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Post by cmmhc4 on Sept 29, 2006 10:32:33 GMT -5
Baylor may get a ton of aces because of Taylor Barnes, but it was their own serve receiving mishaps that eventually did them in against Missouri. They didn't seem to be able to handle any type of serve. No kidding. Baylor has such poor serve recption. Maybe it's a Baylor agenda to get Barnes in better shape, running all over the court like that. They generallly didn't have problems with top spin jump serves.. so not sure how effective Larson or Pavan will be serving for Nebraska. They had the most problems against Missouri with deep floats and short serves. This was likely a Missouri strategy as Klein didn't really serve that much and Vander Kooi didn't jump serve often and the few times she did they were jump floaters. Missouri played really awful against Baylor and still won 3-1. Nebraska will have to come out stagnant and bored, much like the Missouri team, for Baylor to even have the slightest chance.
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Post by BearClause on Sept 29, 2006 10:50:12 GMT -5
But to continue to do this and ask the same question for every higher ranked team Baylor faces the rest of the year, is this what we have to look forward to? I, for one, relish the thought of an entire season filled with puncturing the Baylor balloon weekly. Isn't that type of activity what brings us here in the first place? We now have our designated punching bag. This is going to be fun.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2006 11:04:23 GMT -5
Typically the Husker serving gets stronger as a match develops so that favors NU. I would love it if Baylor could take NY to five games, as much as it would stress me out to listen!! :-)
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Post by bearwatch on Sept 29, 2006 21:21:22 GMT -5
Interesting article about the Baylor Defense. Nice to hear respectful words come from opponents. College volleyball sets a great example for all sports.
Lincoln, NE (CSTV U-WIRE) -- Defense is a word the Nebraska volleyball team has been getting used to this week.
That's because the Cornhuskers are facing one of the Big 12 Conference's best teams this weekend.
Saturday the Cornhuskers will be squaring off with Baylor - 2-2 in Big 12 play - in Waco.
The Bears have shot out to one of their best starts in school history, already beating Big 12 opponents Kansas State and Texas Tech.
The facet of the game that has launched Baylor into its early winning streak is defense.
The Bears are currently ranked 2nd in opponent hitting percentage, blocks and assists by opponents, and they are ranked 3rd in digs and kills by opponents.
NU Head Coach John Cook said preparing for a tough defensive team like Baylor makes surprise attacks an important part of the Huskers' game plan.
"You have to make them think about where you're going so you're not predictable," Cook said. "The more unpredictable we can be, the harder it is to defend (against) us."
But this has been easier said than done for Nebraska this season, as teams already know Nebraska's threats.
With All-American Sarah Pavan and 2005 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Jordan Larson already scouted, the Huskers have to look to the rest of the squad for help against double blocks.
Senior Dani Mancuso is one of those pieces.
Knowing that opposing teams are approaching Pavan and Larson with double blockers, Mancuso said she knows the importance of her role.
"We have to put balls away because it's huge," Mancuso said. "If they are going to give us (a one-on-one situation), we have to be smart, we have to mix shots up."
It's always tough to prepare for a solid defensive team, but the Huskers have had something they aren't used to - a whole week to prepare.
"We trained really hard Tuesday and Wednesday," Cook said. "I don't know what the players think, but for me it's a huge advantage because we get to go back and work on things. We get to go back and work on Nebraska and our side of the net."
Mancuso said having a week of nothing but practice has given the Huskers a facelift when they needed it.
"(The) intensity has been great," Mancuso said. "We've had tougher drills and have been getting after it and really pushing to get better and make the plays."
The Huskers might need that intensity for their own defense when NU invades Waco.
Baylor freshman setter Taylor Barnes reeled off 11 service aces in the Bears 3-1 loss to No. 19 Missouri Wednesday night.
Senior Dani Busboom, who leads the back row of the Huskers' 5-1 system, said she is hoping NU is ready to face that kind of a challenge.
"If you let a server like that get on a run, it can definitely turn a game around," Busboom said. "We can probably give up one ace or two aces. We just can't give up the 11. Good servers are going to get their aces every game."
The offense-driven Huskers will have to get used to one of the Big 12's top defenses Saturday, while playing a little defense of their own.
Cook said that, although Baylor will pose a great defensive threat, his team has to take this match as they would take any other.
"All the teams in the Big 12 are all very good defensively," Cook said. "For us, we're expecting that, so we need to not only prepare for Baylor, but all of the other teams in the Big 12."
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