|
Post by chancelucky on Mar 19, 2015 22:44:05 GMT -5
I attended the Spring tournament at Duke tonight in a place called Brodie Gym. Duke played Wake and UNC. UNC played NC State and Duke, and NC State and Wake played each other in best of 3 matches. UNC won all its sets, though in the last one with Duke they had to come back from 24-21. Wake and Duke split their matches and NC State lost both of theirs, I believe. NC State brought only 9 players to the tournament and as one would suspect UNC and Duke had something of a physical advantage vs.Wake and State. There's no way to know how any incoming freshman will impact any of these teams.
No one wears numbers, there weren't any rosters, and my knowledge of some of the teams is very limited, so I really couldn't say much about who did what for what team. Gearhart and Doyle rotated at libero for UNC and both looked good. Neuenfeldt saw time at left for UNC and looked very comfortable there. There were some signs that Duke was trying to vary its offense more, but it's hard to say how successful that was at least partly because UNC's block is quite good. It still seems strange to see 4 ACC teams and only have seen 25% of the conference.
|
|
|
Post by vbprisoner on Mar 20, 2015 13:44:27 GMT -5
I attended the Spring tournament at Duke tonight in a place called Brodie Gym. Duke played Wake and UNC. UNC played NC State and Duke, and NC State and Wake played each other in best of 3 matches. UNC won all its sets, though in the last one with Duke they had to come back from 24-21. Wake and Duke split their matches and NC State lost both of theirs, I believe. NC State brought only 9 players to the tournament and as one would suspect UNC and Duke had something of a physical advantage vs.Wake and State. There's no way to know how any incoming freshman will impact any of these teams. No one wears numbers, there weren't any rosters, and my knowledge of some of the teams is very limited, so I really couldn't say much about who did what for what team. Gearhart and Doyle rotated at libero for UNC and both looked good. Neuenfeldt saw time at left for UNC and looked very comfortable there. There were some signs that Duke was trying to vary its offense more, but it's hard to say how successful that was at least partly because UNC's block is quite good. It still seems strange to see 4 ACC teams and only have seen 25% of the conference. If you saw Wake play, how did Kylie Long OH play?
|
|
|
Post by chancelucky on Mar 20, 2015 14:50:42 GMT -5
I'm afraid I didn't watch the Wake matches closely, because I was following UNC and the two never played. Wake's sets were close with both Duke and NC State. Without numbers, I just don't know who is who on either Wake or NC State. Wake, as a team, looked pretty good for stretches. I'm sorry that I can't say anything more than that.
|
|
|
Post by deepsouthfan on Mar 24, 2015 13:19:02 GMT -5
I attended the Spring tournament at Duke tonight in a place called Brodie Gym. Duke played Wake and UNC. UNC played NC State and Duke, and NC State and Wake played each other in best of 3 matches. UNC won all its sets, though in the last one with Duke they had to come back from 24-21. Wake and Duke split their matches and NC State lost both of theirs, I believe. NC State brought only 9 players to the tournament and as one would suspect UNC and Duke had something of a physical advantage vs.Wake and State. There's no way to know how any incoming freshman will impact any of these teams. No one wears numbers, there weren't any rosters, and my knowledge of some of the teams is very limited, so I really couldn't say much about who did what for what team. Gearhart and Doyle rotated at libero for UNC and both looked good. Neuenfeldt saw time at left for UNC and looked very comfortable there. There were some signs that Duke was trying to vary its offense more, but it's hard to say how successful that was at least partly because UNC's block is quite good. It still seems strange to see 4 ACC teams and only have seen 25% of the conference. Did UNC look like the team to beat in the ACC this year?
|
|
|
Post by sulo on Mar 24, 2015 14:20:07 GMT -5
I wasn't there, but based on returning players, I believe it will be a 3 team race between UNC, Duke and FSU. GO Heels!!!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by chancelucky on Mar 24, 2015 17:38:08 GMT -5
I've only seen 2 spring tournaments ever, but I think they're about as reliable as looking at baseball spring training results and predicting who will be in the World Series. There are so many different reasons things happen in spring matches that have little to do with "we want to win this match now", it's easy to be fooled. In addition, most schools don't have their freshman or transfers yet and sometimes they can have a huge impact.
I'd say UNC looks to be as solid as they were last year. Nelson was the senior last year, but the competition between Tracy and McCorkle with Nelson for playing time was very close until Nelson broke out a third of the way into the conference season. The hitting on the right should be about the same. I'm less sure about the blocking. UNC's block remained very effective in its two matches at least partly because Neuenfeldt on the left creates an unusually tough leftside block, essentially 2 middles blocking the other team's rightside attacks.
I'd expected more of an adjustment with the graduation of Taner, their ACC defensive player of the year at libero. Gearhart and Doyle both looked very good digging and in serve receive. I don't know about the leadership end. It's too early to tell.
Mcadoo had a very good senior year, but Taylor Leath looked very good against both NC State and Duke.
they have a very deep very experienced senior class that has been through the tournament 3 times and has had a very stable coaching staff throughout that period. Those things tend to help. In addition, they have had the same 2 setters running their 6-2 for three years.
