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Post by smiley on Dec 27, 2012 15:49:48 GMT -5
Seniors,
Jennifer Beltran 5-9 L
Courtney Abrahamovich 5-8 DS
Juniors,
Morganne Criswell 6-1 OH
Anna Dorn 6-3 MB
Liz McMahon 6-6 OH
Sophmores,
Julia Conard 5-10 DS-L
Maddie Mayers 6-4 MB
Jocelynn Birks 6-2 OH
Alexis Viliunas 6-1 S
Ali Stark 6-1 OH
Freshmen,
Danielle Davis 5-9 L/OH
Katie Roustio 6-2 OH
Katie Stadick 6-2 MB
Michelle Strizak 6-1 OH
To say last year was a disappointment is like saying water's wet. After the NC match good things were expected despite the loss of 2 AA's and a very good DS. Well between one of the toughest OOC's and an even worse than expected ball control problem we ended one win short of being tournament eligible. Our RPI of 37 was the highest of any team that didn't qualify. Still not making it is not making it.
IMO the only real ? at starter is a t MB2. Who ever gets that spot will be a first year starter. 2 red shirt freshmen and a true freshman will battle it out.
If any of the freshman OH's can break through and start I will be surprised because I think we're pretty solid there.
Even though we were getting better as the year went on I think ball control is still our biggest problem. At least we have more than one experienced back row player this year.
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Post by OptimusPrime on Dec 27, 2012 16:30:41 GMT -5
There maybe one more addition to the roster...
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Post by mnsports255 on Dec 27, 2012 16:40:50 GMT -5
Strizak and Stadick will be 2 great additions to the roster. Illinois should be improved this year and I see Birks and McMahon leading this team.
I'm not sure what their level of success will be however.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2012 16:52:27 GMT -5
There maybe one more addition to the roster... oh the suspense!!!
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 29, 2012 10:31:04 GMT -5
Before we move onto 2013 I am going to repeat a post here from another thread that I think is relevant:
I think Illinois needs to have an official "exorcise last season" ceremony like Roy Williams, the men's basketball coach at North Carolina, has done.
I remember after a paricularly painful loss (maybe to Duke), Coach Williams had the team bus stop on a bridge, and after giving the players a post mortem of the game on the bridge, all of the players and the coaching staff spit over the bridge into the river, symbolically putting that last game to rest.
The Illinois volleyball needs to do something similar to the whole 2012 season. I don't know what river around Champaign would do....maybe have a burial ceremony for a game ball from 2012's 5 set loss to Penn State!
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Post by 5280volleyball on Dec 29, 2012 14:42:19 GMT -5
I disagree about the OH's. Stark is definitely vulnerable. Here's the lineup I'd run out if I'm Hambly
S--Viliunas MB--Dorn MB--Stadick OPP--McMahon OH--Birks OH--Strizak L-Beltran
They should be much improved next season, and back in the NCAA Tournament.
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Post by mnsports255 on Dec 29, 2012 15:10:17 GMT -5
I disagree about the OH's. Stark is definitely vulnerable. Here's the lineup I'd run out if I'm Hambly S--Viliunas MB--Dorn MB--Stadick OPP--McMahon OH--Birks OH--Strizak L-Beltran They should be much improved next season, and back in the NCAA Tournament. I'm liking that lineup. I just wonder if they really want to throw 2 more freshman into the mix when their youth cost them this season. Nonetheless, this is the lineup I'd like to see. Strizak over Stark, in my eyes, is definitely the right move to make.
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Post by chisovnik on Dec 29, 2012 15:15:24 GMT -5
I disagree about the OH's. Stark is definitely vulnerable. Here's the lineup I'd run out if I'm Hambly S--Viliunas MB--Dorn MB--Stadick OPP--McMahon OH--Birks OH--Strizak L-Beltran They should be much improved next season, and back in the NCAA Tournament. Agree with Strizak over Stark. I wouldn't count Maddie Meyers out yet. I've only seen her in warm-ups but she looks better than I thought she would.
