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Post by Millennium on Dec 11, 2018 12:53:20 GMT -5
As far as next year's team, I really feel like the only thing we'll need to worry about is replacing Nia Reed's offensive production. Since, she was not a 6 rotation hitter, Clark should be able to step into that roll. If Clark can also pass, woohoo, we're in business. I believe Russ can get around the loss of Leath's passing with a few subs here and there. As for the loss of Bryanna, I think another year under Blossom's belt should make her dangerous as a setter and on defense.
All in all, I would say that we'll start off slow, like usual, but get more competitive as the season wears on.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2018 12:56:54 GMT -5
The game that many of you springing from Mr. Cook may be shady or not since I do not know enough of the details to evaluate. BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT RUSS WILL NEVER BE PART OF THAT WHICH IS SHADY, QUESTIONABLE OR JUST DOWN RIGHT IMPROPER. Regarding those who came here and left they left because they no longer were relevant to Russ's teams. AND THEY KNEW IT because Russ does not withhold his evaluation for every player on the team and he tells them where they stand. HE made a misjudgaement of their skill potential. I suspect he helped them find a home although I cannot verify anything solid to support that claim. One point I would like to make about MICHA she was a player who played from the settting position. That did not make her a good setter. It made her a valuable player Lets not talk negative about micha or I’m gonnna go ballastic. She was my fav player ever to watch. You could say she was my vb hero. She had a certain type of edge to her that was intoxicating if that makes sense. Made it so I could t get enough of watching her play. She was a great player and sure psu has had some athletes come through who’s skill level was higher then that but it was just something about her. I’m excited that she has done well with national team. Sorry on my micha kick. It will be over soon just getting it out of my system |
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Post by nitneliun on Dec 11, 2018 13:13:39 GMT -5
One point I would like to make about MICHA she was a player who played from the settting position. That did not make her a good setter. It made her a valuable player Do you mean the same Micha who took over from Cheesehead Jesus in the first set of their first international tournament and is currently the USWNT backup setter to Carli Lloyd? Yeah, she's not much of a setter. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2018 13:22:56 GMT -5
One point I would like to make about MICHA she was a player who played from the settting position. That did not make her a good setter. It made her a valuable player Do you mean the same Micha who took over from Cheesehead Jesus in the first set of their first international tournament and is currently the USWNT backup setter to Carli Lloyd? Yeah, she's not much of a setter. Thank you. She a good all around player you don’t make national team as setter if u don’t have skills. She may not be flashy from pure setter standpoint like carlini but that does not make her not strong there. Plus how many setter have won NPOY. There may be some way back but I can think of three off top of head. Lloyd hancock and misty May. Sorry just kinda over the Hancock wasn’t a good setter she just had a good serve. That doesn’t get u that award alone nor the backup setter on national team. Personally I think she could take over. I think she connected better with her hitters most recently then Lloyd. Carlini hasn’t lived up to hype on national scene yet and Hancock has been better or tossup at worst. Could sss or Poulter come in and be successful at the level. Possibly. But right now I think Hancock absolutely deserves to be where she’s at. You see what happens when I don’t occupy time with Nebraska hate. Lol |
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Post by elliotberton on Dec 11, 2018 14:00:00 GMT -5
It won't be enough to fill Taylor Leath's slot with a strong arm. The team will need a solid six rotation player who can dig and pass as well as hit. Yet again I agree with your assessment. Leath's most significant contribution this year was in serve receive and passing. The closest we have with the remaining players seems to be Parker. If Parker is asked to receive serve, it will very likely affect her offense. I also don't recall a situation where the 6 rotation player was the RS-but I can't see why not either. Leath was the best passer I have seen in that role. I recall all of the pain we felt watching Frantti and later Lee learn to do that (and others in prior years). In my opinion, even after Frantti and Lee got good at it, neither was quite at the level Taylor brought to the table from the very beginning of this season (I recall Kiraly singling Leath out for praise this year even when he was calling a match that did not involve Penn State). As I mentioned before, next year could try to rely more on White/Hampton in serve receive but that won't cover all rotations and might mess up Coach's preferred substitution pattern. The other thought was to go to a true 6/2 with Parker as setter 2. That would allow Blossom to receive in some rotations. Would be different but maybe could work. |
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Post by elliotberton on Dec 11, 2018 15:03:49 GMT -5
The only alternative to a player deciding, on their own, to leave, is what in football and basketball is sometimes referred to as a "carefrontation" -- where the coach sits down with the player and says "You're welcome to stay, but if you do, in all likelihood you won't ever play. You're not good enough." Or words to that effect. I recall an interview,(perhaps as recently as last year?) where Coach mentioned that sometimes players don't perform as expected, or simply don't listen. I also recall that he said he would not take their scholarship away. I gathered from those statements that if things were not working out with a particular player, the team would just live with the consequences. Of course nothing that Coach said would preclude an honest conversation with a player about their prospects for success with the team. I also believe that if a player does want to transfer, the staff may try to help them find a place. I would prefer to believe that Coach would not go so far as to encourage a player to leave just to open up a scholarship for someone else. But I have no actual knowledge about how any or each of these situations might be handled. I am not comfortable expressing opinions about which of the players who are presently here might be candidates for a "frank" discussion. Again, (pollyanna or not) I would prefer to believe that most players who come here do so because they want the challenge and the chance to earn their way onto the court. We have an array of examples where players bided their time until they improved enough to get into meaningful matches. We also have some examples where our players transferred presumably (at least in part) to get playing time. |
