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Post by lhlg on Aug 15, 2013 15:07:51 GMT -5
Can't wait for first serve! Bailey's block, though... it is ridiculous.
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Post by elevationvb on Aug 15, 2013 15:37:39 GMT -5
Interesting. Dalton wants to play & I believe she's been cleared to play. Since Texas is not recruiting a setter for 2014, why would you want two sophomore setters and possibly a freshman setter in 2015? According to an inside source it will be Dalton and Baker but in practice Nicole is setting a bit and Tiffany is playing a little too. The word is they are redshirting. Dalton is not only a setter as a matter of fact, if she was healthy she was to move into Sha's spot, that's why he used her in back row a ton last season, he was priming her for the OPP role. With injury he has to make other choices. We shall see though! She doesn't want to redshirt since she's been cleared to play.
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Post by austex2010 on Aug 15, 2013 17:42:40 GMT -5
According to an inside source it will be Dalton and Baker but in practice Nicole is setting a bit and Tiffany is playing a little too. The word is they are redshirting. Dalton is not only a setter as a matter of fact, if she was healthy she was to move into Sha's spot, that's why he used her in back row a ton last season, he was priming her for the OPP role. With injury he has to make other choices. We shall see though! She doesn't want to redshirt since she's been cleared to play. But is she in playing form?
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Post by elevationvb on Aug 15, 2013 19:48:33 GMT -5
She doesn't want to redshirt since she's been cleared to play. But is she in playing form? Good question. But let's see if the redshirt, if it happens, is due to medical reasons or too many quality players on the team.
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Post by utexrulz23 on Aug 17, 2013 12:58:29 GMT -5
I still think there may be other intriguing options at OPP to replace Sha. If Nicole (despite being cleared to play) is not truly 100%, then a redshirt would be a good idea.
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Post by hornsup on Aug 19, 2013 18:55:24 GMT -5
She doesn't want to redshirt since she's been cleared to play. But is she in playing form? Exactly AUSTEX...it's obvious in the video she was only setting, no hitting. If one is to replace an OPP I'd think they'd be hitting. Like I said, just heard from some inside sources she was prime time for redshirting, but who knows, if she plays it will be limited, she's not ready to play yet. That's my opinion, but don't think we will see her on OPP either.
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Post by hornsup on Aug 19, 2013 19:11:03 GMT -5
saying Chiaka (Chi?), touches 10'5 is selling her short. From my knowledge she touches 10'7. Also be surprised to see her all across the front row. Her athleticism is too powerful to be kept off that front row. And from watching at Junior Nationals last month, her finesse in her game has definitely improved. Ok great, even better,2 more inches, amazing talent too! After coaching long sessions, we had a chance to watch their finals at the Nationals Championships in Dallas and yes she was extrememly amazing! She will compete for a starting role at Texas, imagine, an incoming freshman competing with the likes of Bell, McCage, Hattis? We shall see, I lay my money down that whatever lineup Coach E and staff got goin' on at the end of the season will be nothing less than greatness. This team is stacked to the ceiling, and will be for years to come. A friend of mine on here, sunsuphornsup, states that Texas has the talent to put two teams in any conference and compete, I completely agree. This is a coaches and athletes dream to be part of something so special, Texas has a nice future in the pot that is still stirring, even after last seasons W! See you all at O&W!
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Post by southie on Aug 21, 2013 8:18:04 GMT -5
Pilar's height is now listed on the roster -- 5'11. Don't think we're going to see her on the right side; very curious to see what her role will be this season.
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Post by texasex01 on Aug 21, 2013 9:46:11 GMT -5
I think in most games they will try to keep a 6-rotation passing OH (either Amy or Pilar) on the court at all times since a 2-person serve-receive formation is used quite often.
But if they want to stay big on the front row, I can see them using a double sub for the 2 OHs (Webster and whoever plays opposite of her) when they rotate to the back row.
Eckerman has been playing all the way around in the Opp position and has been working on hitting from several different zones so she would stay on the court at all times.
I actually foresee them slowly working in Chiaka at MB as they did Molly last year. If they do, we may see Molly and Hattis being starters in the beginning of the season, with Chiaka fighting her way into the line-up by season's end. This would allow Khat to move to the other OH position (although I personally think MB is her most natural position).
From another message board, Palmer has been in a boot and didn't practice with the team yesterday. Hopefully, it's just precautionary as we are going to need her since she is our best passer on the floor, but we should have depth at that position as well.
In any case, the line-up we see at the beginning of the season will most likely be different come tournament time. My hope is that everyone stays healthy and we make a good run in defending the title!
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Post by southie on Aug 21, 2013 10:45:54 GMT -5
I think in most games they will try to keep a 6-rotation passing OH (either Amy or Pilar) on the court at all times since a 2-person serve-receive formation is used quite often. Unless Amy Neal has made huge strides from last season (specifically with her confidence level), I'm not counting on her even finding much court time in the backrow, let alone the frontrow. Her jump serve, one of her best assets, failed to get her court time last season as it was just too inconsistent. Fellow freshman Khat Brooks beat her out for backrow time last season, and I don't think that's going to change this season. Now, Neal may need to be counted on to replace any passing and defense vacated by Sha'Dare and Dalton (if not healthy); so, maybe she will get her chance this season. And, she probably will come in to serve for Molly or Bailey or some other front court player. But, she will also have to fight off Chloe Collis for time in the back row; having Collins' "hands" on the court does fill some of Sha'Dare's role. I'm going to predict we keep last season's ending lineup to start out this season, but Chiaka starts out as our RS.
