Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2014 20:15:05 GMT -5
I keep forgetting this thread exists. My honest appraisal (don't read if your feelings are easily hurt):
Paige Tapp is the only player playing above expectations. This wouldn't be a problem if most everyone else was playing to expectations, but that's not the case. A lot of things had to go right for this team to be really good this year, like top 10 good. So far, Paige is the only one of those "things" that has gone right.
Ball control has not been OK, but it needed to be great. I'm still hopeful this changes.
I include setting in ball control, but the setting will improve with better first contacts. Jury is still out on whether the team has an elite setter, almost a prerequisite for top 10, especially on this team.
Wilhite has shown flashes. Hers is an odd case. Sometimes she plays above what I expected, sometimes she plays at expectations. I do not think she's been below expectations, however. Not sure about her health either, but I think confidence is the biggest issue there.
I thought Hannah would make a huge step forward. So far, she's been pretty much the Hannah of 2013. That's not bad, but they need more.
Nora is what I expected. I know others expected more. But the team needs to be in-system for her to be effective. This is assuming she is healthy. I don't know.
Santana has been good, especially considering her health. I think she's being expected to do too much -- maybe by necessity, maybe by plan. I think this is a losing strategy, whatever the reason. Against top 30 teams anyhow. This team needs to spread its offense out. It does not have a big hitter. But we knew that. That's why ball control is and was a key.
Goehner has been an upgrade at libero. I don't know what happens if Rosado proves she can play the position. DS may be a good spot for her. Having Goehner available for depth at OH isn't a bad thing, but not having her on the court for libero chunks of time may be.
Hauer's the one player I miss, from a volleyball standpoint. I miss the others, too. But I think Hauer could have helped. But she didn't want to play here, so ...
The schedule doesn't get all that much easier, either. There's no proof, so far, that this team can win B1G road games. The Michigan and Indiana trips are no gimmees. OSU/PSU will be very hard.
Paige Tapp is the only player playing above expectations. This wouldn't be a problem if most everyone else was playing to expectations, but that's not the case. A lot of things had to go right for this team to be really good this year, like top 10 good. So far, Paige is the only one of those "things" that has gone right.
Ball control has not been OK, but it needed to be great. I'm still hopeful this changes.
I include setting in ball control, but the setting will improve with better first contacts. Jury is still out on whether the team has an elite setter, almost a prerequisite for top 10, especially on this team.
Wilhite has shown flashes. Hers is an odd case. Sometimes she plays above what I expected, sometimes she plays at expectations. I do not think she's been below expectations, however. Not sure about her health either, but I think confidence is the biggest issue there.
I thought Hannah would make a huge step forward. So far, she's been pretty much the Hannah of 2013. That's not bad, but they need more.
Nora is what I expected. I know others expected more. But the team needs to be in-system for her to be effective. This is assuming she is healthy. I don't know.
Santana has been good, especially considering her health. I think she's being expected to do too much -- maybe by necessity, maybe by plan. I think this is a losing strategy, whatever the reason. Against top 30 teams anyhow. This team needs to spread its offense out. It does not have a big hitter. But we knew that. That's why ball control is and was a key.
Goehner has been an upgrade at libero. I don't know what happens if Rosado proves she can play the position. DS may be a good spot for her. Having Goehner available for depth at OH isn't a bad thing, but not having her on the court for libero chunks of time may be.
Hauer's the one player I miss, from a volleyball standpoint. I miss the others, too. But I think Hauer could have helped. But she didn't want to play here, so ...
The schedule doesn't get all that much easier, either. There's no proof, so far, that this team can win B1G road games. The Michigan and Indiana trips are no gimmees. OSU/PSU will be very hard.