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Post by tillie on Nov 10, 2018 22:49:04 GMT -5
To go 5 with them is an accomplishment no one in this site anticipated as the opinions seemed to be that given their height advantage we could not compete.
I think we suffer from lack of experience anticipating what the others will do and responding accordingly but that is from experience and hard to learn in the practice gym.
Tonight there were just single bocks that opened up the court for the opponent and yet the other possible companion blocker was not moving to cover.
I am very pleased at there efforts and believe they will surprise some people with their tenacity.
Taylor may not be what you think is good but she is not the sole reason we lost.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2018 22:56:28 GMT -5
If PSU hadn't "acquired" Leath, who would the other outside hitter be? She may not be everything we'd like, but without her?
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Post by seeyajohn on Nov 10, 2018 23:03:24 GMT -5
I dont know why but PSU always lost the game on that rotation with #23 and #43, a setter and 3 DS. The whole world knows the ball is going to be set to the ONLY OH on the court. What a way to lose. Actually, that is not the case. Although they lost the last point of the match (serving), Ro 4, with Blossom, White and Hampton in the back row finished off the win in set 4. The second set loss was finished with two points scored against Ro 1 with a front row of Reed, Gray, and Parker. The third set loss came to a sudden end with two straight points by the Illini with Illinois serving against a front row of Weiskircher, Reed, and Gray. |
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Post by Millennium on Nov 10, 2018 23:06:18 GMT -5
To go 5 with them is an accomplishment no one in this site anticipated as the opinions seemed to be that given their height advantage we could not compete. I think we suffer from lack of experience anticipating what the others will do and responding accordingly but that is from experience and hard to learn in the practice gym. Tonight there were just single bocks that opened up the court for the opponent and yet the other possible companion blocker was not moving to cover. I am very pleased at there efforts and believe they will surprise some people with their tenacity. Taylor may not be what you think is good but she is not the sole reason we lost. If PSU hadn't "acquired" Leath, who would the other outside hitter be? She may not be everything we'd like, but without her?
I'm very happy we got Leath this year, and I don't think we'd have nearly the success that we've had without her this season. She's the glue that helps bind this team, along with Bryanna.
The problem is we get ever so close to beating some really good teams, that it feels like a tease of our fanatical tendencies. 
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Post by seeyajohn on Nov 10, 2018 23:07:47 GMT -5
One final thought. The match ended with a 15-13 final set. If something had broken the other way (e.g. Taylor's attack catches the line instead of just missing) and PSU had squeaked out the win, would the tone here be completely different?
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Post by nyline on Nov 10, 2018 23:10:46 GMT -5
To go 5 with them is an accomplishment no one in this site anticipated as the opinions seemed to be that given their height advantage we could not compete. I think we suffer from lack of experience anticipating what the others will do and responding accordingly but that is from experience and hard to learn in the practice gym. Tonight there were just single bocks that opened up the court for the opponent and yet the other possible companion blocker was not moving to cover. I am very pleased at there efforts and believe they will surprise some people with their tenacity. Taylor may not be what you think is good but she is not the sole reason we lost. If PSU hadn't "acquired" Leath, who would the other outside hitter be? She may not be everything we'd like, but without her?
I'm very happy we got Leath this year, and I don't think we'd have nearly the success that we've had without her this season. She's the glue that helps bind this team, along with Bryanna.
The problem is we are ever so close to beating some really good teams, that it feels like a tease of our fanatical tendencies.
Really well said. I think overwhelmingly we appreciate all that Leath provides to this team -- and it's alot. I guess we just wish at times that the Leath we have was also the Lee we lost. |
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Post by nyline on Nov 10, 2018 23:12:18 GMT -5
One more thing: Penn State had 30 total errors (attack, serving and BE); Illinois had 46 total errors. We played with grit and often with skill, but they helped keep us in the match.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2018 23:15:07 GMT -5
One more thing: Penn State had 30 total errors (attack, serving and BE); Illinois had 46 total errors. We played with grit and often with skill, but they helped keep us in the match. I believe a disproportionate number of the Illini's errors were in set 1. But yes, they helped PSU quite a bit. |
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Post by elliotberton on Nov 10, 2018 23:23:41 GMT -5
If PSU hadn't "acquired" Leath, who would the other outside hitter be? She may not be everything we'd like, but without her? The answer for this group as 2nd OH is Cathey. However, we don't have anyone who can do all the other things Taylor does. Compare Taylor's role with what Ali Frantti did the last 2+ seasons. Our system requires an OH who can receive and pass and swing. Very tough job. We will have to see who can try to do that next year. |
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Post by elliotberton on Nov 10, 2018 23:25:40 GMT -5
One more thing: Penn State had 30 total errors (attack, serving and BE); Illinois had 46 total errors. We played with grit and often with skill, but they helped keep us in the match. Yes. We certainly could use an International level player or two ... |
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Post by Millennium on Nov 10, 2018 23:39:39 GMT -5
One final thought. The match ended with a 15-13 final set. If something had broken the other way (e.g. Taylor's attack catches the line instead of just missing) and PSU had squeaked out the win, would the tone here be completely different?
Nah, we'd still be a bunch of yapping complainers, looking for something else to knit pick. LOL! 
In all seriousness, a win always soothes the spirit.
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Post by Millennium on Nov 10, 2018 23:42:27 GMT -5
One more thing: Penn State had 30 total errors (attack, serving and BE); Illinois had 46 total errors. We played with grit and often with skill, but they helped keep us in the match.
I suspect that our defense this year is making a lot of teams look bad this way.
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Post by jojonito on Nov 10, 2018 23:50:26 GMT -5
And this defense is only going to get better!
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Post by elliotberton on Nov 11, 2018 0:18:31 GMT -5
Curious but too lazy to research; wonder what PSU's best opponent hitting percentage in a season? .160 going into this match is going to be difficult to top.
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Post by nyline on Nov 11, 2018 3:00:31 GMT -5
Curious but too lazy to research; wonder what PSU's best opponent hitting percentagje in a season? .160 going into this match is going to be difficult to top. In 2009, PSU hit .381 as a team and held its opponents to .112. You'd think that would be the best, but it isn't: in 2008, Penn State hit .390 as a team and limited its opponents to .089. (Note: I only went back to 2006). |
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