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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Dec 6, 2009 5:18:11 GMT -5
This looks to be an intriguing match up of: Danielson vs. DeBruler, Mafua vs. Haen, "weak" conference schedule vs. "tough", and wily veteran coach Shoji vs. rookie coach Hambly. Stats-wise, Hawaii comes out on top easily. Stats-wise? Didn't you predict a USC victory over Hawai'i? You're just as ignorant as Beachman and tenniscraze.
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Post by pennstate7188 on Dec 6, 2009 5:35:06 GMT -5
Like you said, based on CSU's win over Washington, anything can happen. Yes, I predicted a USC win, but predictions are predictions. I'm willing to bet money that you picked UW over CSU. You were wrong too, eh?
Hawaii will lose eventually, so I'd remember that if I were you.
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Post by kolohekeiki on Dec 6, 2009 5:48:00 GMT -5
Hawaii will lose eventually, so I'd remember that if I were you. And so will Penn State
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Post by pennstate7188 on Dec 6, 2009 5:49:07 GMT -5
Hawaii will lose eventually, so I'd remember that if I were you. And so will Penn State Very true. Not this season, but I'm sure it will happen eventually. ;D
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Post by network155 on Dec 6, 2009 5:51:19 GMT -5
Very true. Not this season, but I'm sure it will happen eventually. ;D I can't wait to see how Penn State does next year without Glass and Hodge. ;D
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Post by pennstate7188 on Dec 6, 2009 5:52:47 GMT -5
Very true. Not this season, but I'm sure it will happen eventually. ;D I can't wait to see how Penn State does next year without Glass and Hodge. ;D Me too.
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Post by dd2000 on Dec 6, 2009 13:19:28 GMT -5
I think this match will be very close. Its difficult to predict a winner.
These two teams also met in the 2003 regional semi-finals, in Honolulu, where Illinois fell in 3, with a very close 3rd set.
I'm curious to know what some of you knowledgeable Hawaii fans think of the comparison of the 2003 Hawaii team to this one. We were ranked 2nd that year, led by LS hitters Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku. I think Danielson this year is as much of a threat as Willoughby was in 2003. I think Kahumoku gets the nod at making the over left side attack in 2003 better than the one we have this year. I give the serving edge to this years team, and think the defensive play was close with maybe the edge going to this year's team. Any thoughts on how the middles match up between the 2003 and this years team?
Any thought's on how we match up with Illinois this year, as opposed to the meeting in 2003?
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Post by OptimusPrime on Dec 6, 2009 13:24:04 GMT -5
I think this match will be very close. Its difficult to predict a winner. If mafua is on, it will be the Wahine in 4 at the most....
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Post by JHAM on Dec 6, 2009 13:28:36 GMT -5
I would give the edge to Hawaii in this match, probably in 4. Illinois, while still a very good team, is not the same team after losing their libero Edinger.
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Post by ACE on Dec 6, 2009 13:31:06 GMT -5
As a Hawaii fan I don't assume anything. A few years ago the Wahine met up with Missouri and got sent home in post-season play. Me to, and how confident I felt after we knocked off a Texas team in Austin who just defeated an undefeated Nebraska team.
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Post by ACE on Dec 6, 2009 13:33:37 GMT -5
I think they are a good team but not a top 5 team. I'm not trying to disrespect the Illini, it's just my opinion based on the matches I have seen them play this season. Having said that, as evident by Washington's loss to CSU, anything can happen in the tournament. Not that I'm disagreeing because it's tournament time, but Illinois might be a top 5 team just based on how other teams around them have been playing (Washington/Stanford). They may not look good, but none of the others have either.
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Post by pennstate7188 on Dec 6, 2009 13:35:16 GMT -5
As a Big 10 fan, I have to go with Illinois. DeBruler and Danielson are VERY comparable players. Michelle Bartsch needs to have a career night, mostly because of the lack of middle attack from the Illini. If Bangert can get involved enough to free up Bartsch and DeBruler at the pins, I think this match could be tough work for the Wahine. I don't see it being easy, by any means... for either team.
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Post by roy on Dec 6, 2009 13:36:01 GMT -5
I think this match will be very close. Its difficult to predict a winner. These two teams also met in the 2003 regional semi-finals, in Honolulu, where Illinois fell in 3, with a very close 3rd set. I'm curious to know what some of you knowledgeable Hawaii fans think of the comparison of the 2003 Hawaii team to this one. We were ranked 2nd that year, led by LS hitters Kim Willoughby and Lily Kahumoku. I think Danielson this year is as much of a threat as Willoughby was in 2003. I think Kahumoku gets the nod at making the over left side attack in 2003 better than the one we have this year. I give the serving edge to this years team, and think the defensive play was close with maybe the edge going to this year's team. Any thoughts on how the middles match up between the 2003 and this years team? Any thought's on how we match up with Illinois this year, as opposed to the meeting in 2003? Haven't seen Illinois play this year, so I can't make any comparison. But comparing Hawaii this year to 2003, there are vast differences. Willoughby was obviously the big weapon, and Danielson isn't at her level yet. But the focal point of 2003 was the left sides could get kill after kill and the purpose of the other positions (middles and opposites) were to hit for a fewer sets but they were expected to hit for a really high percent, since everyone was keying on the left sides. This year, Hawaii needs the faster offense and the balance, since Danielson and Otineru can't average 9 kills a set between them and still hit for a huge percent. This year's team is a better blocking team and definitely a better serving team than 2003. However, this may all be moot as the comparison to 2003's Illinois squad may be completely different and the match ups not the same.
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Post by OverAndUnder on Dec 6, 2009 14:21:53 GMT -5
I think they are a good team but not a top 5 team. I'm not trying to disrespect the Illini, it's just my opinion based on the matches I have seen them play this season. Having said that, as evident by Washington's loss to CSU, anything can happen in the tournament. Not that I'm disagreeing because it's tournament time, but Illinois might be a top 5 team just based on how other teams around them have been playing (Washington/Stanford). They may not look good, but none of the others have either. I agree with ACE completely. These were some of the most competitive 2nd round matches in years in terms of teams being more closely matched in strength, but they were also some of the most boring 2nd round matches in years because "being more closely matched" meant "both teams tried five dozen power tips and sent over consecutive free balls". Hell, I even critized Texas after their 1st round match against Texas State. I'd expect the #2 team in the country to absolutely blow its first opponent off the court -- maybe in one set hold them to single digit points, the biggest hitters racking up .600-.800 numbers, etc. Instead, Texas only manages an anemic .289, with their supposedly 2nd and 3rd strongest players getting shut out: Faucette 5 kills 3 errors hitting .111. Engle 2 kills 5 errors hitting -.300. Contrast that with last year's Longhorns in the first round: The team hits for .506, with Faucette at .476, Paolini at .818, Engle at .429, Hooker at .588. This year just looks weak all around to me.
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Post by pennstate7188 on Dec 6, 2009 14:32:00 GMT -5
Texas bounced back pretty well in the second round though. Didn't they hit like .460 with Hooker pounding over 20 kills at over .600? That's not too bad.
You're right though... this year is much, much weaker than 2005-2008. Some of the best players of this decade were in that class. And they're gone.
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