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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 1, 2013 7:33:18 GMT -5
So, is the passing making it difficult to set the middles or are the middles not executing? Getting more than 3.21 kills/set from the top two middles would help stop defenses from setting up to just stop Birks and McMahon. UW's top two middles, for instance, are getting 3.74 kills/set. Increasing production from the middles would also improve productivity at the pins. Sets to our middles are too predictable. We only run quick sets to Dorn in the middle and only run slide plays to Mayers on the right side. True freshman Stadick can hit quicks set in front of her, and also slides. I don't know how her blocking is coming along. I have heard that may be the most difficult skill to master at the college level. I have written this before, but I think Dorn could be effective softly directing her sets over or around the block to open spots on the court. She seems to want to always pound the ball regardless of where the block is in front of her. The former Illini great Mary Eggers was very adept at directing her quicks 'gently' to open spots on the court. Hard shots may be crowd pleasers, but great players know it is all about scoring not how you do it!
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Post by rogero1 on Oct 1, 2013 13:55:21 GMT -5
I wonder if Illinois should be subbing in more of their defensive specialists for their hitters to shore up pass-receiving and defensive woes. Now I know very little about offensive and defensive strategies, and how a lot of subbing in a match, can cause problems if the team goes to a 5th set. I do know from watching the Illini that the coaches like to have a back row attacker available. Actually, with 15 subs per set, there is less of a potential problem with running out of subs in the 5th set due to it only ending at 15 points rather than sets 1-4 ending at 25 points.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 5, 2013 5:56:44 GMT -5
It has to be written...disappointing loss for Illinois at MSU.
Not the fact that the Illini lost, but that they did not put up a bigger fight.
Michigan State is for REAL!
One satisfying thing for me was McKenna Kelsay getting to set the Illini in the match. I swear she is the reincarnation of former Illini setter (and now assistant coach at Michigan), Erin Virtue. Watching McKenna play is like watching Erin all over again. What a joy!
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Post by vbfanantic on Oct 5, 2013 8:20:15 GMT -5
It has to be written...disappointing loss for Illinois at MSU. Not the fact that the Illini lost, but that they did not put up a bigger fight. Michigan State is for REAL! One satisfying thing for me was McKenna Kelsay getting to set the Illini in the match. I swear she is the reincarnation of former Illini setter (and now assistant coach at Michigan), Erin Virtue. Watching McKenna play is like watching Erin all over again. What a joy! She is definitely quick which may help with passing not being totally awesome. But, it is really hard to play that short of a setter in the front row (It was super problematic for Minnesota last night). I don't see a 6-2 in the cards for the Illini because you really need two strong all around outsides who pass really well (setter always coming from the back row). However, I could see a modified 5-1 with Vilunas playing front row and Kelsay playing the backrow. In general, I think the move with Kelsay was a test to see if it would light a fire under Vilunas, rather than a permanent move Kevin is considering, but I could be wrong. He made the move after three almost consecutive poor plays by Vilunas (trap set, double, missed serve). She is capable of playing way better and I am sure Kevin knows that. This may be his way to get her to fight a little harder. I will be surprised if we don't see her starting tonight. And more suprised if she doesn't significantly elevate her game. And prediction - Illini over Michigan tonight in four.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 5, 2013 8:34:20 GMT -5
It has to be written...disappointing loss for Illinois at MSU. Not the fact that the Illini lost, but that they did not put up a bigger fight. Michigan State is for REAL! One satisfying thing for me was McKenna Kelsay getting to set the Illini in the match. I swear she is the reincarnation of former Illini setter (and now assistant coach at Michigan), Erin Virtue. Watching McKenna play is like watching Erin all over again. What a joy! She is definitely quick which may help with passing not being totally awesome. But, it is really hard to play that short of a setter in the front row (It was super problematic for Minnesota last night). I don't see a 6-2 in the cards for the Illini because you really need two strong all around outsides who pass really well (setter always coming from the back row). However, I could see a modified 5-1 with Vilunas playing front row and Kelsay playing the backrow. In general, I think the move with Kelsay was a test to see if it would light a fire under Vilunas, rather than a permanent move Kevin is considering, but I could be wrong. He made the move after three almost consecutive poor plays by Vilunas (trap set, double, missed serve). She is capable of playing way better and I am sure Kevin knows that. This may be his way to get her to fight a little harder. I will be surprised if we don't see her starting tonight. And more suprised if she doesn't significantly elevate her game. And prediction - Illini over Michigan tonight in four. Gotta love your optimism!
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Post by vbfanantic on Oct 5, 2013 21:06:29 GMT -5
It has to be written...disappointing loss for Illinois at MSU. Not the fact that the Illini lost, but that they did not put up a bigger fight. Michigan State is for REAL! One satisfying thing for me was McKenna Kelsay getting to set the Illini in the match. I swear she is the reincarnation of former Illini setter (and now assistant coach at Michigan), Erin Virtue. Watching McKenna play is like watching Erin all over again. What a joy! She is definitely quick which may help with passing not being totally awesome. But, it is really hard to play that short of a setter in the front row (It was super problematic for Minnesota last night). I don't see a 6-2 in the cards for the Illini because you really need two strong all around outsides who pass really well (setter always coming from the back row). However, I could see a modified 5-1 with Vilunas playing front row and Kelsay playing the backrow. In general, I think the move with Kelsay was a test to see if it would light a fire under Vilunas, rather than a permanent move Kevin is considering, but I could be wrong. He made the move after three almost consecutive poor plays by Vilunas (trap set, double, missed serve). She is capable of playing way better and I am sure Kevin knows that. This may be his way to get her to fight a little harder. I will be surprised if we don't see her starting tonight. And more suprised if she doesn't significantly elevate her game. And prediction - Illini over Michigan tonight in four. I was close.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 6, 2013 7:10:41 GMT -5
Shout out to the Illini for an important TEAM win at Ann Arbor. It was important for Illinois in many ways: it's a WIN period that the Illini needed badly for confidence, it was over the 14th ranked Wolverines (who I thought played well), Michigan plays better volleyball at home (Illinois ended an 11 game home win streak for UM), it was an away win in the B1G that are so hard to get, Illinois won their third 5 setter (against 1 loss...winning 5 setters was a bit problematic last season), it evens Illinois' record 2-2 in the B1G.
