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Post by yellovfan on Dec 19, 2014 14:49:54 GMT -5
This year's team was good, but not a championship team. It's flaws were exposed by the challenge of the tournament. This team lacked 6-rotation proven leaders. 6-2 teams rarely win championships, but Coach Elliiot can't resist the 2-setter system. Neither of this year's setters can set in a 5-1 at a championship level........but Coach Elliott proudly recruited them both. Both middles were very good, but middles don't naturally lead teams. I didn't think Neal and Dalton and Bell fit their positions very well. I just haven't seen the leadership and team chemistry that is necessary to win championships. The BYU match reminded me, in a way, of last year's Wisconsin match. Eckerman's last match was a little better than Webster's last year..........but both fell off and didn't lead the way you would think that they would in their last year. The last seasons of the Haley and Bailey S how disappointed. Some people have said that Texas needs versatile, fundamentally sound, consistent, well-rounded players to lead and hold the team together (6 rotation) and bring ultimate competitiveness every night. ......the kind of players who never leave the floor. McNeal and Allison did that. Someone else needs to do that now. No one will do it in a 6-2.
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Post by SportyBucky on Dec 19, 2014 17:08:50 GMT -5
OH's were finally exposed- it was painful. Defense and serve receive- not good. There's always next year! I personally think he needs to try a different libero, but not sure there's anyone. Cat was fine. She passes and covers 80% of the court with Amy and setters taking the rest. That's not a way to make your back row successful.
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Post by volleylover26 on Dec 19, 2014 20:51:29 GMT -5
I don't think Cat covers 80% of the court. She moves from left back to middle back when Kat Brooks comes in, since Brooks plays left back. Cat's missed defensive plays didn't have anything to do with her taking a huge portion of the court. But maybe playing different back row positions isn't helping her. Dominque Gonzalez does it very well for Penn State...actually playing all 3 back row spots depending on rotation, but she's a senior.
And, maybe Jerritt is seeing some holes in the back row, too, since he's started quite a list of incoming DS/Libero's. 2 this year, 2 2015, 2 2016 and 1 2017 already I think.
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Texas 2015
Dec 19, 2014 20:53:51 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by WahineFan44 on Dec 19, 2014 20:53:51 GMT -5
OH's were finally exposed- it was painful. Defense and serve receive- not good. There's always next year! I personally think he needs to try a different libero, but not sure there's anyone. Cat was fine. She passes and covers 80% of the court with Amy and setters taking the rest. That's not a way to make your back row successful. I have to say, even though we disagree from time to time, I'm starting to agree with you alot more than I used too
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Post by network155 on Dec 19, 2014 21:25:58 GMT -5
Chiaka Ogbogu is a very dynamic middle, she is probably the best middle I've seen play this year, no offense to Inky, Lutz, Grant, and Washington, I haven't seen enough of them play this year. I think Texas will be a contender for the national title with her and McCage in the middle for the next couple years. Of course, they will need some big guns at the pins.
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Post by OverAndUnder on Dec 20, 2014 6:02:22 GMT -5
Lots to look forward to in 2015! Proud of this team. They made it to the Final Four which not too many other teams can say, lol. With all of the top recruits they get I'd sure hope they make it to the final four... You don't have to hope. They did. That's the point.
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Post by beachbomb on Dec 25, 2014 4:21:40 GMT -5
This is off topic of Texas 2015... but i was just watching the semi final of 2008 and i remember Engle being the #3 recruit coming out of high school... where else was she interested in going that Jerrit had to work so hard to get her from? USC... UCLA?
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Post by BeiBei on Dec 25, 2014 6:31:53 GMT -5
This is off topic of Texas 2015... but i was just watching the semi final of 2008 and i remember Engle being the #3 recruit coming out of high school... where else was she interested in going that Jerrit had to work so hard to get her from? USC... UCLA? UCLA was her USC (University of Second Choice)
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Post by chisovnik on Dec 25, 2014 9:50:54 GMT -5
This is off topic of Texas 2015... but i was just watching the semi final of 2008 and i remember Engle being the #3 recruit coming out of high school... where else was she interested in going that Jerrit had to work so hard to get her from? USC... UCLA? I remember reading that UCLA and Penn State were her other top choices.
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Post by texasex01 on Dec 25, 2014 22:13:20 GMT -5
Moving forward I hope we may have: 1. True leadership in back row that takes control and is the rock for serve receive. Hopefully someone steps up because I am not sold on current situation. 2. Injuries to Baker and Dalton do not drag on, and if so, do not try to piece meal a season out of them. 3. Utilize Ogbogu and McCage as focus for next year and let the OHs be complimentary until proven. 4. Setting be more consistent than this year (unless some one new came in it is what it is).
