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Post by redbeard2008 on Dec 24, 2013 15:50:06 GMT -5
While the 2013 season came to a disappointing end, Washington still had a very strong season, winning the Pac-12 championship outright, as well as returning to the final four for the first time since 2006, while losing only three matches (@ Colorado, @ Stanford, and to national champion Penn State).
Four players graduated: Jenna Orlandini (L), Jenni Nogueras (S), Kylin Munoz (OPP), and Gabbi Parker (OH/MB).
Three players redshirted: Bailey Tanner (OH/S), Carly DeHoog (OPP), and Jade Finau (S).
Three players signed NLIs: Tiata Scambray (OH #9 recruit), Crissy Jones (MB/OH #14 recruit), Courtney Schwan (OH #19 recruit). Renee Meyer-Whalley (S/L) committed, but did not sign an NLI.
The class breakdown for 2014 will likely be:
SRs: Vansant* 6'2" (OH), Nelson* 6'0"(OH) JRs: Beals* 5-11" (S), Strickland* 5'8" (OH/L), Sybeldon* 6'1" (MB), Wade* 6'4" (MB), Condie 5'5" (L) SOs: Magraw 5'6" (L) RS-FRs: Tanner* 6'1" (OPP/S), DeHoog* 6'4" (OPP), Finau (S) FRs: Scambray* 6'0"? (OH), Jones* 6'3"? (OH/MB), Schwan* 6'2"? (OH/OPP), Meyer-Whalley 5'6" (S/L)
* = signed NLI (11) Freshman heights are listed prep heights (but often shrink an inch when listed on UW's roster)
Speculative initial (not necessarily final) positions:
OH1: Vansant (Schwan) OH2: Nelson (Scambray) OP1: DeHoog (Jones) OP2: Tanner (Schwan) MB1: Sybeldon (Jones) MB2: Wade (Jones) St1: Tanner (Finau) St2: Beals (Finau) Lib: Strickland (Condie)
Offense: Most likely 6-2, with Tanner setting backrow and hitting frontrow. Tanner playing all-around could allow one or two additional hitters (Scambray and Jones?) in the rotation. One will likely redshirt (Schwan?).
Move #1: Strickland from OH2 to L Move #2: Nelson from OPP2 to OH2
New starter #1: DeHoog at OPP1 (replacing Munoz) New starter #2: Tanner at OPP2 and S (replacing Nelson and Nogueras)
Hoped for improvements:
* More offense from OH2 * More offense from OPP1 * Better blocking from OH2 and OPP2
Biggest issues:
* Setting, setting, setting - esp. middle connection * Serve receive and defense (with Nelson or Scambray in backrow) * Offensive production when Vansant in backrow. Need second "go-to" player.
Wildcards:
* Strickland beats out Nelson and Scambray at OH2 (Who's the Libero?) * JMac plays a 5-2 (Beals sets backrow, Tanner sets frontrow) * JMac plays a 5-1 (Who's the Setter?)
Agree? Disagree? Thoughts?
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Post by ay2013 on Dec 24, 2013 16:18:12 GMT -5
first we have to wonder if jim is going to stick with a 6-2, if that's the case then the question remains of who plays the two setters and who plays the two hitters. I don't think Jim is moving Nelson off of the right....I also think that Vansant and Scambray will be our OH's. Tanner is only playing front row if she can prove that she can hit and block better than the other candidates for OPP. It would be nice to be able to mix in a true left OPP in the offense with Dehoog, and she does provide height......if Finau can get some serious work in the off season she could be our second setter.
The setting is the thing that needs figured out. Once the huskies have a set and consistenct setting rotation, they have plenty of offense. We lose nothing in the passing and defense department with scambray as the Oh2, and we gain more offense...
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Post by Ralph Kramden on Dec 24, 2013 16:19:53 GMT -5
Your preview is very interesting. It looks like much of UW's success will depend on those red-shirt and true freshmen playing at a very high level. I've not seen Tanner set in almost 3 years now, but do you see a scenario where she becomes the setter in a 5-1?
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Post by WahineFan44 on Dec 24, 2013 16:22:37 GMT -5
Do they have any other DS or L that could be the starting L? Cause I don't want Strickland at L because I'll miss seeing her hit haha
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Post by mikegarrison on Dec 24, 2013 16:35:26 GMT -5
Last year he said he was hoping one of the setters would clearly separate herself enough to win the 5-1 job, but it didn't happen.
In 2014 it looks like the team may have even more hitters available than in 2013. Sticking with a 6-2 may be the best way to use them. Or maybe not! It sure seemed like consistency of setting was a big weakness for the Huskies in 2013. Maybe it's worth keeping hitters on the bench in order to get the most reps and consistency from a single setter.
I'm sure that when the Huskies get in the gym, McLaughlin will work hard to figure out what lineup gets the best results.
The only things I'm pretty comfortable guessing is that Nelson stays where she is, Vansant stays where she is, and Strickland goes to libero (unless she gets beat out for libero, which doesn't seem likely). I think we saw from both Wisconsin and Washington just last weekend how a team like PSU can exploit a 5-8 (or 5-7) OH, no matter how good and athletic she is.
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Post by volleyfan24 on Dec 24, 2013 16:38:24 GMT -5
Is Scambry the real deal? I have heard a lot about her but will she be the OH 2 is she that good.