Props to OH Birks for having a tremendous match, to OH Criswell for coming up huge in crucial situations, to ds Davis for steady defensive play as a true freshman, and to Coach Hambly for receiving a rare yellow card.
And props to vbfanantic for predicting an Illinois win!
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 7, 2013 8:47:52 GMT -5
Props to Coach Hambly for the Illini split this weekend at MSU and Michigan.
Even though Illinois was pretty much dominated by the Spartans on Friday nite, I feel that all of the subbing that Hambly did on Friday (why not sub...the Illini were getting hammered, literally) actually set the Illini up for the win at Michigan. He used 13 players in the MSU match, and Illinois came out on fire that first set against Michigan. It can really energize a team when most players get to play in a big match.
I was especially happy that Hambly put in freshman setter McKenna Kelsay at MSU, so that her parents would have the pleasure of watching their two daughters play against one another. MK's sister, Kristen, is a setter for MSU.
Not only is McKenna a very competent setter, but she brings energy to the team when she is on the floor.
Back to the win at Michigan on Saturday, when Illinois started making a ton of mistakes in sets 2 and 3, and Michigan started asserting themselves, Hambly took a rare yellow card to fire up the team. It seemed to work as Illinois pulled out the match.
My week will be so much better knowing the Illini managed a rare win at Michigan.
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Post by volleytology on Oct 7, 2013 9:13:05 GMT -5
As was the case with the Az State match, the officiating gods were with the Illini against UM as well. That non-call on the mangled set at 13-13 in the 5th gave the Illini a match point, when in reality it should have been match point for Michigan. A big time choke by the official on an obvious call, but congrats to the Illini for getting a critical win on the road.
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Post by david on Oct 7, 2013 13:19:31 GMT -5
There's no doubt Illinois can match up against anyone, and they have a lot of talent. The problem is if they have enough talent to be a top 10 team, which is kinda what they needed to get through that pre-conference in good shape. I think putting McMahon back on the RS where she belongs (IMO), challenging players to pass and set nails instead of just avoid the error, bringing Strizak into the mix... hopefully Dorn's knee gets better and not worse and the Illini start to play like a top 20 team... which should be just enough to get into the tournament.
And from there, who knows how far they go.
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Post by ballsohardu on Oct 7, 2013 13:47:59 GMT -5
Illinois needs a new setter. She didn't get called on a single double including the one at 13-13. It was pathetic watching so many of the balls leave her hands with obvious multiple release points and tons of spin. Happened at least 10 times during the match.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 12, 2013 6:25:46 GMT -5
I did not even listen to the Purdue match (I had tickets for a concert), but I definitely thought that this one was winnable.
It sounds like the Illini came out fighting, but Purdue must have executed better when it counted.
I am really glad that Danielle Davis seems to be coming on so strong defensively. Backcourt defense seems to be a weakness season after season.
I have to rely on the box score, and what I have seen in previous matches, but although Anna Dorn is doing a great job putting up a big block this year, the two freshmen middle blockers appear totally lost at times along the net. Is it the swing blocking that is causing them so much trouble? Both freshmen have quickness, but seem to be late on the block and hardly get up off the ground in a lot of blocking attempts.
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Post by jma22 on Oct 12, 2013 14:30:59 GMT -5
I did not even listen to the Purdue match (I had tickets for a concert), but I definitely thought that this one was winnable. It sounds like the Illini came out fighting, but Purdue must have executed better when it counted. I am really glad that Danielle Davis seems to be coming on so strong defensively. Backcourt defense seems to be a weakness season after season. I have to rely on the box score, and what I have seen in previous matches, but although Anna Dorn is doing a great job putting up a big block this year, the two freshmen middle blockers appear totally lost at times along the net. Is it the swing blocking that is causing them so much trouble? Both freshmen have quickness, but seem to be late on the block and hardly get up off the ground in a lot of blocking attempts. We really should have won the second set. There were at least 3-4 awful calls against us and we ended up losing 25-23. The worst was when we blocked their OH and the ball clearly hit the ground, but the refs didn't blow the whistle and Purdue ended up getting the point. The officiating was so bad in that set that Hambly got himself a yellow card. Anyway, this game wasn't a must win, but a win really would have helped our tourny chances. The Indiana game today is a must win. We need to at least split every week, and win both one week. We can't afford to drop matches to Iowa, IU, and NW.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 13, 2013 6:43:05 GMT -5
Nice to get another 3-0 win in conference especially away from Huff. Indiana battled, but the Illini battled back.
Congrats to Jennifer Beltran in becoming the all-time digs leader at Illinois with 1,929 digs, jumping ahead of Ashley Edinger. Jennifer has also moved into 10th place all-time B1G. Hambly's comment, "I'm excited that we have her for the rest of the season. I'm going to miss her when she's gone, but I'm going to enjoy it while she's here."
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Post by hoosierdraft on Oct 13, 2013 6:58:56 GMT -5
While I Hambly will Beltran, he probably was not overjoyed with her serve receive last night. When your libero's number is called by the opposing team for serve targeting, there is some cause for concern.
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