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Post by hammer on Dec 14, 2014 19:47:21 GMT -5
This match should draw a big crowd of local supporters, two Oklahoma-natives fighting for a spot in the final; Inky Ajanaku is from Tulsa, Micha Hancock is from nearby Edmond (and had originally committed to Tulsa). Tulsa could have had a pretty good team with both Micha and Inky ...
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Post by hammer on Dec 14, 2014 19:50:12 GMT -5
This match should draw a big crowd of local supporters, two Oklahoma-natives fighting for a spot in the final; Inky Ajanaku is from Tulsa, Micha Hancock is from nearby Edmond (and had originally committed to Tulsa). My mole deep inside NCAA HQ says the brass are happy with the Inky-Micha matchup. That means potentially more local press coverage (equating to more dollars in the till).
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Post by gnu2vball on Dec 14, 2014 20:09:41 GMT -5
Did they cross paths many times in high school or club?
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Post by Sbilo on Dec 14, 2014 20:39:23 GMT -5
Did they cross paths many times in high school or club? I am not sure if this answers your question, but quite an interesting story for both players. “I’d always see her [Inky] as the younger sister wanting to play with us peppering on the side by herself. I definitely knew she was going to be a good player. I just knew at the time that she was so athletic, and once someone molds her she was going to be really good. Sure enough, she went to Stanford and I was like, ‘There you go. Inky and I are off.’ It was pretty cool to see a couple of us get out of Oklahoma and expand our horizons with a big team.” - MICHA www.ncaa.com/news/volleyball-women/article/2014-09-08/heading-back-okla-home
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Post by Sbilo on Dec 14, 2014 20:42:41 GMT -5
Megan Courtney is the X factor for this team. If she performs, PSU will win.
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Post by Mocha on Dec 14, 2014 20:59:22 GMT -5
Megan Courtney is the X factor for this team. If she performs, PSU will win. Bet you Stanford serves to her over and over.
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Post by canda on Dec 14, 2014 23:30:11 GMT -5
I'm a Penn State fan, and fan of Women's Volleyball, but obviously not as knowledgable about the sport as many of the people on Volley Talk.
I'm happy to have so many tell me Penn State has a good chance to win, disagreeing with my earlier post.
Someone said Penn State's players lack the scrappiness of Stanford's players. Those people obviously aren't talking about Micha Hancock, who would spit nails to win, and the very underrated Dominique Gonzales, who can dig with the best of them. They define scrappy.
Frankly, many times this season some of Stanford's players looked less than scrappy on the court, and sometimes looked like they were playing at the level needed to win, rather than coming out on fire. Only Wisconsin played with grit, fire and determination on every point, whenever I watched them.
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Post by geddyleeridesagain on Dec 14, 2014 23:34:42 GMT -5
I'm rooting for both teams to lose. I expect I'll be disappointed.
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Post by canda on Dec 14, 2014 23:51:48 GMT -5
Both teams lose if they DON'T end up winning the National Championship. Neither team is going to care if they win the Semi-Final match, then lose the Championship match. In fact, Penn State and Stanford players may be even more upset if they win the match against each other, then lose the next game.
Stanford fans won't be crowing if they beat Penn State twice, won the Pac 12, but don't have an NC banner to hang in their gym. Same for Penn State fans. Coming back to win a revenge match against Stanford is meaningless, if they don't get the ultimate prize.
Ask Yankee fans if they're happy to just have their team be in the World Series.
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Post by beachbomb on Dec 15, 2014 0:01:47 GMT -5
ok well i'm pretty excited but really nervous for this match... (stanford fan)
my matchups
Bugg vs. Hancock... Draw Burgess vs. Courtney... Draw Howard vs. Frantti... Howard only because she plays better defense and gives stanford second chances.. Inky vs. Grant... Inky Lutz vs. Washington... these are the two that are new to the rival... Lutz played in september but was still bambi on ice... i say they are a draw Boukather vs. Whitney... Draw Gilbert vs. Gonzalez... Gonzalez... i've never seen Dominic Gonzalez shank a serve and i think she's more consistent. Humpreys vs. Fuller... Fuller
Stanford Wins If.
