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Post by toomuchvb on May 18, 2017 0:42:40 GMT -5
Speaking of rosters being set... There have been six pages of Volleytalk posts (as of 5:45 PM EDT Wednesday) for other team's starting rosters. Not a peep from PSU fans or observers. Are PSU fans becoming meeker or more circumspect? Or maybe we don't care about stinking Volleytalk? No one ventures a guess as the results are the same as every year: whomever the coaching staff believe are performing best in practice will take the court. There are transfers and new players who could be options. Competition in the gym. And perhaps no one has seen the new players in action except for video clips. Exercising prudence makes sense in this instance, at this time. |
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Post by centralpennvbfan on May 18, 2017 13:27:15 GMT -5
Speaking of rosters being set... There have been six pages of Volleytalk posts (as of 5:45 PM EDT Wednesday) for other team's starting rosters. Not a peep from PSU fans or observers. Are PSU fans becoming meeker or more circumspect? Or maybe we don't care about stinking Volleytalk? No one ventures a guess as the results are the same as every year: whomever the coaching staff believe are performing best in practice will take the court. There are transfers and new players who could be options. Competition in the gym. And perhaps no one has seen the new players in action except for video clips. Exercising prudence makes sense in this instance, at this time. Indeed... much to consider grasshopper... |
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2017 20:47:09 GMT -5
OK DigNittany land, here's the first prediction of PSU's starting lineup from Volleytalk.
Penn State:
OH: Simone Lee
OH: Ali Frantti
MB: Haley Washington
MB: Tori Gorrell
S: Abby Detering
OPP: Heidi Thelen
L: Kendall White
DS: Keeton Holcomb
Looks like 2016.
First off, the spelling wasn't great, but at least it's good phonetically. There were some follow-on comments about running a 6-2, and what roles Bryanna Weiskircher, Nia Reed, and Clare Powers might have. As I recall, DigNittany participants tend to shy away from discussing this type of issue. I'm not necessarily advocating a move to the rough-and-tumble discussions that might follow. I wonder if there are kinder gentler ways to discuss personnel preferences/issues. What freshman might we see getting the most early playing time? Which ones might be redshirted?
Maybe I'm being provocative in order to stimulate discussion? Did I mention that I went off my meds.....
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Post by nyline on May 19, 2017 7:34:34 GMT -5
OK DigNittany land, here's the first prediction of PSU's starting lineup from Volleytalk. Penn State: OH: Simone Lee OH: Ali Frantti MB: Haley Washington MB: Tori Gorrell S: Abby Detering OPP: Heidi Thelen L: Kendall White DS: Keeton Holcomb Looks like 2016. First off, the spelling wasn't great, but at least it's good phonetically. There were some follow-on comments about running a 6-2, and what roles Bryanna Weiskircher, Nia Reed, and Clare Powers might have. As I recall, DigNittany participants tend to shy away from discussing this type of issue. I'm not necessarily advocating a move to the rough-and-tumble discussions that might follow. I wonder if there are kinder gentler ways to discuss personnel preferences/issues. What freshman might we see getting the most early playing time? Which ones might be redshirted? Maybe I'm being provocative in order to stimulate discussion? Did I mention that I went off my meds..... I think speculation is fine: for example, Kat Cather, the 6-2 Jr. RS/Opp transfer, obviously will get a look somewhere on the front row. Doesn't mean she'll see much playing time, but she might. Given that I'd bet Coach Rose hasn't made that decision yet, I'd bet even more that no one on this board or VT knows how it will play out. Then there's Cami May at MB. Where does she fit in? I'd be willing to bet most of us on this board don't know I certainly don't. And the freshman OH, Mikaela Puznicki (sp?) Will she play well enough to spell Ali and/or Simone from time to time? I don't know. Might there be a 6-2? No clue. It's certainly possible. So opinions on any of these topics, or similar ones I've overlooked, are all fine. Best if accompanied by actual facts. What I dislike are statements like "Player A will start, because Player B is a train wreck." That's not productive (and not pointing at anyone on this board or elsewhere -- just a general comment.) My best guess is they will play 20 matches in the B1G. |
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Post by traveler on May 22, 2017 0:29:36 GMT -5
Frantti, Washington, Courtney, McClendon, Dorton and a bunch of others IMS (if memory serves) all started as Frosh. Coach is not opposed to using them, if they're ready. Really have to wait and see 1) how prepared they are and 2) if Coach feels he needs them.
Remember, we had the FANTASTIC Blair Brown redshirt her first season because we were so loaded.
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Post by bob2061 on May 22, 2017 6:55:23 GMT -5
Generally speaking Coach Rose has certain habits. He usually starts the year with his veterans and gives them every chance to succeed. When they hit slumps he will try substitutions to enhance the team performance. Coach knows the RS position does not provide the necessary offensive and defensive skills to win the tough matches on the road but chances for a quick fix there are very slim. Coach feels team chemistry is crucial to having a good season but he will not commit to a set lineup until he is totally convinced that every option has been explored in practice. One thing I know is that you can't be a great team if you have to rely on one player to generate most of your offense.
