Vbfan
High School
Posts: 14
|
Post by Vbfan on Nov 8, 2004 16:00:40 GMT -5
Does anyone know who's going to be good this year in MIVA? Since all the changes in coaching and players. It looks like Ball State graduaded some outstanding players like their setter who I understand is playing in Europe. How about Lewis or Ohio State?
|
|
|
Post by vb on Nov 8, 2004 18:33:55 GMT -5
I can report on OSU....they showed nothing against PSU. They have the freshman midget MB (about 1/2 foot smaller than the rest of the MB on PSU-OSU. Clearly overmatched. They have the freshman Setter that sets slow and high, as if he was setting on a 16yr old club team. What surprised me the most...was that OSU will quit 1/2 way thru a match.
Lewis....who knows! After all that program has been thru how can they be taken seriously.
Carthage is surprisingly tall and athletic. They are the sleeper and spoiler of the MIVA.
My guess is that Ball State (they have a stud named Pecklar that is coming into his own!) and Loyola (they have a new stud named Adams that hits a very heavy ball) will fight it out for the MIVA spot at the FF.
|
|
|
Post by Word on Nov 8, 2004 19:29:23 GMT -5
Hey vb, I think you are forgetting about IPFW. They have the returning MIVA POY and All-AMerican back in Matt Z. (I'm not even gonna try and spell it) The only player that they lost that is big is their setter. So if whoever sets for them can step up, they have some hitters that'll be able to put the ball away. I like their chances of winning it, with Loyola right there and then OSU.
|
|
|
Post by vballfan4 on Nov 8, 2004 20:02:17 GMT -5
Where did you get this info that Peckler is going to be stud for BSU??? He redshirted last year and will probably play a match or two vs. clarke and similar schools. BSU has a good setter to make up for loss of Keith. Also they have another portorican who will replace Jary Delgado. One thing they will miss is Keith's leadership, Jary's and Sassons emotion who were a backbone of the team last year.
BSU will play Lewis on Saturday at Lewis. Following week they travel to play, USC, Rutgers, and PSU in Buffalo. After they are done we'll see how good they are.
OSU should be a good team. They have majority of their players back from last year. IPFW should also be good taken that they get a decent setter that can find Matt. One player does not make the team, if they cant find somebody to support him IPFW wont do that good. Sicka in the middle should be a nice additon to Matt. Loyola is not going to be good this year. They lost Alesh and their great middle. Ones who will compete for title will be IPFW, OSU, and BSU.
|
|
|
Post by vb on Nov 9, 2004 0:37:28 GMT -5
Hey Word, IPFW is always strange to figure out. They have the players to do better every year....but somehow plays a notch less than the talent. Is it the coaching? Anyway, I haven't seen them play this year...so I can't comment as to how good they will be.
Hey VballFan, OSU did not impress me. Wait till you see them! Are you nuts about Loyola? Look at their roster. They can give UCLA a good game. (And they might in May)
|
|
|
Post by MIVAMIVA on Nov 9, 2004 3:33:43 GMT -5
MIVA PRESEASON Rank Predictions:
1. IPFW- Returns all but one starter should be the team to beat. However loss of an expirienced setter is huge. Still have Matt Z. to make the new setter look good. 2. OSU - Lost good setter in Peckham and solid middle in Pedersen. Cole needs to step up if they want to do anything. Supposed stud freshman setter will need to show what he is made of. 3. LOYOLA - Lost huge middle in Schroeder and on/off banger in Alesch. Returns a pretty young team with only two seniors again. Could sneak up and steal some games from top 2 to make it interesting. Keep your eye on this team. 4. BALL STATE - Huge losses of Schunzel and Delgado, small loss of Sasson. Can't see this team at the same level as last year to make a run at the final four. 5. LEWIS- loss of Stuntz and Barretto too much for Flyers not to mention thier games don't count this year anyway. They will lose to all teams above and one of the teams below will likely upset. 6. MERCYHURST - Lost one player in the opposite position. Should be better than usual for this program though. 7. FINDLAY- Don't see this team doing anything worth mentioning. 8. CLARKE - blah but return a lot of starters. 9. QUINCY - SAD.... Quincy is down the tubes. Middles are bright spot, but with no ball control they wont see many balls. 10. CARTHAGE - unknown new to conferanceTEXT
|
|
|
Post by BeachBoy on Nov 9, 2004 8:59:22 GMT -5
MIVA Preseason Rankings
1. Ball State - Yes, they did lose arguably the best setter in the conference, along with a pretty good outside hitter. BUT Joel doesn't rebuild her reloads. They return two very good middles, a solid right side, and Durbin should do nicely at the OH1 position. The libero is back so they will have ball control and defense, who's gonna step up in the OH2 position?
2. Ohio State - Yes, they did lose their setter in Peckham and OH1 Pederson. However they are last years MIVA champs and Pete knows how to win. Even though currently I have read posts that says the setter sets high balls, he will catch on quickly. The college game is much faster than even the top club levels, give the kid some time. Andy Cole will take his shot at MIVA POY honors in 2005.
3. IPFW - Santiago leaves and that sets the Mastadons back slightly. Return two adequate middles in Sirka and Daiga. Matt Z on the right is a given he's either gonna have to work more overtime this year unless the Mastadons can produce a solid OH1. The outside, again like last year is their weak spot.