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Post by elliotberton on Dec 11, 2018 15:11:14 GMT -5
Lets not talk negative about micha or I’m gonnna go ballastic. She was my fav player ever to watch. You could say she was my vb hero. She had a certain type of edge to her that was intoxicating if that makes sense. Made it so I could t get enough of watching her play. She was a great player and sure psu has had some athletes come through who’s skill level was higher then that but it was just something about her. I’m excited that she has done well with national team. Sorry on my micha kick. It will be over soon just getting it out of my system
Micha continues to improve. Her blocking and overall defense are observably better even over the last year and while a little less obvious, I think her setting is bumping (bad pun) up as well. My son interviewed her when he and she were at Penn State. He said she was very cautious in her answers to questions. My observation is she has gotten better at interviews as well. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2018 15:17:08 GMT -5
Micha continues to improve. Her blocking and overall defense are observably better even over the last year and while a little less obvious, I think her setting is bumping (bad pun) up as well. My son interviewed her when he and she were at Penn State. He said she was very cautious in her answers to questions. My observation is she has gotten better at interviews as well. He’s lucky I wish I could interview her. So many questions. Although I’d prob come off as obsessed fan so maybe not lol |
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Post by nyline on Dec 11, 2018 15:25:51 GMT -5
As far as next year's team, I really feel like the only thing we'll need to worry about is replacing Nia Reed's offensive production. Since, she was not a 6 rotation hitter, Clark should be able to step into that roll. If Clark can also pass, woohoo, we're in business. I believe Russ can get around the loss of Leath's passing with a few subs here and there. As for the loss of Bryanna, I think another year under Blossom's belt should make her dangerous as a setter and on defense. All in all, I would say that we'll start off slow, like usual, but get more competitive as the season wears on. To have enough substitutions, you need to have a six rotation OH. I don't think you can get around that with "a few substitutions here and there" -- it might work from a math standpoint, but I don't think it would work from a defensive standpoint. |
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Post by Millennium on Dec 11, 2018 21:22:31 GMT -5
As far as next year's team, I really feel like the only thing we'll need to worry about is replacing Nia Reed's offensive production. Since, she was not a 6 rotation hitter, Clark should be able to step into that roll. If Clark can also pass, woohoo, we're in business. I believe Russ can get around the loss of Leath's passing with a few subs here and there. As for the loss of Bryanna, I think another year under Blossom's belt should make her dangerous as a setter and on defense. All in all, I would say that we'll start off slow, like usual, but get more competitive as the season wears on. To have enough substitutions, you need to have a six rotation OH. I don't think you can get around that with "a few substitutions here and there" -- it might work from a math standpoint, but I don't think it would work from a defensive standpoint.
I've been thinking, the coaching would be able to make it work if they flip Parker to the left side and play Clark at Opp (assuming Clark cannot pass that well).
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Post by elliotberton on Dec 11, 2018 21:35:35 GMT -5
To have enough substitutions, you need to have a six rotation OH. I don't think you can get around that with "a few substitutions here and there" -- it might work from a math standpoint, but I don't think it would work from a defensive standpoint.
I've been thinking, the coaching would be able to make it work if they flip Parker to the left side and play Clark at Opp (assuming Clark cannot pass that well).
So I am not sure that Parker has to switch to OH in order to fill the role. Coach had Parker in for 6 rotations anyway, but he did not ask her to receive/pass. Next year, he could use her the same way but not hide her behind on receptions. Parker, like Megan Courtney, is a smart attacker. They had her swing from 5 zones this season, and she varied her shots with speed, spin, tips, and sometimes power. However unlike Megan, so far, Parker has not yet shown the passing skills. |
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Post by bob2061 on Dec 12, 2018 18:02:51 GMT -5
If I was coach I would Play Amanda Phegley at RS, Hord and Gorrel in the Middle, Grey and Clark on the LS, White at libero, and Parker at setter. Blossum would be the backup setter and Hampton would be the DS. Blossum would be a major liability with blocking and we must have a backup setter. Clark has great potential and will do us proud.
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Post by tillie on Dec 12, 2018 21:19:35 GMT -5
bob2061
Where do you get info and exposure to these players talents that you establish the lineup and location??
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Post by elliotberton on Dec 12, 2018 21:56:10 GMT -5
If I was coach I would Play Amanda Phegley at RS, Hord and Gorrel in the Middle, Grey and Clark on the LS, White at libero, and Parker at setter. Blossum would be the backup setter and Hampton would be the DS. Blossum would be a major liability with blocking and we must have a backup setter. Clark has great potential and will do us proud. This would be like Detering/Weiskircher modified 6/2. Benefit would be a taller block, but always harder for hitters to adjust to 2 different types of sets. Tillie's point is important. We don't know whether Amanda can play RS. So far Amanda has shown us a really strong slide attack. It is hard for middles to move to OH or RS. The footwork is different. (Think about Heidi Thelen). Gorrell has tried RS some with so far not great results. I don't recall Gray swinging from OH. Plus Blossum might be a better blocker than her height might indicate. Have faith that Coach will put the players in the best possible combinations to succeed. |
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Post by traveler on Dec 14, 2018 22:31:55 GMT -5
Watched a bit of the HS exhibition match from MN tonight. Lauren Clark go on quite a service run including an ace; made a really tough dig; but didn't do so well at OH/pin. Not sure if any other PSU recruits were involved.
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