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Post by C on Dec 26, 2010 7:05:23 GMT -5
Kidder this and Kidder that? It was Mcgraw that lead..... Um. Did you watch any of their big games? Doesn't sound like it. Kidder got the "big" kills and got the most press lets say, but McGraw was like the silent killer, she did alot way more than anyone else on her team without getting much hype about it she was her team's MVP this year
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Post by vballlove4ever on Dec 26, 2010 9:36:15 GMT -5
McGraw played the front row only Kidder and McGraw contributed equally this year. I say co-mvp.
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Post by c4ndlelight on Dec 26, 2010 11:36:23 GMT -5
Since I'm the one who actually put UCLA at No. 2, let me explain. McGraw was an awesome player and was great in the front row (and at most other schools would be considered a good backrow player too), but the fact is that UCLA's pin hitter rotation this year seemed to end up as Kidder + 2 of Reeves, McGraw and Todorovic. I think Reeves will step into McGraw's position seamlessly (she did a good job every time I saw her hit), and if she doesn't, Hole is a solid player to compete as well.
They've got 2 highly-rated middles coming in, and Moenoa is supposed to be fierce as well. Add ball control and a good coach and I don't think 2nd place is out of the question, especially when all the other teams have much bigger question marks.
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Post by ucsdfan on Dec 26, 2010 13:36:54 GMT -5
But one of the things I'm most interested in is seeing how the schedules are configured to play all 11 opponents twice. It's going to be a combination of some double headers, split squad games, and the bench players playing a second match via a video gaming system while the actual match is being played. With this new plan, all of the teams will be able to play each other in just over two weeks total time, allowing them to schedule 47 matches each against ACC teams to wrack up some serious RPI points. Look for all 12 teams in the Pac 8 10 11.5 to get seeds in the tournament except one, which will host Hawai'i at home anyway.
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Post by ucsdfan on Dec 26, 2010 13:58:33 GMT -5
McGraw played the front row only Kidder and McGraw contributed equally this year. I say co-mvp. Didn''t Horton substitute for Kidder in the backrow about as much as Reeves played for McGraw in the backrow? That's what I saw in all of the matches I watched. What I think sets McGraw apart from Kidder is consistency and her positive attitude. McGraw was a go-to hitter in stretches of key games and she was always upbeat and firey (in an inspirational way). Kidder certainly pulled through in some key games, but she also seemed to slip into a funk that looked contageous at times. Both are great talents, but I tend to prefer the player who inspires others with their positivity and passion. I'm not in the crowd (of one so far) picking UCLA to finish second, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Sealy worked some magic with a makeshift lineup that had lost three very important players by juggling three OHs beautifully, three MBs quite well, and working in a setter that was second string at a lower tier D1 school the year before. Next season, losing only an OH while getting much improved setting and a few new key recruits, makes me think they have the biggest upside. Many other teams are looking for ways to stay on par with this season by filling in for key losses. UCLA is in a nice situation in that they are actually going to improve at one position for sure and quite possibly a second position too. Will it be enough to move them from 4th (barely not 5th) to 2nd in the conference? I don't think so, but a few key breaks here and there and it happens.
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Post by Ye Olde Dawg on Dec 26, 2010 18:40:20 GMT -5
But one of the things I'm most interested in is seeing how the schedules are configured to play all 11 opponents twice. I think it's been described already, even discussed in a thread. Of course I'm too lazy to look it up, but what I recall is: - First weekend of conference play is one week earlier. Or maybe it's half a week. The first conference match is with your travel partner/rival, and happens midweek.
- The next ten weekends, pairs of visit pairs of teams, until WA, OR, NoCal, SoCal, AZ and CO/UT have effectively played a home-and-away round robin with everyone but the travel partner.
- The final weekend, each team plays the second "rivalry" match with their travel partner.
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Post by paloalto on Dec 26, 2010 19:00:05 GMT -5
I like baywatcher’s original post, but would make a few minor adjustments. I think USC busts the door down in 2011. Too much talent. Falyn should take a big step up in consistency and passing. USC will have a monster front row. Mick will prove the moonball critics wrong.
Cal seems about right at #2, but I could see UCLA also there. I have become a believer in Sealy as a head coach.
I think 2012 is UW’s year. 2011 may be a rebuilding phase. They lose a lot and freshmen hype sometimes delivers but usually not.
I have realistic expectations for Stanford in 2011. Hard to imagine the team without Klineman.
