Wisconsin Destroys Purdue

[silversurfer]

parent said:

Miller has been Beg Ten POW twice this season. Doesn't that say something about Purdue's back row?

As good as Miller has been, she's also been a little shaky this past weekend. Unfortunately for Purdue, the Gophers went right after her.

[maninyellowhat]

I did notice that they served almost every ball to her.

[stberry50]

I think Purdue will bounce back. It is still a pretty young team. Once they get better tuned in to each other and all playing well at the same time, they will do ok.

[bucky415]

I have to say that I am not sold on Purdue's hitters. Lynch and Merlau are good but not dominant, from what I have seen, and the others are decent but not go to hitters. I think Dildine and Miller have been better than you would expect, given their size, but I think the Boilers would be better if they had a bigger outside who was a good hitter, allowing those two to focus on playing back row. For that reason and the fact that Shondell was off against Wisconsin, I was wondering if the Boilers might go to a 5-1 with Gray. I agree with bomber that the Boilers were better last year than this year. I think Dargan just elevated the level of her hitters and that the back row play has been inconsistent this season. I am not saying they are not a good team, but I think their strengths are with their back row play (when it is at the expected level), their serving, and their ability to win the close games. They are going to beat a lot of people, but i just don't feel they are as strong at the net as Minnesota or Wisconsin and thus they have to execute well to win. On the flip side, they are going to be good from now on, which I don't think anyone would have seen coming so soon when Shondell took over the program under such bad circumstances.

[Deleted]

Weird thing about Purdue's attack was that it seemed like EVERYONE was hitting out of the middle, regardless of their position. Or Merlau was hitting backrow.

Not much outside hitting -- and it wasn't very effective when there was.

But, man, when they were in-system, their hitters were crossing all over the place.

[verybasicdad]

Merlau, Mader and Dildine getting the majority of their kills from outside positions. Purdue sets Merlau often out of the backrow, sometimes successful and then there was this weekend! Gurnell seems to be only set in the middle swings as was Miller when she was hitting. Wish they ran more slides for their outsides to get the one on one blocks.

[verybasicdad]

Merlau, Mader and Dildine getting the majority of their kills from outside positions. Purdue sets Merlau often out of the backrow, sometimes successful and then there was this weekend! Gurnell seems to be only set in the middle swings as was Miller when she was hitting. Wish they ran more slides for their outsides to get the one on one blocks.

[BoilerUp!]

" As good as Miller has been, she's also been a little shaky this past weekend. "

Is there a jinx being "big ten player of the week" ?

Both times Kelli was named BTPOW, she didn't seem like her normal self that next weekend.