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Post by zenyada on Dec 16, 2014 12:18:59 GMT -5
My thinking is the two xfactors will be Micha's serve, and Boukather's defense. The top spin is easily returned when not ripped, and if Penn St gets behind there may be added pressure for her to score with it, increasing the risk for error. So will it be "on" when needed? Hancock is a gamer, and absolutely nailed it in last years final, but you can't always dial it up. Boukather is a terrific hitter, but I think she's out there in six rotations because Stanford doesn't have a DS that's better, not because she's a great defender...or Dunning is looking for continuity. On the other side Fuller has been terrific is the DS role. Pulling for the Cardinal, but Penn State's floor defense has looked awfully good lately. I'm not confident. Actually Hancock has taken a bit off a few serves and adied some more side spin and those were the ones that got Nebraska in trouble. She has not nailed that 5 to 1 shot down the line in a while so that nugget is still in her bag of tricks. Solid vs explosive.....I will take explosive in a Final 4 venue , especially considering the experience that PSU brings to the table. Its about the toss. She'll go with whats working for her. She's human. I imagine Stanford would love for her to start messing with side spin. Next she'll be wrapping the ball around the aentenna. Please.
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Post by akbar on Dec 16, 2014 12:42:33 GMT -5
[/quote] Next she'll be wrapping the ball around the aentenna. Please.[/quote]
That would be sweet but out.
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Post by zenyada on Dec 16, 2014 13:14:29 GMT -5
Next she'll be wrapping the ball around the aentenna. Please.[/quote] That would be sweet but out.[/quote] Of course. Forgive the hyperbole.
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Post by Boof1224 on Dec 16, 2014 13:21:35 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to this one as a matchup between two great setters. I know Carlini gets - and deserves - huge attention, but I see Bugg as an amazing setter who quietly goes about her business running what I view as the best offense in the country. As has been mentioned, Stanford's serve receive will largely nullify Hancock's serve, so I give Stanford the edge in pure setting. Madi Bugg has played brilliantly of late, and I can't wait to see her play Thursday. And no, I'm not her Dad. It's been a treat to see these talented setters playing against each other in the tournament. Like most, I would list Carlini, Bugg, and Hancock as the three best setters in college, but let's not ignore the others. Who would get your vote for the next three spots? Psu has top side out team in country.
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Post by hammer on Dec 16, 2014 13:28:29 GMT -5
My thinking is the two xfactors will be Micha's serve, and Boukather's defense. The top spin is easily returned when not ripped, and if Penn St gets behind there may be added pressure for her to score with it, increasing the risk for error. So will it be "on" when needed? Hancock is a gamer, and absolutely nailed it in last years final, but you can't always dial it up. Boukather is a terrific hitter, but I think she's out there in six rotations because Stanford doesn't have a DS that's better, not because she's a great defender...or Dunning is looking for continuity. On the other side Fuller has been terrific is the DS role. Pulling for the Cardinal, but Penn State's floor defense has looked awfully good lately. I'm not confident. Boukather is out there (also) because she can hit the low fast D-ball (which I guess you could call the Dic, but let's not go there).
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Post by Sbilo on Dec 16, 2014 13:35:14 GMT -5
Right. Boukather is playing in the backrow to hit those quick D and not because no DS can play better defense than her.
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Post by zenyada on Dec 16, 2014 16:00:49 GMT -5
Right. Boukather is playing in the backrow to hit those quick D and not because no DS can play better defense than her. Understand,but me thinks she'll have to play goid defense too on Thursday. Brown absolutely murders the D but still needs work in BR...not suggesting anything. Fun next year too.
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Post by bc2016 on Dec 16, 2014 16:42:48 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 My daughter hopes Stanford wins just because PSU has won 5 out of last 7 times. I find a lot of people feel that way. Will be a really good match.
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Post by Longhorn20 on Dec 16, 2014 17:26:24 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 I don't think its a draw between setters. Micha wins. I also don't think its a draw between Burgess and Courtney. Burgess wins. I also think Frantti is better than Howard. Howard may play better defense, but Frantti is still a 6 rotation hitter and terminates much, much better than Howard.
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Post by gnu2vball on Dec 16, 2014 17:38:28 GMT -5
I finally listened to a postgame interview of Dunning and Bugg. I was kind of amazed at how much last year's regional loss to PSU has motivated her, and apparently her teammates. Ought to be an interesting game.
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Post by midnightblue on Dec 16, 2014 19:01:32 GMT -5
I finally listened to a postgame interview of Dunning and Bugg. I was kind of amazed at how much last year's regional loss to PSU has motivated her, and apparently her teammates. Ought to be an interesting game. Where did you find that?
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Post by gnu2vball on Dec 16, 2014 19:06:39 GMT -5
it was on the post-game coverage on ESPN-U.
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Post by jgrout on Dec 16, 2014 19:30:00 GMT -5
This thread is permeated with systemic errors of evaluation... the same ones that plague All-American selections. In real life, volleyball is the outcome of a set of complicated interactions involving matchups, defenses and many other factors that are far more important than who is the best stud in isolation. When Karch is praising Stanford's "old school" approach, he is doing it at a far higher conceptual level than the people who see it as nostalgia realize. They are much stronger when evaluated at that level than they are at the conceptual level more often seen on VT.
When the Celtics kept beating the Lakers in the 1960's, many sports writers around the country, not just in L.A., couldn't figure out why... that was why. Years later, a big man interviewed in Playboy was asked which of two named opponents was the hardest to guard... he said it wasn't either of them but Robert Parish. He wasn't the best attacking to his left, attacking to his right or jump shooting... but he was good enough at all of them that he was almost impossible to guard one-on-one (the key to center play, according to Bill Russell... find a way to force the other team to double-team you). Stanford has so many options that they can win the tradeoff war against teams that on the surface to which they would lose. Even Pablo does not properly evaluate these factors... not at the highest level of play... because there isn't enough data from which to draw conclusions.
My own cardinal-colored view is that many of the more vocal Penn State backers suffer from this error and are drawing spurious conclusions. dorothymantooth's arguments about Penn State are far more substantive from this perspective than theirs... his concern me, theirs do not. Sure, if Penn State managed to totally break down Stanford's passing the way U-Dub did in much of their win, they would win... but they are no more likely to beat the crap out of Stanford in any area of play than Stanford is to beat the crap out of them in any area of play. The match is likely to be about who wins the war of tradeoffs.
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Post by trampas on Dec 16, 2014 19:46:48 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. I bet you if Frantti plays, they will serve her over and over. One of the more interesting things to look for in this match I think is to see how Russ Rose handles Frantti/Lee. This should be a great one. Agree with whomever said it seems like there is more pressure on Stanford to win
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Post by Boof1224 on Dec 16, 2014 19:51:06 GMT -5
Bet you Stanford serves to her over and over. I bet you if Frantti plays, they will serve her over and over. One of the more interesting things to look for in this match I think is to see how Russ Rose handles Frantti/Lee. This should be a great one. Agree with whomever said it seems like there is more pressure on Stanford to win I said before that Stanford freshman class is running out of time. If they dont win in this year they got one chance left.
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