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Post by texasex01 on Aug 21, 2013 11:42:23 GMT -5
I think in most games they will try to keep a 6-rotation passing OH (either Amy or Pilar) on the court at all times since a 2-person serve-receive formation is used quite often. Unless Amy Neal has made huge strides from last season (specifically with her confidence level), I'm not counting on her even finding much court time in the backrow, let alone the frontrow. Her jump serve, one of her best assets, failed to get her court time last season as it was just too inconsistent. Fellow freshman Khat Brooks beat her out for backrow time last season, and I don't think that's going to change this season. Now, Neal may need to be counted on to replace any passing and defense vacated by Sha'Dare and Dalton (if not healthy); so, maybe she will get her chance this season. And, she probably will come in to serve for Molly or Bailey or some other front court player. But, she will also have to fight off Chloe Collis for time in the back row; having Collins' "hands" on the court does fill some of Sha'Dare's role. I'm going to predict we keep last season's ending lineup to start out this season, but Chiaka starts out as our RS. You obviously didn't watch any of the spring games where Amy was serving up aces and putting teams out of system with her serve. I agree that she may not see a lot of time as a front row player, but someone other than Palmer is going to have to consistently pass the ball on serve-receive and I give the edge to either Amy or Pilar at this point. And Sha'Dare only set the ball when she was in the front row when Hannah dug the ball up on one. If we're going by last year's line-up as you suggest, putting Collins in the back row for Chiaka would make her a passer since she's opposite of Hannah in the formation and I'm not too sure passing the ball is Collin's strength. It's all preseason speculation anyways...the orange/white game this Saturday will give us a better idea of the line-up they will use at Hawaii.
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Post by southie on Aug 21, 2013 12:43:40 GMT -5
Unless Amy Neal has made huge strides from last season (specifically with her confidence level), I'm not counting on her even finding much court time in the backrow, let alone the frontrow. Her jump serve, one of her best assets, failed to get her court time last season as it was just too inconsistent. Fellow freshman Khat Brooks beat her out for backrow time last season, and I don't think that's going to change this season. Now, Neal may need to be counted on to replace any passing and defense vacated by Sha'Dare and Dalton (if not healthy); so, maybe she will get her chance this season. And, she probably will come in to serve for Molly or Bailey or some other front court player. But, she will also have to fight off Chloe Collis for time in the back row; having Collins' "hands" on the court does fill some of Sha'Dare's role. I'm going to predict we keep last season's ending lineup to start out this season, but Chiaka starts out as our RS. You obviously didn't watch any of the spring games where Amy was serving up aces and putting teams out of system with her serve. I agree that she may not see a lot of time as a front row player, but someone other than Palmer is going to have to consistently pass the ball on serve-receive and I give the edge to either Amy or Pilar at this point. And Sha'Dare only set the ball when she was in the front row when Hannah dug the ball up on one. If we're going by last year's line-up as you suggest, putting Collins in the back row for Chiaka would make her a passer since she's opposite of Hannah in the formation and I'm not too sure passing the ball is Collin's strength. It's all preseason speculation anyways...the orange/white game this Saturday will give us a better idea of the line-up they will use at Hawaii. Nothing wrong with us speculating; that's all we can do. I'd love to see Amy turn it around; I recall that she was serving well last Fall camp as well, but not positive. I know she can do some damage from the service line (saw her in high school), but I think she had a tough time (mentally) adjusting to not being a hitter, and perhaps the rest of her game suffered.
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Post by tempesthorn on Aug 21, 2013 13:22:15 GMT -5
I don't see a two man serve receive with Eckerman and Palmer getting the job done. I'm really not a fan of the two man serve receive anyways, the weak nature of the Big 12 makes you think you are good with it and can rely on it. But A&M in the 2nd round last year, came out in the 2nd set and served us right out of the gym by exploiting the two man serve receive. Jerritt went to subbing in Dalton for Eckerman to pass in the back row and we used that sub pattern all the way through to the national semis. IMO, that adjustment was critical to Texas making it as far as they did.
I think when everyone is thinking about who will be the opposite replacement they are too focused on blocking and attacking replacement. Sha was a 6 rotation passer. So in my mind, you have to think passing first. I really believe McCage and Bell can both run the slide effectively enough that they can replace her offense. You don't want a blocking liability for sure but you really need a good passer.
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Post by sunsuphornsup on Aug 21, 2013 23:04:34 GMT -5
Can't wait for the scrimmage this Saturday! It'll be interesting to see where some girls play. I hope the reports of Palmer being in a boot aren't true!
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Post by sunsuphornsup on Aug 22, 2013 9:46:49 GMT -5
Looks like Khat's been taking some swings from the outside as well (1:00 mark)
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