stanford of the future

[farmwatcher]

Got some info on what Stanford may look like from a friend at the SCVA mandatory last weekend. Two from 2007 were playing there, and the news is good. Of course Alix Klineman led her LB team to a win at the mandatory, though LB is not as strong as last year and there were some scares. AK plays all the way around and plays some good backrow defense as well as hitting over almost all blockers. LB started slowly in the morning, looking out of sorts against their first opponent, and getting thrashed in the first game, but composure is the key to being down, and they came back to win.

On the next court over, one of the stories of the day unfolded. With a three team pool playing 3 of 5, Cass Lichtman and her SDVBC won in 5 games (including one that ended in the 30's) in thier first match against the 1-seed, got a ten minute rest, and then went on to take the 2-seed to 5 games. Cass and her setter played every point, reportedly on the court for over four hours straight, playing at the highest level of first division So Cal ball. It was the talk of the gym.

As a reward, SDVBC got to play...AK and Long Beach, so it was the two future Cardinals against each other, both hitting, passing and digging as the go-to on their respective teams. LB won in two, though SDVBC had three game points in game 2.

These are two very competitive girls; add in the other two froshies next year, and it will be a strong group to hang together over the next four years.

[tnp101]

Which position did Lichtman play?
Sounded like a great match to watch...

[dishdaball]

We all know what position Klineman will play next year but where will Lichtman play? Will she see the court?

[mervynpumpkinhead]

dishdaball said:

We all know what position Klineman will play next year but where will Lichtman play? Will she see the court?

Kehoe will set, obviously, so I could see Lichtman hitting maybe this year, back up setting, and then setting after Kehoe's gone. They could definitely use her in spots where they need a bigger block than Kehoe in the front row.

[Deleted]

What about Evans?

[saywho]

ruffda said:

What about Evans?

Eh, I'm not too high on here. So I'm hoping Lichtman is a bit better.

[farmwatcher]

My intel is that Lichtman was hitting OH as she has pretty much full time at both school and club; she sets upon occasion, but the team needs her to hit so that is what she does. My take is that, barring injuries to others, as a frosh, the front row and setter's jobs are pretty much locked up. From what I have seen, she will provide friendly competition to Waller (and Janet O?)on the RS. Lichtman is a very good hitter on either pin, but with healthy Klineman and Barboza, those spots are locked up. Also, it seems like there will be three girls who can compete in the back row for the libero and DS spots: Ailes, Fishburn and Lichtman. Hopefully the best two will find the court.

After Bryn graduates, John and Denise are going to have a ton of options for setting and RS, which will even get more complicated and fun if they sign Kelly Murphy in 2008. Lichtman and Murphy are taller; I have not seen Murphy hit but hear she is good; Evans is a very good setter, but shorter; and what about Janet O?

[beachman]

farmwatcher said:

Got some info on what Stanford may look like from a friend at the SCVA mandatory last weekend. Two from 2007 were playing there, and the news is good. Of course Alix Klineman led her LB team to a win at the mandatory, though LB is not as strong as last year and there were some scares. AK plays all the way around and plays some good backrow defense as well as hitting over almost all blockers. LB started slowly in the morning, looking out of sorts against their first opponent, and getting thrashed in the first game, but composure is the key to being down, and they came back to win.

Boy, don't know what we would have done without that update

On the next court over, one of the stories of the day unfolded. With a three team pool playing 3 of 5, Cass Lichtman and her SDVBC won in 5 games (including one that ended in the 30's) in thier first match against the 1-seed, got a ten minute rest, and then went on to take the 2-seed to 5 games. Cass and her setter played every point, reportedly on the court for over four hours straight, playing at the highest level of first division So Cal ball. It was the talk of the gym.

As a reward, SDVBC got to play...AK and Long Beach, so it was the two future Cardinals against each other, both hitting, passing and digging as the go-to on their respective teams. LB won in two, though SDVBC had three game points in game 2.

These are two very competitive girls; add in the other two froshies next year, and it will be a strong group to hang together over the next four years.

[Wolfgang]

Beachman, please learn to use the quote feature properly. You are a senior member and should know better.

[Keystonekid]

The Stanford of the present is enough to worry about.

[cmmhc4]

So... Stanford is going to be strong the next few years? Very interesting.

[Deleted]

BASTA! and the horse they rode in on!

[cbrown1709]

Janet did run middle in the spring scrimmage against Pacific. I can see Lichtman playing backrow next year for the RS. She can take the second ball if need be and can hit from there as well. She is a very solid defender.

[farmwatcher]

OK, cbrown, so go out on a limb: if Lichtman plays DS for the right side, is Ailes the libero and Fishburn stays on the bench? Will Fishburn and Ailes battle for the libero spot?

[dishdaball]

I'll go out on a limb here......Ailes should be the libero, end of story. Fishburn should be on the bench.