trust coach will do the right thing with her. We'll wait and see. for my money, there's some less tangible/trackable factors that improved w/Pierce at L. 1) eliminated the errors at RS. I observed numerous errors during conference matches when Brianna was at RS or serving and especially the other team tipped to our RS. There would be embarrassing bobbles of the balls between the MH, RS, and S...three players right there, but losing the point. Those were eliminated (I think fully) in the matches since Pierce went to L. 2) i had been critical of Rivera...up to Pierce going to L... Suddenly, Rivera seems to know where to be, what to do, and not run into/interfere with other players. Cannot explain why this would result, but that's what i've observed. Suddenly, i don't know how we can have our core work w/out Rivera. And, Rivera may be primarily responsible for cleaning up the bobbles on the RS pin. 3) i have observed Pierce being very savvy about positioning herself when we are attacking, in a way i hadn't seen the team do as well before. 4) very intangible, but i sense the core (starters plus Rivera, Lara, Lainey) is cohesive and can communicate more effectively at this point than any other combination we've seen this year. they simply looked good together more often than did any other slate. 5) congrats to Pierce on the BIG sportsmanship award. very deserving.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2015 12:17:52 GMT -5
I agree with you on Keeton, she is the best passer. However, I think, Kendall is better at digging and communicating in the back row. At this point it be good to just put in whoever is hot on that particular day. Wouldn't be surprised to see coach start one then change liberos mid-match; it's do or die time. Also, Thelen is definitely a presence in the middle, I'd like to see her come in too. I trust coach will do the right thing with her. We'll wait and see. for my money, there's some less tangible/trackable factors that improved w/Pierce at L. 1) eliminated the errors at RS. I observed numerous errors during conference matches when Brianna was at RS or serving and especially the other team tipped to our RS. There would be embarrassing bobbles of the balls between the MH, RS, and S...three players right there, but losing the point. Those were eliminated (I think fully) in the matches since Pierce went to L. 2) i had been critical of Rivera...up to Pierce going to L... Suddenly, Rivera seems to know where to be, what to do, and not run into/interfere with other players. Cannot explain why this would result, but that's what i've observed. Suddenly, i don't know how we can have our core work w/out Rivera. And, Rivera may be primarily responsible for cleaning up the bobbles on the RS pin. 3) i have observed Pierce being very savvy about positioning herself when we are attacking, in a way i hadn't seen the team do as well before. 4) very intangible, but i sense the core (starters plus Rivera, Lara, Lainey) is cohesive and can communicate more effectively at this point than any other combination we've seen this year. they simply looked good together more often than did any other slate. 5) congrats to Pierce on the BIG sportsmanship award. very deserving. And yet we can't seem to win any big games with this lineup like we did early in the season. Caraway is not the answer. After watching the Nebraska match on BTN, it was very obvious that Nebraska targeted her on defense when she came into serve. It was like an automatic side-out for Nebraska. I would really like to see Thelen back in the middle, not a hybrid where she goes middle for 2 rotations and then RS. Whitney on the RS pin. What you give up on offense with Thelen you gain blocking, plus you get a terminator in Whitney on the RS when the passing breaks down. Either Pierce or Holcomb as libero, but be ready to swap if one struggles passing, and Krause or Rivera in 1 opposite Weiskircher. Say what you want about Krause, but I believe in looking at line-ups when we were playing well and beating good teams (Stanford, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois) and the common denominators were Krause and Thelen, both who don't really see the court anymore.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2015 16:11:18 GMT -5
And yet we can't seem to win any big games with this lineup like we did early in the season. Caraway is not the answer. After watching the Nebraska match on BTN, it was very obvious that Nebraska targeted her on defense when she came into serve. It was like an automatic side-out for Nebraska. I would really like to see Thelen back in the middle, not a hybrid where she goes middle for 2 rotations and then RS. Whitney on the RS pin. What you give up on offense with Thelen you gain blocking, plus you get a terminator in Whitney on the RS when the passing breaks down. Either Pierce or Holcomb as libero, but be ready to swap if one struggles passing, and Krause or Rivera in 1 opposite Weiskircher. Say what you want about Krause, but I believe in looking at line-ups when we were playing well and beating good teams (Stanford, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois) and the common denominators were Krause and Thelen, both who don't really see the court anymore. I wouldn't be surprised, like you said, if coach brings back some of the previous combinations. It'll be interesting to see what he does. I, for one, look forward to this tourney. My expectations are lower this year, but I still have high hopes for this team. Anything can happen in the post-season.
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