I keep looking back to the first Chinese exhibition match the team played in the middle of the season and remember coming away impressed with Dalton running a 5-1 and with Baker playing all 6 rotations at Opposite. (That's the match that Eckerman, Bell, Collins, Ogbogu, and McCoy were "suspended" for breaking team rules and Neal being held out due to injury.) That match foreshadowed what kind of system Texas will run next year IMO. What stood out to me about that match was: - Texas running a faster and lower offense to the pins (even with out-of-system sets) and the OHs that played in that match (Lopez, Prieto-Cerame, and Baker) being more successful with that tempo - Molly consistently utilizing her slide attacks - Baker's passing on serve-receive in every rotation and her blocking on the right pin - Dalton's setting to the pins (faster, lower, and consistent), her ability to attack on 2, and her blocking on the right pin but most importantly, it allowed her to get into a setting rhythm for the entire match Personally, I am not a fan of the 6-2 and hope that Dalton (Setter) and Baker (6 rotation Opp) are well enough next season to run a 5-1. I'd want Molly at M1 (to run her slide attacks), Chiaka at M2, McCoy at Libero and then let the OHs (Lopez, Prieto-Cerame, White, Bedart-Ghani) battle it out for the L1/L2 spots. I was happy with the improvement Neal made this year, but her blocking in the front row will always be a liability for the team, especially against opponents with strong right-side attackers. Therefore, I'd want her only as a back-row DS who has the option to attack. But I agree, if their injuries drag on (Dalton and Baker), I hope Elliott does not try to piece meal a season out of them....
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Post by vbprisoner on Dec 25, 2014 22:24:03 GMT -5
I have a feeling we will have some good fortune come our way this next 6 months, and next season will be more apparent on roles.
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Post by elevationvb on Dec 25, 2014 22:32:16 GMT -5
Moving forward I hope we may have: 1. True leadership in back row that takes control and is the rock for serve receive. Hopefully someone steps up because I am not sold on current situation. 2. Injuries to Baker and Dalton do not drag on, and if so, do not try to piece meal a season out of them. 3. Utilize Ogbogu and McCage as focus for next year and let the OHs be complimentary until proven. 4. Setting be more consistent than this year (unless some one new came in it is what it is).
I keep looking back to the first Chinese exhibition match the team played in the middle of the season and remember coming away impressed with Dalton running a 5-1 and with Baker playing all 6 rotations at Opposite. (That's the match that Eckerman, Bell, Collins, Ogbogu, and McCoy were "suspended" for breaking team rules and Neal being held out due to injury.) That match foreshadowed what kind of system Texas will run next year IMO. What stood out to me about that match was: - Texas running a faster and lower offense to the pins (even with out-of-system sets) and the OHs that played in that match (Lopez, Prieto-Cerame, and Baker) being more successful with that tempo - Molly consistently utilizing her slide attacks - Baker's passing on serve-receive in every rotation and her blocking on the right pin - Dalton's setting to the pins (faster, lower, and consistent), her ability to attack on 2, and her blocking on the right pin but most importantly, it allowed her to get into a setting rhythm for the entire match Personally, I am not a fan of the 6-2 and hope that Dalton (Setter) and Baker (6 rotation Opp) are well enough next season to run a 5-1. I'd want Molly at M1 (to run her slide attacks), Chiaka at M2, McCoy at Libero and then let the OHs (Lopez, Prieto-Cerame, White, Bedart-Ghani) battle it out for the L1/L2 spots. I was happy with the improvement Neal made this year, but her blocking in the front row will always be a liability for the team, especially against opponents with strong right-side attackers. Therefore, I'd want her only as a back-row DS who has the option to attack. But I agree, if their injuries drag on (Dalton and Baker), I hope Elliott does not try to piece meal a season out of them.... If Baker's best play during the season was during that match against the Chinese exhibition match, I am not impressed. That Chinese team was not good. As I recall they were missing 3 of their top players. I do not understand why Baker was offered a scholarship to play volleyball at Texas. If I remember correctly, she transferred from Tennessee during the off season and then misses spring workouts, etc because she needed surgery? And she's not fully recovered so she basically took up a roster spot this season.
In hindsight, could Elliott have brought in a reliable outside hitter that would have provided competition to Neal and Pilar?
And my question is whether volleyball programs require transfers to pass a physical before being offered a scholarship?
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Post by sunsuphornsup on Dec 26, 2014 13:15:19 GMT -5
I have a feeling we will have some good fortune come our way this next 6 months, and next season will be more apparent on roles. What good fortune?
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Post by bigfan on Dec 26, 2014 13:20:43 GMT -5
You cant spell second place or third place without aetsx or TEXAS!
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Post by sunsuphornsup on Dec 26, 2014 13:25:55 GMT -5
You cant spell second place or third place without aetsx or TEXAS! Wait a minute... I think you should have just stopped at "You can't* spell..." ?
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