I think the question will be whether Florida State might be even better than they were a year ago, how Duke's newcomers contribute, and how some of the other schools fare. It sounds like Louisville might improve, Tech certainy gave UNC trouble in Atlanta last year and as good a year as it was for UNC in 2014, some of its close call matches could easily have gone the other way.
|
|
|
Post by deepsouthfan on Mar 25, 2015 8:38:52 GMT -5
I wasn't there, but based on returning players, I believe it will be a 3 team race between UNC, Duke and FSU. GO Heels!!!!!!! Do you think that'll be the order of finish?
|
|
trojansc
Legend
All-VolleyTalk 1st Team (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017), All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2016), 2021, 2019 Fantasy League Champion, 2020 Fantasy League Runner Up, 2022 2nd Runner Up
Posts: 27,898
|
ACC 2015
Mar 31, 2015 21:12:05 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by trojansc on Mar 31, 2015 21:12:05 GMT -5
I might keep my eye on Virginia Tech to push for a strong ACC finish. Winning the ACC a big ongshot with the talent at FSU and North Carolina, but a top 4 finish would not surprise me.
But they should be good in 2015. Sophomore Lindsey Owens lead Virginia Tech in kills and points, and was 2nd in aces and digs.
Concerns are however that they lost half of ther setting in a 6-2, and three other starters. (Libero, and both starting Middles). That makes me worried on the defensive side for Tech.
They have a lot of young players though, so I expect some ups and downs again next year. Consistency was the achilles heel for Virginia Tech last year, and they just barely missed out on an NCAA bid. I actually thought they'd get in.
|
|
|
Post by sulo on Apr 1, 2015 9:24:20 GMT -5
Chancelucky, thanks for the report. From the sounds of it, although Taner was fabulous last year(and for 4 years for that matter), it looks as though the long line of excellent liberos at UNC will continue with Gearhart and Doyle. Go Heels!!!!
|
|
|
Post by chancelucky on Apr 1, 2015 13:46:03 GMT -5
Taner was fun to watch. She had this knack for saving broken plays/situations that was really remarkable. In the last year, she really blossomed as a team leader as well.
Gearhart and Doyle have their own ways of getting the job done, but they should be very good.
I thought last year was a step forward for the conference nationally. I hope these next seasons bring more of that. Getting a team into the 3rd week of the tournament would be nice. Florida St.'s been there, but the conference needs another couple teams to get there.
|
|
|
Post by sulo on Apr 2, 2015 13:13:15 GMT -5
Could not agree with you more. Great analysis. Hopefully this will be a breakthrough year for the ACC.
|
|
|
Post by laxlga on Apr 7, 2015 18:18:01 GMT -5
Duke will be most hurt by the graduation of Obeime. Obeime had one of the highest hitting efficiencies in the conference for an outside at .291. Duke does have a solid middle in Meyer coming in next year and believe she will find the floor her freshman year. This gives Duke the option to move Tucker to the right or left. I also heard that Meyer may be playing some outside this year in club, so they could use her on the left and keep Tucker and Whitaker in the middle. Atkinson appeared to be hurt again this spring, not sure of her prognosis for the fall but honestly she and Vucich seemed to have a similar impact.
Overall, I would say that UNC is the team to beat. Though they graduated some key players they were deep last year and also add some good recruits.
|
|
|
Post by chancelucky on Apr 12, 2015 15:18:10 GMT -5
I saw most of a spring tournament at UNC this weekend. Wake Forest pulled out the day before and Elon only had 6 healthy players at the beginning of the day. In the first set, one of Elon's players slipped a disk, so they played through the day with 5 players. Not a great situation, but much credit to Elon's staff and team for seeing the tournament through.
North Carolina State looked better than they did earlier in the Spring, but they too are a little shorthanded (9 players) and maybe aren't at the same physical level as Duke and UNC. In their match with UNC, State was able to trade points for a while, but the sets seemed to come down to UNC eventually running points and NCSU not having any way to run points back.
Duke-UNC was oddly similar to their first spring match. The first set was close and Duke played terrific defense (at least on hard hit balls) for most of the second set. They had a 24-21 lead, and then (just as they had earlier in the Spring), couldn't close out the set. It seems to be the same issue. Duke's spring team has a hard time getting points from the right and the middle. Someone mentioned they have a middle coming in, so there's a good chance this won't be Duke's lineup in the fall. UNC won a 15 point third set.
The crowd was surprisingly involved for a Spring match and there were lots of former players about, at least partly because the team banquet is on Sunday.
|
|
|
Post by sluggermatt15 on Apr 15, 2015 15:46:30 GMT -5
For the Pitt fans - did anyone attend the spring matches last weekend? I recently moved out of the area so I was not able to go.
I understand the team added Kadi Kullerkann, a transfer from Houston, and Hanna Markewycz, a recruit from Illinois, both for the 2015 season. Right now the 2015 roster only has 8 players listed, not including these two. I imagine Kullerkann will play immediately. She appears to be an OH. Markewycz is a DS. Pitt is very young on defense so I would imagine her and Angela Seman will play a lot. Think one would switch to libero?
|
|
|
Post by coachwpassion on Apr 16, 2015 7:44:55 GMT -5
For the Pitt fans - did anyone attend the spring matches last weekend? I recently moved out of the area so I was not able to go. I understand the team added Kadi Kullerkann, a transfer from Houston, and Hanna Markewycz, a recruit from Illinois, both for the 2015 season. Right now the 2015 roster only has 8 players listed, not including these two. I imagine Kullerkann will play immediately. She appears to be an OH. Markewycz is a DS. Pitt is very young on defense so I would imagine her and Angela Seman will play a lot. Think one would switch to libero? Pitt looked solid this past weekend. Split with both Kent and Youngstown State I believe. He played the majority of his players, moving some around. Middle's looked solid, passing needed some help. Hopefully Markewycz will add stability in serve receive. Tall and athletic but ball control needs a little development to make a big impact in ACC
|
|