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Post by shesasetter on Aug 5, 2019 1:26:48 GMT -5
If Michelle Bartsch-Hackley doesn't make it, it will be a travesty. I like Hancock and Poulter. Why does it matter to you since the US aren’t medaling in Tokyo anyway. 🙄
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Post by rogero1 on Aug 5, 2019 1:51:30 GMT -5
What’s the rule on libero changing internationally? Can a player change to a libero jersey between games (and vice versa), or do liberos have to be named before the match? Libero’s have to be named before the match for the whole match. No changing per set.
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Post by hammer on Aug 5, 2019 2:03:58 GMT -5
Isn’t Akinradewo having a baby? Yes, but she is expected to be back by January or February if her contract in Fener is still on the table. And, bigfan is going to help babysit, so no issues with great child care.
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Post by ToddyJ on Aug 5, 2019 2:40:21 GMT -5
Washington outplayed Dixon in the last 2 matches. I would give her the third MB nod right now. Until proven otherwise I would give her the nod over Akinradewo. Honestly I think Ogbogu, Washington and Dixon could do some work during the OG. So if Akinradewo doesn't return....I will be sad but the team will be ok. I'm not even sure anyone can set her the way Glass did. Their connection was insane!
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Post by volleyguy on Aug 5, 2019 2:50:21 GMT -5
A lot of things going on with our middles right now. This system is less reliant on our middles scoring than it is on blocking, serving and some defense. In the past, we had middles like Scott and Bown who we could rely upon to find a way to score if we really needed a point, but Foluke is really the only one who fits that bill right now, and now her availability is uncertain. Washington has more potential to fit that bill than Dixon, but Dixon fits better into the current system and expectations. A year from now, those pieces of the puzzle will fit into place when we know who's available and who's not.
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Post by Reach on Aug 5, 2019 6:03:13 GMT -5
The tempo at which we set our middles changed when Foluke came along. Scott and Bown hit a much higher and slower ball and thus were more effective. I’ve said it time and time again, our middles don’t need Japanese speed to beat blocks. If anything, it negates our physicality in the middle unless it is a perfect situation. When will we stop trying to play Asian style ball?
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Post by midnightblue on Aug 5, 2019 8:40:21 GMT -5
I really wish Adams would get it the F together. Girl could put the ball away off of two feet.
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Post by Reach on Aug 5, 2019 9:03:53 GMT -5
I really wish Adams would get it the F together. Girl could put the ball away off of two feet. I'm not sure what her deal is. She looked good in the few matches I saw her play this past season in Italy ..
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Post by vbzinger on Aug 5, 2019 9:40:01 GMT -5
My Updated Picks (Post IOQT) S: Carlini, Hancock OH: Hill, Larson, MBH, Foecke MB: Akinradewo, Ogbogu, Dixon OPP: Thompson, Drews L: Robinson I think I am leaning more to Washington than Dixon as of today. But, that changes tournament-to-tournament. I think 8 of these are pretty clear at this point, though a lot changes in a year. Carlini, Thompson, Foecke are not on anyone's lists a year ago. Ogbogu would've been on some. Still a great battle with Hancock/Poulter and Dixon/Washington. Still uncertainty about Foluke and libero. Hopefully not any lingering uncertainty for Chiaka Do we know what happened with Chiaka that pulled her from the qualifying tournament?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2019 9:50:21 GMT -5
I think Robinson did quite well as an OH for the most part. At least relative to everyone else playing the position for USA. That may say more about the strength of the OH position, but she was as effective (and moreso) than basically everyone else. Whether that translates to success against the likes of a full strength China, Serbia, etc. of the world is a different question. I agree that I want her at libero. But to say that she wasn't doing a great job all summer at OH is just not true. I'd still rather have Hill there, though No, she wasn't doing a "great" job. You can track her numbers and see that. You can also follow the match and see that she is very streaky. Larson is still much better out of system and more clutch, and Hill, although streaky herself, is much more effective against the best levels of competition. I think you're getting caught up in semantics. Have at it, bro. Robinson has played winning volleyball all summer. You can dismiss it because of level of competition. Or call it something other than "great" if you want. Knock yourself out.
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Post by volleyguy on Aug 5, 2019 10:03:21 GMT -5
No, she wasn't doing a "great" job. You can track her numbers and see that. You can also follow the match and see that she is very streaky. Larson is still much better out of system and more clutch, and Hill, although streaky herself, is much more effective against the best levels of competition. I think you're getting caught up in semantics. Have at it, bro. Robinson has played winning volleyball all summer. You can dismiss it because of level of competition. Or call it something other than "great" if you want. Knock yourself out. You can still think she's great, I promise.
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Post by azvb on Aug 5, 2019 11:40:01 GMT -5
I thought she did great as an OH. BUT, I think we have enough very capable OH’s, and we don’t have a very good libero. IMO, that’s where she is needed. She was not great. She had a few solid kills, and she had a few lucky and timely kills, like a left handed tip on a all that crossed the net and was mis-played by the bulgarian player at the net. She makes an effort to fire up her team after good plays, and that has a tendency to get people caught up in her performance, but a lot of that is actually for show if you look at her numbers. I am only going by what I saw this summer. I don’t have her numbers handy and I’m too lazy to look them up! And I do love her energy, and I’d love to see that energy as our libero.
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Post by azvb on Aug 5, 2019 11:41:45 GMT -5
If Michelle Bartsch-Hackley doesn't make it, it will be a travesty. I like Hancock and Poulter. Seriously. To leave her off and Megan Courtney on would be almost Courtney Thompson ridiculous.
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Post by vballfan17 on Aug 5, 2019 12:00:04 GMT -5
I'm thinking the 12 will be: OH: Larson, Hill, MBH, Robinson MB: Dixon, Ogbogu, Akinradewo(if ready) or else Washington OPP: Drews, Thompson S: Carlini, Hancock L: Someone other than Courtney (maybe Lake or Hentz)
Here are my thoughts: OH - I'd definitely say this is our strongest position right now. Larson, Hill, MBH & Robinson are extremely solid and seem like locks at this point. Larson is a veteran and has lately proven that she can still get the job done. Hill can still show her great hitting ability. MBH can be terminal from the left or the right so it's nice to have that player that can step into multiple roles in a pinch. Robinson has also shown her ability to play with the top level OHs from the VNL and is great that she can step into the libero role if needed. On the matter of Foecke, I think she needs some more high-level experience before bringing her to the OG, but she'll be a top contender for 2024.
MB - Dixon and Ogbogu appear to be the 2 favorites right now. I'd say the last spot will depend on if Akinradewo is back to full strength come next summer. If not, I think the spot will go to Washington.
OPP - Drews & Thompson have been the top tandem this summer, and even though they have had their ups and downs, I think they'll both be in Tokyo with Lowe having some work to do to make her case.
S - Carlini = obvi. The second setter spot definitely comes down to Poulter & Hancock. I think Poulter has shown glimpses of a great setter, but I think she'll be more of a factor next quad.
L - I just can't see us succeeding in Tokyo with Courtney as the libero. When you're struggling against teams like Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Argentina, what will it be like against Serbia, China, Italy, etc.? Her bump setting seemed off as well, and we don't want the middle back coming in to take the second ball as that leaves us with one less option on the OOS swing. I'd like to just see Robinson in the libero jersey as she's shown a lot in the past, but I think Karch will still bring 1 traditional libero, and I'm hoping for Hentz or Lake.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2019 12:19:52 GMT -5
Hancock...? She's been left off every single A team roster since May. Is anyone even paying attention anymore?
And Lloyd even left!
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