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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Nov 11, 2019 10:13:52 GMT -5
I have seen Michigan play only once this season, and that was at Illinois where Michigan looked really good to me. Can this year's team make a similar run through the post season like their 2012 team? That UM team made it to the Final Four losing (2-3) to eventual champion Texas in the semi-final. This year's team has more firepower than the 2012 team that finished 11-9 in the B1G. They also have an excellent setter who allows her hitters to excel play after play. The question marks may be for the passers and the middles.
I do not remember the names of the Michigan players in 2012 who surprised everyone by eliminating No.2 Stanford in the Berkeley Regional (3-1) to move onto the Final Four. I do remember the constant support they gave each other on the court. They seem to develop a special juju once the post season began.
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Post by charlesd on Nov 11, 2019 11:15:27 GMT -5
I have seen Michigan play only once this season, and that was at Illinois where Michigan looked really good to me. Can this year's team make a similar run through the post season like their 2012 team? That UM team made it to the Final Four losing (2-3) to eventual champion Texas in the semi-final. This year's team has more firepower than the 2012 team that finished 11-9 in the B1G. They also have an excellent setter who allows her hitters to excel play after play. The question marks may be for the passers and the middles. I do not remember the names of the Michigan players in 2012 who surprised everyone by eliminating No.2 Stanford in the Berkeley Regional (3-1) to move onto the Final Four. I do remember the constant support they gave each other on the court. They seem to develop a special juju once the post season began. Molly Toon, Jen Cross, Lindsey Lerg, Kelly Murphy, Olivia Reed, Ally Davis, Tiffany Morales, Carly Warner, Lexi Dannemiller, Lexi Erwin, Krystalyn Goode, Ally Sabol, Claire McElhaney, Brittany Lee
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Post by bprtbone on Nov 11, 2019 13:07:52 GMT -5
I have seen Michigan play only once this season, and that was at Illinois where Michigan looked really good to me. Can this year's team make a similar run through the post season like their 2012 team? That UM team made it to the Final Four losing (2-3) to eventual champion Texas in the semi-final. This year's team has more firepower than the 2012 team that finished 11-9 in the B1G. They also have an excellent setter who allows her hitters to excel play after play. The question marks may be for the passers and the middles. I do not remember the names of the Michigan players in 2012 who surprised everyone by eliminating No.2 Stanford in the Berkeley Regional (3-1) to move onto the Final Four. I do remember the constant support they gave each other on the court. They seem to develop a special juju once the post season began. The 2012 team was lead by AA's Jen Cross and Lexi Erwin along with future AA Lexi Dannemiller at setter. They entered that tournament unranked and with 11 losses, it really was a surprising run. The last I checked, Michigan and Hawai'i are the only two programs with winning records against Stanford. Mark Rosen is 3-0 against the Card and it's disappointing that they haven't played each other since. The 2019 team doesn't really have any AA's on its roster. One could make an argument that Welsh deserves consideration, she's having her best year since she was a freshman. Paige Jones shows flashes of dominant play and I wouldn't be surprised to see her continue to improve and become one of the best OH's in the country next year. Our middles have been terrific offensively but the team is below average in blocking. First contact is where this team generally gets in trouble. And our OH2 just doesn't hit with enough efficiency to battle against the top teams. I could go on. I think the Rosen's have done a great job getting this team to improve on its weaknesses all season and they seem to be peaking. I would love to see them make a run, but I think our 2020 and 2021 teams will have a higher ceiling.
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Post by ilikecorn on Nov 11, 2019 18:33:20 GMT -5
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Post by ilikecorn on Nov 11, 2019 18:34:39 GMT -5
This was Paige's first career B1G POW award! Congratulations!
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Post by volleyfan1994 on Nov 12, 2019 16:24:59 GMT -5
Looking like this team is going to finish 14-6 or 13-7 in Big Ten play (another 20+ total win season). It has the pieces to make a memorable tournament run. The Rosens have done a fantastic job retooling after losing Lerg and Skjodt! Major props to Paige for taking her game to a brand new level
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Post by bprtbone on Nov 12, 2019 18:25:44 GMT -5
Time once again for the Rosen Report, "Porta Johns In The Snow" edition. There is some fancy camera work from the loft at Ray Fisher Stadium as Coach Rosen slides into the frame in his puffy jacket with Wolfgang 's old IM Building haunt in the background. This week we talk early snow; cliches about being ranked; how he thought Illinois was one of their best matches; praise for Mac; praise for Jones; to Orr or not to Orr; praise for Crocker; how the team is looking forward to the Minny rematch; praise for Smith; passing, passing, and more passing. Go Blue!