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Post by ay2013 on Dec 24, 2013 16:48:36 GMT -5
Is Scambry the real deal? I have heard a lot about her but will she be the OH 2 is she that good. Depends on what you mean by the "real deal". she's a very skilled 6 rotation player. She might not have the "athletic ceiling" as some of the other players in this class, there are certainly more physically imposing OH's like Gillis and Smith-Gooden, but if you look at her all around abilities right now and compare them to the other OH's in the class, you probably won't find a better OH in this class.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2013 16:50:08 GMT -5
Is Scambry the real deal? I have heard a lot about her but will she be the OH 2 is she that good. Depends on what you mean by the "real deal". she's a very skilled 6 rotation player. She might not have the "athletic ceiling" as some of the other players in this class, but if you look at her abilities right now and compare them to the other OH's in the class, you probably won't find a better OH in this class. You've seen every OH in this class?
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Post by hardbop on Dec 24, 2013 16:51:37 GMT -5
Sport is a cruel mistress. After what Washington accomplished over the year, in some people's minds all they will recall is one last match. Not fair but... Maybe a rematch next year in Rec Hall would be the way to rebalance the tilted order of things. You owe us one and I'd love to see Washington in person. Your cupboard is still full, ours is being restocked. Revenge could be sweet. What do you think?
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Post by WahineFan44 on Dec 24, 2013 16:53:46 GMT -5
Sport is a cruel mistress. After what Washington accomplished over the year, in some people's minds all they will recall is one last match. Not fair but... Maybe a rematch next year in Rec Hall would be the way to rebalance the tilted order of things. You owe us one and I'd love to see Washington in person. Your cupboard is still full, ours is being restocked. Revenge could be sweet. What do you think? I'm assuming your a penn state fan. If you are, while your cupboard is being restocked, it's being restocked with gold.
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Post by redbeard2008 on Dec 24, 2013 17:00:36 GMT -5
Nelson started 2013 competing with Strickland at OH2, before JMac went back to the 2012 lineup (Strickland at OH2, Nelson at OPP). He has said that he'd like to see Nelson play all six rotations, which would mean playing OH2, which is really her natural position (she was at OH2 in 2011). One reason for doing it is that at OPP Nelson (UW's #2 scorer) was on the frontrow for two rotations, while at OH2 she'll be in the frontrow for three rotations, when Vansant's in the backrow.
I suspect that the initial competition will be for OH2, with Nelson, Scambray, and possibly Strickland competing. My money right now is on Nelson, although Scambray can't be counted out. Nor can Strickland, for that matter.
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Post by tomclen on Dec 24, 2013 17:08:42 GMT -5
Sport is a cruel mistress. After what Washington accomplished over the year, in some people's minds all they will recall is one last match. Not fair but... Maybe a rematch next year in Rec Hall would be the way to rebalance the tilted order of things. You owe us one and I'd love to see Washington in person. Your cupboard is still full, ours is being restocked. Revenge could be sweet. What do you think? I'd love to see a pre-conference visit to PSU...with a PSU visit to UW the following year. One of the challenges, however is the new semi-balanced PAC-12 schedule and the PAC-12 Network which seems to have significant say in conference scheduling. The last two years, Washington has been saddled with an early mid-week match-up to start conference play, which limits pre-conference travel. Very anxious to see how the setter situation plays out. With the new arrivals, that's still the key link IMO.
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Post by redbeard2008 on Dec 24, 2013 17:10:18 GMT -5
Do they have any other DS or L that could be the starting L? Cause I don't want Strickland at L because I'll miss seeing her hit haha Condie and Magraw are the other L/DSs on the roster. Meyer-Whalley committed for 2014, but did not sign an NLI. If she arrives in the fall, she can play both setter and libero. I've seen some video of her - she's a very good digger and could be a longer-term solution at libero. She's a bit short to play setter in a 5-1.
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Post by volleyfan24 on Dec 24, 2013 17:29:52 GMT -5
Ok so where do the Husky faithful think their team will fall next year in the PAC-12 and any team that has Vansant will be top ten she can will her team to wins alone but where do you think their pre season top 10 rank is?
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Post by Huskyfan on Dec 24, 2013 17:50:14 GMT -5
Nelson started 2013 competing with Strickland at OH2, before JMac went back to the 2012 lineup (Strickland at OH2, Nelson at OPP). He has said that he'd like to see Nelson play all six rotations, which would mean playing OH2, which is really her natural position (she was at OH2 in 2011). One reason for doing it is that at OPP Nelson (UW's #2 scorer) was on the frontrow for two rotations, while at OH2 she'll be in the frontrow for three rotations, when Vansant's in the backrow. I suspect that the initial competition will be for OH2, with Nelson, Scambray, and possibly Strickland competing. My money right now is on Nelson, although Scambray can't be counted out. Nor can Strickland, for that matter. I think the biggest issue with Nelson at OH2 is passing. In 2005, UW had a non-passing OH2 (Brie Haggerty), however they had a very good passing OPP in Sanja. Both Schwan and Scambray are better passers than Nelson at this point. Nelson has shown that she is lethal from the right; very good but not quite as good from the left. My guess is she will stay OPP.
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