I like to think outside the box so I will make one totally crazy suggestion - let's put Washington at RS position and see if she can handle it. At worst we can revert back to last year's lineup, so what do we have to lose?
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Post by nyline on May 22, 2017 11:52:17 GMT -5
Generally speaking Coach Rose has certain habits. He usually starts the year with his veterans and gives them every chance to succeed. When they hit slumps he will try substitutions to enhance the team performance. Coach knows the RS position does not provide the necessary offensive and defensive skills to win the tough matches on the road but chances for a quick fix there are very slim. Coach feels team chemistry is crucial to having a good season but he will not commit to a set lineup until he is totally convinced that every option has been explored in practice. One thing I know is that you can't be a great team if you have to rely on one player to generate most of your offense. I like to think outside the box so I will make one totally crazy suggestion - let's put Washington at RS position and see if she can handle it. At worst we can revert back to last year's lineup, so what do we have to lose? I think that's a totally crazy suggestion (though you're certainly entitled to make it). What we have to lose is multiple matches while the experiment is explored. If you turn out to be right (and "right" will simply mean that Coach Rose tries it out for at least one full set of one match), I will either (a) in a bow to Dickens, eat my head; or (2) post every day, once a day, for two weeks straight "bob2061 was on the right side of the right side and nyline was on the wrong side of the right side." |
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Post by traveler on May 22, 2017 15:09:36 GMT -5
I think we have a RS opening that would be better solved not just for Washington's senior year but for several to follow. Let's hope there are other options.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2017 16:52:18 GMT -5
Heligh is strictly a "one foot hitter " so IMHO, is not suited for RS. Comments? I can take criticizm.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2017 17:17:44 GMT -5
Heligh is strictly a "one foot hitter " so IMHO, is not suited for RS. Comments? I can take criticizm. I don't think Haleigh would work on the right side--or she'd have been playing there or as an OH since high school. I'm not disturbed that Bob put the idea forward. I think he liked the idea of someone who might bring overwhelming power to hits from the right side as she has from the middle and on her slides. We've been missing hitters like Blair Brown, Ariel Scott, and Aiyana Whitney for the last two years. Perhaps, Coach Rose had hope in Jelena Novakovic(sp?), especially as she's a leftie. Obviously, it didn't work out. Let's hope someone comes forward this fall. |
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Post by elliotberton on May 23, 2017 8:53:12 GMT -5
If we are being totally crazy, I would put Simone Lee on the RS, and maybe Powers or one of the Freshpersons can back up Frantti on the other side. Simone did get a number of really good swings from RS last season, and her leaping ability allows her a decent chance to score when the team is out of system.
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Post by centralpennvbfan on May 23, 2017 10:17:50 GMT -5
If we are being totally crazy, I would put Simone Lee on the RS, and maybe Powers or one of the Freshpersons can back up Frantti on the other side. Simone did get a number of really good swings from RS last season, and her leaping ability allows her a decent chance to score when the team is out of system. I like that idea... However, who would you consider the better defender Simone or Allie? Should the better defender play OH? I heard the under-armour all-american we acquired from UVA is a 6 position player much like Meghan Courtney... Is she the new OH? |
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Post by centralpennvbfan on May 23, 2017 10:29:29 GMT -5
Generally speaking Coach Rose has certain habits. He usually starts the year with his veterans and gives them every chance to succeed. When they hit slumps he will try substitutions to enhance the team performance. Coach knows the RS position does not provide the necessary offensive and defensive skills to win the tough matches on the road but chances for a quick fix there are very slim. Coach feels team chemistry is crucial to having a good season but he will not commit to a set lineup until he is totally convinced that every option has been explored in practice. One thing I know is that you can't be a great team if you have to rely on one player to generate most of your offense. I like to think outside the box so I will make one totally crazy suggestion - let's put Washington at RS position and see if she can handle it. At worst we can revert back to last year's lineup, so what do we have to lose? Bobby, Bobby, Bobby... Coach Rose has habits? He "usually starts the year with his veterans"? Are you confused with Cook at Nebraska? Let's see... Mikah started the first day of the season in the second match over a senior that had just won the national championship. Since you understand how coach "feels"... why does he hurt so many seniors feelings and starts freshmen or transfers? Because just maybe... THEY ARE BETTER! |
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Post by elliotberton on May 23, 2017 11:01:18 GMT -5
Actually I am uncertain whether Simone is that much better on defense than Allie. Both showed flashes last season. I suppose Simone seemed to be a bit better but that might be because she started at OH most of the time (hence more chances). I do prefer Simone over Allie for digging, but Allie passes better.
Ultimately, both Simone and Allie are very good, and I would seek to maximize their skills. All of that is subject to how well our new players can play and fit in.
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Post by traveler on May 23, 2017 13:42:48 GMT -5
And, consider: Washington does quite a bit of RS hitting with her famous slide (not backslide as the radio folks insist on calling it; backsliding is not a positive thing. NO BACKSLIDING at PSU this year!!).
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