Syracuse vs. Penn State (links to video and stats)

I was glad too.  I always have special appreciation for our players who give way to others but keep working hard to make the team better (eg:  C. Carpenter and even Brianna last year).

I can only speculate that the staff thinks that Hord and Gray are more athletic than Tori and hence had more of an upside.  At the beginning of the season, unlike Tori, the Freshmen were not really able to run a slide-though they can do so now. We missed having that attack option in the early part of the season.  So my thought was that Hord and Gray were the starters because of their blocking.

I also recall Coach mentioning early in the season that Tori was practicing at all front row spots, presumably including Right Side, which until Parker emerged was a hole.   So maybe the effort to expand Tori's skill set kept her out of the line up. 

I was very impressed with Tori's movement, her service, and that great pancake dig.  She was finding good spots to hit into, and unlike many other times in her career, in this match she avoided hitting the ball out (Tori mentioned keeping the ball in the court during the post match presser).  

As I understand it, Tori has another year left.  I hope she stays and keeps helping the team.

Watch the presser from last night (links are on gopsusports)

Coach would not say what's up w/Gray when asked specifically about her.

He stopped himself just short of saying Hord was like a deer in the headlights. Yes she blocked, he said, but didn't do enough with the match up she had. Chalked it up to her level of experience.

Was very happy w/Tori. Tori BTW had not a negative word to say about the bench where she's spent so much time this year. And i have to say, looking at her hands at this point last season--go to the video, she was so splinted and taped!!--it may have been a bit of a hidden blessing to save her for the end.