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Post by carpevolleyball on Dec 7, 2009 13:40:11 GMT -5
I think that ILL needs to (and will continue to need to) use their middles more on offense. Haen tends to be overly content with setting the pins (not that that is bad with Barsch and DeBruler), but getting Johnson and Banghert consistent swings (whether they are scoring a ton or not) is going to be important.
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Post by thumpvb on Dec 7, 2009 13:51:36 GMT -5
Statements like this make me laugh. The Big 10 isn't playing Hawaii Illinois is.
How about you define what you call "weakness" and then show me a conference represented in the tournament that has not "shown weakness".
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Post by pineapple on Dec 7, 2009 13:59:46 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. Don't forget Middle Tennessee as well. No one will be overlooking Illinois. or that 30-0 season with Prince when Hawaii got ambushed on the road by Wisconsin.
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Post by pineapple on Dec 7, 2009 14:07:23 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. Yes, Roy, thats why I look up to you. A waliking, talking wikipedia ;D
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Post by stand on Dec 7, 2009 14:19:20 GMT -5
Statements like this make me laugh. The Big 10 isn't playing Hawaii Illinois is. How about you define what you call "weakness" and then show me a conference represented in the tournament that has not "shown weakness". OK, I have watched several B10 teams struggle to stay in system with terrible serve reception. I call that a weakness. So I don't think playing well in the B10 puts Ill heads and shoulders above the WAC champ. Heads, maybe, but not shoulders too. That is one reason why I think it will be close. Ill could be over-confident. PSU too, for that matter.
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Post by smiley on Dec 7, 2009 14:27:47 GMT -5
EVERY team has shown weakness at some time. Even PSU has had weakness at one time or another. The trick will be which team shows the fewest weakness this match.
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Post by rogero1 on Dec 7, 2009 15:03:18 GMT -5
Statements like this make me laugh. The Big 10 isn't playing Hawaii Illinois is. How about you define what you call "weakness" and then show me a conference represented in the tournament that has not "shown weakness". OK, I have watched several B10 teams struggle to stay in system with terrible serve reception. I call that a weakness. So I don't think playing well in the B10 puts Ill heads and shoulders above the WAC champ. Heads, maybe, but not shoulders too. That is one reason why I think it will be close. Ill could be over-confident. PSU too, for that matter. From watching Illinois play these past couple of weeks, they are definitely not overconfident. Their mission is to get one step higher than last year and to play better in their next match.
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Post by carpevolleyball on Dec 7, 2009 15:23:30 GMT -5
Hambly is too good of a coach to allow his team to be over confident. Plus they have no true superstar...and are much more of the total team effort, which usually diminishes overconfidence, I think.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2009 15:31:20 GMT -5
Both of these teams have had some shades of brilliance, and some shades of "what was that?" this season; this match has potential to be a really great battle, a lot of really scrappy volleyball, or one team dominating the other (going either way). Pretty unpredictable, IMO.
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Post by smiley on Dec 7, 2009 15:37:44 GMT -5
Let's see, Illinois is 1-7 against Hawaii, plenty of reason to be overconfident there. Last time they played Hawaii they lost so more room for overconfidence. Having problems staying in system?? Name me a team that hasn't gotten out of system at some time. It's what you do when you get out of system.
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Post by pineapple on Dec 7, 2009 16:22:40 GMT -5
Nervous confidence perhaps. But confidence, just the same. No such thing as being overconfident at this point in the weeding out process, not against the 3rd rank team in the reular poll. I am sure hawaii is confident too, but not overconfident. Isn't this the way both teams should be?
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Post by smiley on Dec 7, 2009 16:31:59 GMT -5
Absolutely both teams should be confident. I believe the #3 much more than the #12. I would think both TEAMS think of each other with respect. Teams don't get this far without being good no matter what their draw/seed is.
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Dec 7, 2009 16:38:42 GMT -5
I agree. I don't think either team is going to go in thinking the regional semi final match is going to be easy. I like the Illini program (even though I've been saying all year that this Illinois team is overranked) and am looking forward to a good match (although I like Hawaii's chances.)
Coach Shoji was asked after the USC match what he thought of Illinois, he said that he doesn't know much about the Illini but that they must be a very good team being that they came in second in the Big 10.
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Post by bigfan on Dec 7, 2009 16:47:57 GMT -5
But again, if Hawaii can out pass, serve, and defend Illinois, Hawaii wins. They really exposed USC's lack of quickness. I was really impressed by the way they play defense. BTW do the Wahine stay on the continent or did they fly home?
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Post by pineapple on Dec 7, 2009 16:50:56 GMT -5
Came home.
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