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Post by hammer on Dec 26, 2010 19:07:30 GMT -5
But one of the things I'm most interested in is seeing how the schedules are configured to play all 11 opponents twice. I think it's been described already, even discussed in a thread. Of course I'm too lazy to look it up, but what I recall is: - First weekend of conference play is one week earlier. Or maybe it's half a week. The first conference match is with your travel partner/rival, and happens midweek.
- The next ten weekends, pairs of visit pairs of teams, until WA, OR, NoCal, SoCal, AZ and CO/UT have effectively played a home-and-away round robin with everyone but the travel partner.
- The final weekend, each team plays the second "rivalry" match with their travel partner.
Ok, that means no real travel for Stanford, Cal, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Oregon St., Arizona, and Arizona State. Just short bus rides for half of the teams. Looks like a good time to schedule in a top flight non-conference team. Nebraska or Minnesota might be good candidates. How does the BIG-10 schedule match up?
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Post by pancake83 on Dec 26, 2010 19:59:52 GMT -5
UCLA? Chances are Dicey at best... Cal/UW should be a close race for 1st, but Dunning always surprises - think of the year after Kehoe left...although they still had Foulke, and Barboza, etc Wash. St will be better than 9th - they had some critical injuries this past year, as long as they have a solid setter, and not a walk on... I'm going to go out on a limb and say CU finishes ahead of Utah...
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Post by spalding on Dec 26, 2010 21:18:18 GMT -5
Everyone is counting Stanford out. And, they probably should. But Penn St lost 3 AA's last year and look at what they did this year. If you look at the talent that Stanford has from the Prep Vball Senior Ace list, it doesn't look too bad. There are a lot of talented girls coming back who have played in some big matches and have some Pac-10 banners they are a part of. If they can all improve and come together as a team by the end of the season, they could be tough to beat. Here is a list of returnees and where they were on the Senior Ace list. 10 top 50 players. Williams - #3 Spelman - #3 C. Wopat - #4 Walker - #10 S. Browne - #16 C. Brown - #19 Cook - #25 S. Wopat - #40 Boukather - #42 Bai- #43
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Post by Keystonekid on Dec 26, 2010 21:29:05 GMT -5
Ruffda and all the other Pac 12 detesters can go eat their Malt O' Meal. This thread is for groundless predictions on how the Pac 12 will go next year. In Order of finish: 1. CAL: Returns everyone but a DS and Lloyd. The loss of the setter always gets everyone riled up (see Iowa State) but Barrett has been with the team two years, practiced with everyone and should know what the Coaches want. Incoming frosh are strong and could actually mix things up, with a RS/S and a highly ranked OPP that can really play. Schedule Penn State in the preseason so the players can tell the grandkids that they lost twice to PSU in one season. 2. USC: Should be first, but failure in the national semis shows a lack of character, not talent or ability. And, is Bateman the answer. She has played with the most talent this side of Alisha Glass and has not won "the big one" for awhile. Will beat Cal in Galen (in 5 per some sort of curse), may lose at Hass and will lose a couple they shouldn't, perhaps to Stanford. A key to PSU success in 2008 was returning everyone, so RR could build without anyone having to learn. Don't think that is going to happen at USC,although it should. 3. UCLA; Returning enough and gaining enough to become a power. The coach will have the spring to put his ideas in and Camp will be back, plus a new setter. Reaves will make big steps and Kidder will be all conference. Depending a lot on big praise for the new setter. 4. Washington; the most fascinating team in the conference and one that could go up or down. Losing their setter and two best offensive weapons, but getting two super frosh and Gil. New setter, along with other top teams. Perhaps time to break out the book on using 3 MB, unless Ross dominates on the right in a hybrid 6-2. Still need an OH2. 5. Stanford. Perhaps the year other teams get even. Will need lots of new offense and a new battalion of passers. Not the recipe for success. If the Brown(e) injuries carry over there is no 3rd MB, and no second setter. Way too many scenarios for utter disaster. Of course, the remaining players have talent and remarks like this will drive the team to succeed. And somebody will be taking the Klineman and Lichtman swings and hopefully putting them away. 6. Oregon; Assuming the shining reports for the incoming frosh MB from the all star match are true, that fills a big hole for oregon. Replace Myers with Gross and all of a sudden the team has no holes and some real talent. Now they have to learn to pass and have all spring to get that straightened out. 7. Arizona; Loses a lot, Rubio always seems to get some talented replacements that need to learn to play together. Second best of the lower tier of this bifurcated conference. 8. Arizona State; showed definite Jekyll and Hyde tendencies with victories over the big girls and losses to others. Will lose Reaves, which I think is a big loss and keeps them below Arizona. 9. Utah will have a good homecourt advantage, but needs to learn to adjust to life in the Pac 12. 10. Oregon State; was marginally better than Washington State last year. Returns some players but looks to struggle again. 11. Washington State had some good players, loses some of them and needs to put together a good match. 12. Colorado; In a nightmare scenario to rebuild the program; I know they are getting some good recruits and may surprise, I guess. Im sorry but your comments on why USC played poorly in the FF are absurd, and baseless. I would say that USC vs Stanford showed tremendous character. Was Cal's performance in the final a lack of character? How about Texas? Or UW in the regional final, Stanfords? Im not arguing that USC may finish second, just that your rationale is ridiculous.
