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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2006 10:38:20 GMT -5
Is there an "elite" this year? So far, the only team that can claim to be in it would be UCLA -- and I find it hard to believe they are the best team in the country.
I cannot figure out who is at the top. I'm guessing that there's about 15-20 teams still in a position to claim that vague title.
OTOH, it could be that this year's "elite" just aren't that dominant, which makes it difficult to call them elite.
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Post by 5100 on Sept 4, 2006 10:53:49 GMT -5
Yeah maybe Shoji should encourage Duggins, Hittle and Thurlby to jumpserve. And put Kelly Ong in the backrow. That girl is a fireball and a vocal leader.
Gregory should have made the all-tournament team. She was the best Wahine in all three matches.
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Post by LowVBIQ on Sept 4, 2006 10:58:55 GMT -5
My 2 cents. Although everyone has already made some excellent observations and solutions, I think that the Wahine are playing 'tight'. I have seen them in practice when they are loose and having 'fun'. I have seen the practice guys wail balls at them which they are quite capable of passing well. I have seen a wide variety of kills from both Outsides. (I know that the sets were probably perfect too...) But it just seems like they cannot relax out there. They aren't talking, they aren't playing their game. It is early and I think they are a little nervous right now. I believe they will improve tremendously when they get accustomed to the line-up and settle in. You know how it is when you try too hard---nothing works.
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Post by bomber on Sept 4, 2006 11:00:12 GMT -5
Problem #1: Passing - "wildly inconsistent" as another poster mentioned. Yes...Lee was a bit of a surprise, but she still is not yet fully capable of playing to her best capabilities. From what I have heard on the broadcasts, she still shanks the passes from time to time, but does get the job done for the most part. I will let this slide by in general as she is a freshmen being asked to perform at at least a junior level. Wasn't that when we had Watanabe being a force in the backrow? Houston seems to be a passing liability. Is there a way to shield her from passing? Mason seems to stabilize the passing better than Keefe though Keefe is also a decent terminator. I think we need Mason in the lineup. The Wahine will also need to practice receiving serves that are other than their own lollipops. Bring in the Warriors or some guys who can serve with heat so at least they can get used to it from their opponents. Problem #2: Serving (or lack thereof) - what's up with the lollipops? We might as well serve underhand or just serve it into the net or out for the other teams. Lollipops are not going to get the job done for us. It is kind of scary that our best weapon is Sarah Mason's jump float, which while can cause problems for some other teams is not enough. We need the jump serves. Why are we not being aggressive?!? Problem #3: Setting - yes...i know KK is an AA. However, as I have posted earlier this season, it might be time to try something new and run an offshoot of a 6-2 with KK setting whenever she is in the backrow and subbing her out with CT in the front row if KK is really being tooled all the time due to her height. I am aware that the passes are really horrible so KK cannot really make too much out of it. I am just hoping that things will settle soon for the Bows. Oh yeah...almost forgot...there seems to be hardly any variety in the set location. It seems to always find Houston, though the passing may have a huge part to blame for this. Problem #4: Blocking - to me it seems on and off. Like in tonight's match, it was nowhere for pretty much the first 2 games, and then it decides to show up for the third game. We seem to be a little streaky in this department, but when the block is there we do decently. Problem #5: Hitting - Yes...many posters have already said that Houston is not the second coming of Willoughby. She currently lacks her variety of shots being that she is a sophomore and mainly just uses brute strength to try to overwhelm her opponents. That may work against the WAC opponents, but as we saw in the first couple games this season, it will not work as effectively against top tier competition who are defensively minded or just as athletic or more athletic than she is. For now she seems to be our best bet, but still... Mason was an OH last year right and Tara the right side? Can we switch those two in that position? If memory serves me right, Mason did decently as an OH last year. I also vaguely remember that AK could possibly be converted to an OH. How is she in that department? Would Arnott do any better? Also agreeing with the other posters that a variety is needed and the Houston backslide attack/hitting out of the backrow was refreshing. Perhaps running some X plays granted the passing allows for it, etc. Problem #6: Communication - wow...how many freeballs just drop to the floor? Come on bows, lets talk to each other. Comment: Heart - I am not going to be too critical of this department. I know that they have it considering that they really pulled it through in some of their roughest times against Pepperdine who is underrated to me. Don't know what else I am missing. Come on Bows!!! I know we can still pull through and make the season great. Let's shake of the early season jitters/errors. The Marriot invitation we should go at least 2-1 with a potential defeat at the hands of Stanford, but keep in mind that they lost to BYU this weekend. So ANYTHING is possible. Bows all the way 2006!!! This is just too beautiful to allow to pass to page two. There is trouble in paradise......