Burgess gets seam... and plays burgess defense. speed and location to Boukather are on.... Bugg sets Inky at the top of her reach... Low service errors... that killed Wisconsin... Howard hits .250
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Post by volleyfan24 on Dec 15, 2014 0:05:15 GMT -5
The winner in this match is the fans. We should be treated to a great match but won't we feel silly if its a sweep for either team. I wouldn't totally discount that as a possibility for either team.
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Post by volleyfan24 on Dec 15, 2014 0:18:50 GMT -5
My head tells me Stanford in 4. I think they are better defensively than Penn State say what you want about Howard and Burgess but those girls can dig balls with the best of them. Penn State may have that bang bang offense in Washington and Frantti but its tough when hitters take multiple swings and then they force the error. Anyone who is looking to the result in September as any justification in this match is silly Washington didn't play and the match up will be pretty different the only thing I would say is that it may help the confidence of Stanford in they know they can beat Penn State. The other thing I say is the match last year in the Regional Final and in September at Stanford Hancocks serve was ineffective, the backcourt will be the same for Stanford so if they can limit Micha's aces I like their chances.
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Post by wonderwarthog79 on Dec 15, 2014 2:25:12 GMT -5
ok well i'm pretty excited but really nervous for this match... (stanford fan) my matchups Bugg vs. Hancock... Draw Burgess vs. Courtney... Draw Howard vs. Frantti... Howard only because she plays better defense and gives stanford second chances.. Inky vs. Grant... Inky Lutz vs. Washington... these are the two that are new to the rival... Lutz played in september but was still bambi on ice... i say they are a draw Boukather vs. Whitney... Draw Gilbert vs. Gonzalez... Gonzalez... i've never seen Dominic Gonzalez shank a serve and i think she's more consistent. Humpreys vs. Fuller... Fuller Stanford Wins If. Burgess gets seam... and plays burgess defense. speed and location to Boukather are on.... Bugg sets Inky at the top of her reach... Low service errors... that killed Wisconsin... Howard hits .250 Pretty much accurate for Stanford to win except that the whole team needs to play Burgess defense, and PSU needs to break down at critical points as they did at Maples.
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Post by beachbomb on Dec 15, 2014 2:36:43 GMT -5
Penn State is very beat able... if lutz is matched up with washington... well you set her the 3 ball you set her the the back 1 you set her the 2 ball... get washington moving and keep hitting those gaps in the block... if inky hits those slides at as high of a contact point as she was in Iowa then i think they fair well because noone can touch them... or you're getting a free ball back... PSU's middles couldn't keep up with the tempo going back to Karsta on the red set, so i don't think they can keep up with Madi's delivery either... that fair really well for Morgans angles and her heat... ok so you have the middle and the right established... now howards short tips aren't going to work on a covering micha... she's amazing at hitting the rip... so stack her and merete up for a shoulder to shoulder set to split the blocker... and then shoot the ball out for burgess... that is how i'd run the offense or at least my brainstorming... i'd try my hardest to set up a block at the pins to take away line and set up my defense for the angle and watch the corners...
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Post by Boof1224 on Dec 15, 2014 2:51:59 GMT -5
Penn State is very beat able... if lutz is matched up with washington... well you set her the 3 ball you set her the the back 1 you set her the 2 ball... get washington moving and keep hitting those gaps in the block... if inky hits those slides at as high of a contact point as she was in Iowa then i think they fair well because noone can touch them... or you're getting a free ball back... PSU's middles couldn't keep up with the tempo going back to Karsta on the red set, so i don't think they can keep up with Madi's delivery either... that fair really well for Morgans angles and her heat... ok so you have the middle and the right established... now howards short tips aren't going to work on a covering micha... she's amazing at hitting the rip... so stack her and merete up for a shoulder to shoulder set to split the blocker... and then shoot the ball out for burgess... that is how i'd run the offense or at least my brainstorming... i'd try my hardest to set up a block at the pins to take away line and set up my defense for the angle and watch the corners... Sure psu is beatable but u make it sound easy. Any team is beatable. Pretty broad statement. It's a game of pick your poison with penn state and focus on where u think highest damage is gonna come from. They have way to many weapons to shut everything down. Stanford will have to play good and in my opinion psu never gets dominated. A majority if time when psu gets in trouble it their own doing with to many service errors or hitting errors. I'm not saying the other team doesn't contribute just if your gonna beat psu u need to play good and hope psu makes mistakes. It is what it is lol
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