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Post by oskibear on Sept 24, 2012 18:44:35 GMT -5
Cal is interesting, as they do have the road win at Hawaii to hang their hat on, and are on paper talented enough to win a lot of conference matches. However, I'm not sold on them improving to win enough for a good RPI. Passing and setting is not good at all, and frankly I don't think Rostratter is good enough to salvage the ship if and when she does return. The system Cal has run for the past couple of years (OH2 DS'ed, MB as OPP) requires much better play on the first two contacts than they are currently capable of. Gehan isn't a good enough attacker to carry the team out of system, nor solid enough of a receiver to keep the team in system. She's still a fine player but even a superior one like Murrey couldn't do it without Lloyd running the offense. Cal is currently ranked by pablo as being below WSU. I just don't see this Cal team as being in the picture at all, with all their injuries and some big holes in their lineup. But I've been wrong many times before. Been away for awhile, but thought it would make sense to start a Cal thread to capture all the non match related discussion as we progress through the season and look forward to the future of Cal volleyball. Seems to be only a small number of Cal posters where individual threads die away pretty quickly. To start off, going to have to agree with candlelight and mikegarrison based on the scrimmage I was able to attend and very limited viewing of their matches online. More than anything, they are in need of passers. Their 2 primary passers from last year's squad are out (Rostratter injured, and Murrey graduated). Neumayr was supposed to fill in in this department but is also out for the season due to another ACL. Their passing is now left to McKennon (temp libero), Gehan (who didn't really pass prior to her injury last year), and Gombar (who plays backrow for Higgins). Rostratter’s return is key, but even when Rostratter returns, they desperately need a passing OH. I like what I see in Gombar…she’s very dynamic, but needs to work on more consistent offense. Tough call to make when she rotates to the front, where Higgins is a better blocker and a better hitter, although not by much. Very creative to have Hawari pass, and quite effective I might add. She’s passed nails when she’s been targeted. Agree with candlelight about Gehan not being able to carry the team, passing and offense. Regarding the OH2 being DS-ed for the last few years, I’m surprised it’s worked even when we had Cutura. It really limits the options on bad passes and transition plays, and frankly, we were lucky to do as well as we did even with players like Murrey/Cutura/Pressey. Some options to consider: 1) Move Hawari to Opp, as a passing Opp who can hit 5s and quicks, and put Johnson back in the middle where she trained with the A2 team. Or Vukasovic in the middle. Hawari, Johnson, Vukasovic are all versatile enough to play both MB and Opp. 2) Redshirt Johnson if it’s not too late and have her return next year. This will give Vukasovic experience on the right (she’s not doing too bad now) and build next year’s team. With Brown and Hawari graduating this year, Johnson and Schonewise can hold the MB positions next year with Vukasovic (or Higgins) at Opp next year. Rostratter will also be gone due to graduation by then, but hopefully Kerr can step up, Gombar and McKennon continue to improve, and Neumayr recovers from her ACL. 3) Run a 6-2 with Parrott/Vukasovic and Caloiaro/Johnson. With the poor passing, at least we get some right side offense to take the pressure off the OHs. Also puts up a bigger block to have 6-4/5 Johnson/Vukasovic there at all times. |
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Post by memorybankrupt on Sept 24, 2012 19:39:53 GMT -5
Cal is currently ranked by pablo as being below WSU. I just don't see this Cal team as being in the picture at all, with all their injuries and some big holes in their lineup. But I've been wrong many times before. Been away for awhile, but thought it would make sense to start a Cal thread to capture all the non match related discussion as we progress through the season and look forward to the future of Cal volleyball. Seems to be only a small number of Cal posters where individual threads die away pretty quickly. To start off, going to have to agree with candlelight and mikegarrison based on the scrimmage I was able to attend and very limited viewing of their matches online. More than anything, they are in need of passers. Their 2 primary passers from last year's squad are out (Rostratter injured, and Murrey graduated). Neumayr was supposed to fill in in this department but is also out for the season due to another ACL. Their passing is now left to McKennon (temp libero), Gehan (who