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 4, 2006 11:56:07 GMT -5
Not sure Hawaii has any real problems, they simply are not at the level of the nations elite (top 5). They had a great year last year, but against the elite, they simply don't have the horses. Looks like this season is the same. If they are not beating or at least winning games at home vs UCLA/Florida that is surely a clear cut case of not being a top five or probably top ten team. They are still great and their program is exceptional, but they are no longer among the nations elite. Sorry but it is true. You have taken every opportunity to bash the Wahine, even having the audacuty to try put a veil over your comments and feign objectivity. Fact of the matter is, you don't know this team so who are you to say that you're not sure if there are problems with the Wahine? And as far as Hawai'i not being among the nations elite, it's going to take more than 2 bad matches to remove Hawai'i from the nation's elite.
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 4, 2006 12:04:34 GMT -5
I wonder how much of an effect Charlie Wade's absence is having on this team. For the most part, the Wahine lack Cohesiveness. There's really no chemistry on the court. They look uncomfortable at times. They give up way too many points in bunches, sometimes early causing them to play from behind the entire match. They lack hitter coverage and are way too susceptible to tip shots. Plus their passing is still a bit erratic. Last night it seemed as though Kanoe spent half of the match setting from behind the 10 foot line. I don't care where Hawai'i ends up in the AVCA poll this week, they need to settle down and work on the portions of the game where they have had the most trouble this season.
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Post by Wolfgang on Sept 4, 2006 12:08:21 GMT -5
What did Alix Klineman think about all this mayhem?
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 4, 2006 12:15:20 GMT -5
What did Alix Klineman think about all this mayhem? Who knows. Ask Kawika Shoji.
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Post by Wolfgang on Sept 4, 2006 12:26:46 GMT -5
Problem: passing
Potential solution: make them pass tennis balls in practice. It works. Try it. Someone on the other side of the net throw tennis balls at the girls and make the girls pass them to a designated spot.
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Post by Keystonekid on Sept 4, 2006 12:48:53 GMT -5
BIK, define "every opportunity to bash Hawaii" I stated in my post they are a "great team and great program"(hardly bashing) "but not one of the top 5 or ten" I think that most people would consider that fairly objective. As for knowing teams, who does? we are not coaches or players on these perspective teams. I have a knowledge of their players of which I have seen them all play and or coached against most of them, and I am judging them on there results. Having played two top 5-10 teams on their home court and being swept, I don't find my statement to be a reach or unfair. In no way have I ever insulted their team, coaches, or players. If calling a team great but not top 5-10 is negative, well than I apologize to the entire Wahine nation. I obviously am a Nebraska and PSU fan, and when people have posted that they are ranked too high, it hasn't ruffled my feathers, each person is entitled to their opinion and there is alot of truth too that. Your problem is that you don't agree or like my opinion, but to refer to it as bashing is absurd.
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Post by Keystonekid on Sept 4, 2006 12:51:03 GMT -5
There may not be an elite team out there, UCLA would have the best claim to it at this point. I think there are as many as 6 teams that could win it all and as many as 12 that could be final four teams. It will be a great year, If any team out there finishes with less than 2-3 losses I will be very surprised.
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Post by Wolfgang on Sept 4, 2006 12:59:47 GMT -5
...well than I apologize to the entire Wahine nation. ... There's a Husker Nation, but there's no such thing as a Wahine nation. It's Wahine Ohana or Hawaii Ohana or Ohana de La Manoa, but no Wahine Nation.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2006 13:02:17 GMT -5
I'm going with:
1--Nebraska 2--PSU 3--UCLA 4--Florida 5--Texas 6--Washington 7--Santa Clara 8--Stanford 9--Hawaii 10--USC
Next group, order still up in the air: Wisconsin, BYU, Pepperdine, Cal, Ohio, Ohio State, Purdue, LSU, Cal Poly, Tennessee.
Next 10, also no order yet: TAMU, Minnesota, Utah, Missouri, Notre Dame, Arizona, Louisville, New Mexico State, KSU, Oregon (!)
Next: LBSU, Arkansas, Michigan, San Diego, Colorado, CSU, Wichita State, Illinois (?), Dayton (?)
I can't begin to tell you how much that Top Ten pains me...
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Post by Keystonekid on Sept 4, 2006 13:02:20 GMT -5
I stand corrected. I meant Ohana de La Manoa.
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Post by StuffU on Sept 4, 2006 13:07:16 GMT -5
LOL ..Is that for the spanish-speaking Hawaiians?
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