4. Loyola - Davis knows how to get the guys to play. Has a good setter returning in Gunti, and freshman of the year in the MIVA Grunst. Don't forget about Kozlarek on the right, nice player. Again will the outsides for Loyola be able to step it up, if so watch out.
5. Lewis - Deuser left before getting canned, good move on his part. Can Dan Friend hold the troops together? Not being able to recruit outside the US will hurt the Flyers. They still have Soler on the outside along with Dayton a solid OH2. Return starting setter and starting Middle in Escalante.
6. Findlay - Saw them play earlier this spring. Looks like they had a very strong incoming freshman class. The team is very young, but has the opportunity to do some good things. Look for them to knock off some of the teams above.
7. Mercyhurst - Return alot of last years players, but have absolutely nothing coming in. The timing of the coaching change didn't allow for the new skipper to bring any kids in.
8. Quincy - The coaching change should help the Hawks but will they turn it around so soon, not so sure?
9. Clarke - Joe always has his guys ready to play. They might be small and always the underdog but every once in awhile they give a very good fight.
|
|
|
Post by justvball on Nov 9, 2004 10:19:03 GMT -5
1. OSU / IPFW : these two teams will fight for a ticket to final four @ ucla this season. Ohio state lost their starting setter and their better middle in adam pedersen. it will be hard to replace those guys. Cole needs to finally step up for them to have a chance.
IPFW also lost their starting setter but they have 2 all-miva first team selections coming back in Matt Z. and the middle Sikca. Matt is a senior and Sikca is only a junior this year. If they can provide solid OH production and good passing, i can see IPFW getting the edge over Ohio State.
2.BSU- whoever says that ball state has a solid right side and good OH in Durbin is mentally ill. Their right side is fat and that Durbin kid is far away from solid and productive. Their middles have yet to prove anything. Plus they have lost their setter, opposite (Sasson played opposite when it mattered last year) and best outside in Delgado. However they will fight for second spot because...
3.Loyola- ...because Loyola is in a rebuilding year. Their most productive guys on offense have graduated in Schroeder and Alesch. They have a decent middle but he can't do it by himself, not in the middle.
4. Lewis- they won't even participate in post-season. so it's pretty much not worth to talk about them. 2 of their guys transferred to hawaii. they only have 11 players on their roster. the school cut scholarship money. AND they can't recruit internationally. it is just a big mess. Soler and escalante don't have anything to play for this season so i don't see them beating any of those teams listed above.
5. Quincy, Findlay, Mercyhurst, Clarke, Carthage blah blah blah. who cares.
|
|
|
Post by VBJunkie on Nov 11, 2004 1:47:13 GMT -5
Quincy gonna be a lot better... Don't let yourselves get surprised... They brought in a setter from France and a huge opposite (like 6'7") from argentina... Their ball control will be good w/ the kid from Moorpark, and their ability to side out will be decent w/ the two add ins...
the coaching change might help as well.
Can't wait for season to start Holla back youngen,... here is to you VBjunkie
|
|
|
Post by vbtown on Nov 11, 2004 8:26:21 GMT -5
hey fellows...you guys are arguing about the east. when will you realize that no one is good back east. end of story. without your automatic bids to the final four, you would never make it there. but without schools like you, men's volleyball wouldn't survive.
|
|
|
Post by swingaway on Nov 11, 2004 9:07:31 GMT -5
VBJUNKI -
Who is the kid from Moorpark? Curious as i'm from that area. Thanks.
... Their ball control will be good w/ the kid from Moorpark, and their ability to side out will be decent w/ the two add ins...
the coaching change might help as well.
|
|
|
Post by vballfan4 on Nov 11, 2004 11:00:56 GMT -5
hey fellows...you guys are arguing about the east. when will you realize that no one is good back east. end of story. without your automatic bids to the Final Four, you would never make it there. but without schools like you, men's volleyball wouldn't survive. So you are stuck in Catch 22 situation. You say that east sucks but without them you wouldn't be able to collegiate volleyball. So how about you shut your ignorant whole and let them play volleyball.
|
|
|
Post by palo on Nov 11, 2004 11:18:13 GMT -5
hey fellows...you guys are arguing about the east. when will you realize that no one is good back east. end of story. without your automatic bids to the Final Four, you would never make it there. but without schools like you, men's volleyball wouldn't survive. Please, they are arguing about the Midwest not East Coast (hence the M in MIVA). And if no one good was ever from here then the West coast teams would stop recruiting here.
|
|
|
Post by vbtown on Nov 11, 2004 11:46:54 GMT -5
how often do you guys actually make the final. almost never. Penn State won years ago, like it's said, every blind squirrel will one day find a nut. Lewis didn't win. they cheated and admitted it. every year there is a final four, the teams from the east are ranked sixth or lower at best. just admit it. you guys can keep arguing because I am going down to the beach. have fun arguing about who will be ranked 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th in the country...nerds!
|
|
|
Post by vballfan4 on Nov 14, 2004 0:59:16 GMT -5
Lewis played Ball State on Saturday. They played four games in the morning session, and pretty much everybody got a chance to play. They eded up spliting 2-2. In the afternoon Ball State beat Lewis 3-0 with starters playing on both sides. Soler didnt play in the fourth game for some reason. Lewis didn't have much passing, and their serving was horrible. Ball State played pretty well. Didn't see any stats.
|
|