didn't really pass prior to her injury last year), and Gombar (who plays backrow for Higgins). Rostratter’s return is key, but even when Rostratter returns, they desperately need a passing OH. I like what I see in Gombar…she’s very dynamic, but needs to work on more consistent offense. Tough call to make when she rotates to the front, where Higgins is a better blocker and a better hitter, although not by much. Very creative to have Hawari pass, and quite effective I might add. She’s passed nails when she’s been targeted. Agree with candlelight about Gehan not being able to carry the team, passing and offense. Regarding the OH2 being DS-ed for the last few years, I’m surprised it’s worked even when we had Cutura. It really limits the options on bad passes and transition plays, and frankly, we were lucky to do as well as we did even with players like Murrey/Cutura/Pressey. Some options to consider: 1) Move Hawari to Opp, as a passing Opp who can hit 5s and quicks, and put Johnson back in the middle where she trained with the A2 team. Or Vukasovic in the middle. Hawari, Johnson, Vukasovic are all versatile enough to play both MB and Opp. 2) Redshirt Johnson if it’s not too late and have her return next year. This will give Vukasovic experience on the right (she’s not doing too bad now) and build next year’s team. With Brown and Hawari graduating this year, Johnson and Schonewise can hold the MB positions next year with Vukasovic (or Higgins) at Opp next year. Rostratter will also be gone due to graduation by then, but hopefully Kerr can step up, Gombar and McKennon continue to improve, and Neumayr recovers from her ACL. 3) Run a 6-2 with Parrott/Vukasovic and Caloiaro/Johnson. With the poor passing, at least we get some right side offense to take the pressure off the OHs. Also puts up a bigger block to have 6-4/5 Johnson/Vukasovic there at all times. Yeah, I think redshirting Johnson would have been good but maybe w/ the regional at Cal, they wanted to make a strong push this season. I think Rostratter's return would be a big boast as long as she plays better than she did last season. Right now, the passing is SO bad for the Bears. If they can add one more solid passer, I think it'd help a lot. I mean, it can't get worse. I like Caloiaro. I think she's fine w/ the 5-1. I don't think a Caloiaro/Parrott 6-2 would allow much continuity. They seem like pretty different setters to me. I haven't seen Hawari pass yet, but Cal has utilized a passing MB before (for the backrow). I haven't seen Hawari play OPP so unless she's really gifted from attacking RS, I think they keep her in the middle. That would be a big switch for her. Gehan is carrying too big of a load both on offense and especially in passing/defense. She's not up for the task yet. The hope would be w/ Rostratter coming back, she'll have less of a burden. And I agree that Johnson should just play MB. It's tough to bench someone like Brown but as stated earlier, makes no sense to have a slide hitting OPP when the passing is in shambles. Play Higgins or Vukasovic at OPP. |
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Post by oskibear on Sept 24, 2012 19:51:37 GMT -5
Putting Hawari at Opp is more to allow her to pass. She can hit the slide from there as Johnson does, but she's also a better 5 hitter than Johnson, although not as well as Vukasovic. If she lines up as an Opp next to Johnson/Vukasovic, they could just switch after the ball goes over, but key is to allow her to pass.
The 6-2 is just to allow more offensive options with the poor passing and a bigger block. Noticed many hitters were taking advantage of Caloiaro when she's front row. The passing doesn't allow the middles many opportunities, and the sets to the outside this year are not as fast, so I think the OHs can learn to adjust to the sets from the 2 diff setters.
Understand about the regional at Cal this year, but they may not make it that far, or at this rate, even the tournament.
Agree that Caloiaro is actually pretty decent, passing just makes her look bad. Parrott's not too bad either, just not as confident.
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Post by oldunc on Sept 24, 2012 20:16:53 GMT -5
It seems to me that at this point, Cal's three players established at their positions are Brown, Hawari and Johnson, I'd be awfully nervous about changing any of them around. From what I've seen, I kind of like Goombah's (sorry, the Devil made me do it) game, but she seems awfully small- is she really six feet? Passing has been shaky for Cal for some time now, and they haven't replaced Lloyd's incomparable ability to make good sets from the wrong side of the scorer's table, but I'd think Hawarii would have to be one incredible passer for it to make it worthwhile to move her. She may be fast enough to pass and still hit a quick set.