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Post by kolohekeiki on Dec 26, 2010 21:38:25 GMT -5
Everyone is counting Stanford out. And, they probably should. But Penn St lost 3 AA's last year and look at what they did this year. If you look at the talent that Stanford has from the Prep Vball Senior Ace list, it doesn't look too bad. There are a lot of talented girls coming back who have played in some big matches and have some Pac-10 banners they are a part of. If they can all improve and come together as a team by the end of the season, they could be tough to beat. Here is a list of returnees and where they were on the Senior Ace list. 10 top 50 players. Williams - #3 Spelman - #3 C. Wopat - #4 Walker - #10 S. Browne - #16 C. Brown - #19 Cook - #25 S. Wopat - #40 Boukather - #42 Bai- #43 Stanford is one of my favorite teams, but this list doesn't really mean anything...jus because they were highly touted coming out of high school doesn't equal to college success, until they have proven themselves at the NCAA level it doesn't matter... I'm hoping these players do pick up their games and continue to keep Stanford at the top, but with the other top teams with great returning players and good recruits coming in as well it's going to be hard for Stanford to stay at the top
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Post by BearClause on Dec 26, 2010 22:07:31 GMT -5
I don't think Cal did too badly this year for a team with four middles starting. I've heard some of the Cal coaches describe that they were trying to recruit volleyball players and not necessarily position players.
Cal is definitely going to be different next year. Although they did pretty well this season, I would hope that there's a legitimate competition to start in 2011. Some of the incoming freshman (Neumayr and Higgins) are experienced pin hitters and there's a chance that they could get decent playing time. That could be a wildcard, although Cal's players at those positions this season did pretty well.
If I were to guess, Murrey and Barrett are sure bets to start. Other than those two, nothing would surprise me, including Johnson at middle.
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Post by paloalto on Dec 26, 2010 22:52:31 GMT -5
Everyone is counting Stanford out. And, they probably should. But Penn St lost 3 AA's last year and look at what they did this year. If you look at the talent that Stanford has from the Prep Vball Senior Ace list, it doesn't look too bad. There are a lot of talented girls coming back who have played in some big matches and have some Pac-10 banners they are a part of. If they can all improve and come together as a team by the end of the season, they could be tough to beat. Here is a list of returnees and where they were on the Senior Ace list. 10 top 50 players. Williams - #3 Spelman - #3 C. Wopat - #4 Walker - #10 S. Browne - #16 C. Brown - #19 Cook - #25 S. Wopat - #40 Boukather - #42 Bai- #43 I was aware of the Senior Ace rankings but this is the first time I saw everything compiled in one list. It looks impressive on paper but will the talent translate into results? When you consider how many of those players were either freshmen or injured (or redshirt-Bai) this past year, it suggests at least the possibility for potential in 2011. I still don’t see anyone coming close to replacing the offensive production of Klineman. Ironically the thing that has me the most optimistic is the two non-scholarship players coming next year who may solidify passing and back row defense.
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Post by baywatcher on Dec 26, 2010 23:18:21 GMT -5
Keystone Kid said:" Im sorry but your comments on why USC played poorly in the FF are absurd, and baseless. I would say that USC vs Stanford showed tremendous character. Was Cal's performance in the final a lack of character? How about Texas? Or UW in the regional final, Stanfords? Im not arguing that USC may finish second, just that your rationale is ridiculous."
Don't think saying USC can be inconsistent is baseless; based on years of observation. The tourney was a great example; USC played great in beating Stanford; I thought they won the match, not Stanford losing. Then in the semis USC just wasn't there; Cal just had to hold on and play solid vball and won easily, as opposed to Penn State, who looked great both matches. In their bay area trip this year first USC just came in and took it to Cal; Cal didn't play poorly but didn't have it to stick with USC; then two days later USC goes to Stanford and just gets swept out of the building; just anticipating that to happen a few times next year, where the Trojans don't show up, and there should be a core of 5 or 6 teams that can take advantage. If you think Cal put in an excellent effort at the Final Four and that's why USC went so tamely that's OK, but I don't.
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