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Post by Wolfgang on Nov 12, 2019 19:06:56 GMT -5
I used to play racquetball a lot at the IM building and also at the CCRB.
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Post by bprtbone on Nov 13, 2019 13:54:38 GMT -5
Jenni Liu, a 6' setter from Germany who has been holed up in Texas this fall at Blinn College, is apparently heading to Ann Arbor. This will provide some much needed experience and depth at the setter position in the post-Welsh era. Welcome Jenni! https://www.instagram.com/p/B40D75Kgu0C
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Post by lo4um on Nov 14, 2019 13:36:17 GMT -5
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Post by bprtbone on Nov 14, 2019 15:31:25 GMT -5
Mruzik is the superstar of this class; MVP of the USA YNT this summer, local kid who has been looked at since she was in 8th grade, ball thumper. Paired with Jones, this should be a powerhouse 1-2 punch at OH. Scottee Johnson is the heir apparent to Welsh. With so much firepower on offense, this is the most critical position on the team to fill. I've seen her play a bit and she is an absolute baller, but the going can be rough sometimes for freshmen setters in the B1G. Remember, this was supposed to be Erin O'Leary's team. The pressure will be on Johnson immediately to perform. If she comes in as advertised, Michigan could be very, very good next year. Jenni Liu was rumored to have been joining the team this fall and we were wondering what her status was. Now with a year of juco ball under her belt, she should bring experience and competition to the setter position. The departure of O'Leary really left the Rosen's in a pinch and the late recruitment of Liu and Dowd were an effort to plug that hole and add depth. Kendall Murray is an A2 blue blood, a Miss Volleyball finalist and another tool in a very deep stable of offensive weapons. Missing from the announcement is verbal commit Brooke Humphrey, a 6'0" (!) libero from Indiana who should be able to compete for back row play. Official announcement on her will be forthcoming, I suspect. All in all, a very promising recruiting class. Go Blue!
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Post by mark46 on Nov 14, 2019 22:11:43 GMT -5
I have seen Michigan play only once this season, and that was at Illinois where Michigan looked really good to me. Can this year's team make a similar run through the post season like their 2012 team? That UM team made it to the Final Four losing (2-3) to eventual champion Texas in the semi-final. This year's team has more firepower than the 2012 team that finished 11-9 in the B1G. They also have an excellent setter who allows her hitters to excel play after play. The question marks may be for the passers and the middles. I do not remember the names of the Michigan players in 2012 who surprised everyone by eliminating No.2 Stanford in the Berkeley Regional (3-1) to move onto the Final Four. I do remember the constant support they gave each other on the court. They seem to develop a special juju once the post season began. The 2012 team was lead by AA's Jen Cross and Lexi Erwin along with future AA Lexi Dannemiller at setter. They entered that tournament unranked and with 11 losses, it really was a surprising run. The last I checked, Michigan and Hawai'i are the only two programs with winning records against Stanford. Mark Rosen is 3-0 against the Card and it's disappointing that they haven't played each other since. The 2019 team doesn't really have any AA's on its roster. One could make an argument that Welsh deserves consideration, she's having her best year since she was a freshman. Paige Jones shows flashes of dominant play and I wouldn't be surprised to see her continue to improve and become one of the best OH's in the country next year. Our middles have been terrific offensively but the team is below average in blocking. First contact is where this team generally gets in trouble. And our OH2 just doesn't hit with enough efficiency to battle against the top teams. I could go on. I think the Rosen's have done a great job getting this team to improve on its weaknesses all season and they seem to be peaking. I would love to see them make a run, but I think our 2020 and 2021 teams will have a higher ceiling. That 2012 tournament run is really hard to explain. The only senior on that team was Claire McIlheny so big things were expected the next year but they only went 18-14 and were 9-11 in the Big 10. It was just a magical run that came out of nowhere and disappeared just as quickly.
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Post by bprtbone on Nov 15, 2019 14:27:20 GMT -5
6 foot libero incoming!
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Post by ilikecorn on Nov 18, 2019 15:33:11 GMT -5
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Post by bprtbone on Nov 18, 2019 17:52:58 GMT -5
Congrats Jess!
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