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Post by gocalbears on Sept 24, 2012 20:59:09 GMT -5
Let us all rejoice that Cal has arguably the best libero in the 2013 class headed to cal next year in Maddy Kerr ( Steve Kerr's daughter). This to shall pass... next year =/
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Post by wonderwarthog79 on Sept 25, 2012 0:11:58 GMT -5
Don't redshirt Johnson. She's too damn pretty.
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Post by mikegarrison on Sept 25, 2012 0:16:03 GMT -5
Don't redshirt Johnson. She's too damn pretty. If she's redshirted, she'll be around for another year. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2012 8:27:55 GMT -5
What's up with Schonewise?
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Post by oldunc on Sept 25, 2012 9:58:42 GMT -5
Don't redshirt Johnson. She's too damn pretty. If she's redshirted, she'll be around for another year. And will get to dress like a girl on the bench; Rostratter is looking pretty cute without the helmet. Nonetheless, I wouldn't do it- Cal just needs players they can depend on for production desperately. Schonewise has been out all year with a shoulder problem; if there's a prognosis, I haven't heard it. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2012 10:05:00 GMT -5
If she's redshirted, she'll be around for another year. And will get to dress like a girl on the bench; Rostratter is looking pretty cute without the helmet. Nonetheless, I wouldn't do it- Cal just needs players they can depend on for production desperately. Schonewise has been out all year with a shoulder problem; if there's a prognosis, I haven't heard it. Thanks |
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Post by volleyballwatcher on Sept 25, 2012 17:02:14 GMT -5
What the likelihood that Neumayr will play next year?
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Post by calbearsfan on Sept 25, 2012 22:07:53 GMT -5
Schonewise has been out all year with a shoulder problem; if there's a prognosis, I haven't heard it
Coach Feller said on the weekly Cal Sports Radio Show last night that Schonewise actually started practicing yesterday so might be available this weekend vs AZ schools
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Post by baywatcher on Sept 25, 2012 23:17:02 GMT -5
Cal really has to beat the Zona schools, WSU, and Oregon State twice and Utah to technically qualify for the tourney if they don't beat the big five ahead of them, and realistically need to beat somebody from those five a couple of times to get in. Big matches this weekend or Cal, losing twice, will realistically be out.
Johnson would need a medical redshirt, which would be another injury that shows up in medical records, and nobody wants that. Redshirting Rostrattor makes more sense if the season goes in the tank and if she is coming back to Berkeley for a graduate year.
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Post by oldunc on Sept 26, 2012 20:07:11 GMT -5
Schonewise has been out all year with a shoulder problem; if there's a prognosis, I haven't heard itCoach Feller said on the weekly Cal Sports Radio Show last night that Schonewise actually started practicing yesterday so might be available this weekend vs AZ schools I am about the last person who should give advice on this sort of stuff, but there is a quote button at the upper right of the posts if you don't feel like doing the extra typing. And where is Bear Clause in all of this? |
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Post by BearClause on Sept 26, 2012 21:37:12 GMT -5
Schonewise has been out all year with a shoulder problem; if there's a prognosis, I haven't heard itCoach Feller said on the weekly Cal Sports Radio Show last night that Schonewise actually started practicing yesterday so might be available this weekend vs AZ schools I am about the last person who should give advice on this sort of stuff, but there is a quote button at the upper right of the posts if you don't feel like doing the extra typing. And where is Bear Clause in all of this? I dunno. Kid to raise. New job. All of the above. Seriously though, I have no information. I could probably ask, but it looks like other people have already done so. This may very well be a lost year for Cal volleyball, but who knows. They just lost way too much. I know there was criticism of Elly Barrett last year, but she would have provided some continuity. The passing would be much improved if Rostratter or Neumayr were available. Right now they're sort of making do with the personnel they have. Higgins should be playing on the right. Johnson (when healthy enough to play) should probably be in the middle. Neumayr was supposed to be OH2. Schonewise would either start or come in for a change of pace. Right now they have what they have. I remember everything looked bad in 2004. I was thinking Cal wasn't going to make the postseason, but they righted the ship and had a respectable season. This year obviously doesn't have the promise of last season, but I see the potential in this team. They're way inconsistent, but have the talent to turn things around. |
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