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Post by 5280volleyball on Dec 29, 2012 15:20:41 GMT -5
Youth wasn't the biggest issue in my mind...it was offense and ball control. When you lose a pair of All American OH who handled both of those responsibilities as 6 rotation players, you need to adjust and that can take some time.
Birks and McMahon also had to adjust to being the focal points of the offense. They now know what that expectation feels like. I think McMahon can make the kind of jump that Harms made this season if they let her play all the way around.
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Post by ncaavb123 on Dec 29, 2012 16:43:47 GMT -5
Are we forgetting Polkoff? I know she was just a walk-on, but is she quitting or something?
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Post by topperbell on Dec 29, 2012 18:09:20 GMT -5
I disagree about the OH's. Stark is definitely vulnerable. Here's the lineup I'd run out if I'm Hambly S--Viliunas MB--Dorn MB--Stadick OPP--McMahon OH--Birks OH--Strizak L-Beltran They should be much improved next season, and back in the NCAA Tournament. I'm liking that lineup. I just wonder if they really want to throw 2 more freshman into the mix when their youth cost them this season.Nonetheless, this is the lineup I'd like to see. Strizak over Stark, in my eyes, is definitely the right move to make. That's why every team should use a good rotational system so the by the end of the 2nd month of the season, every player has ideally worked out their weakness and greater than strengths and got use to the system of Illi.
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Post by coltrane4 on Dec 29, 2012 19:50:47 GMT -5
I suspect they'll be back in the tournament. Finish anywhere from 5th to 9th in the B1G.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 30, 2012 8:54:16 GMT -5
The two freshman 6-4 middle blockers on the 2012 roster, Maddie Mayers and Kathryn Polkoff, both put up a big, solid block (I think the Illinois starters will attest to this). My observation is that Mayers is the faster pin to pin of the two.
I think the current drawback in both of these players is their offense. That will probably be incoming 2013 freshman Katie Staddick's advantage.
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Post by chisovnik on Dec 30, 2012 12:16:39 GMT -5
Youth wasn't the biggest issue in my mind...it was offense and ball control. When you lose a pair of All American OH who handled both of those responsibilities as 6 rotation players, you need to adjust and that can take some time. Birks and McMahon also had to adjust to being the focal points of the offense. They now know what that expectation feels like. I think McMahon can make the kind of jump that Harms made this season if they let her play all the way around. I saw Illinois play in person and IMO their problem was a lack of leadership. Luhrsen looked so bored out there. The passing was decent. Not as bad as I thought it would be but nothing to write home about. Their offense was also very slow and predictable (think USC).
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 30, 2012 13:17:35 GMT -5
Youth wasn't the biggest issue in my mind...it was offense and ball control. When you lose a pair of All American OH who handled both of those responsibilities as 6 rotation players, you need to adjust and that can take some time. Birks and McMahon also had to adjust to being the focal points of the offense. They now know what that expectation feels like. I think McMahon can make the kind of jump that Harms made this season if they let her play all the way around. I saw Illinois play in person and IMO their problem was a lack of leadership. Luhrsen looked so bored out there. The passing was decent. Not as bad as I thought it would be but nothing to write home about. Their offense was also very slow and predictable (think USC). I agree more with chisovnik's observations. What amazed me about Harm's attacking ability this past season, is that she seemed to be jumping higher than she has in previous seasons. Maybe I am wrong about this, but she seemed this season to be able to hit over some pretty big blocks. I will be pleasantly surprised if McMahon can elevate more than she already does. With her height and reach, she can already hit over many blocks. I don't know about describing setter Luhrsen's demeanor as "bored." I have criticized her before about her lack of enthusiasm on the floor. I think next year's setter Viliunas demeanor on the court will be 180 degrees different than Luhrsen's. She just plays with more spark and enthusiasm. I think it will be contagious, and it is something that this group of Illini need. As far as the Illinois offense being slow and predictable, I agree. It was very successful in 2011 not so much in 2012. Already can't wait for the 2013 season!
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