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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 7, 2014 22:20:05 GMT -5
i just saw the Cal vs Arizona game is being featured on the pac-12 ntw tomorrow for those of you who can't make to the M Center.
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 8, 2014 21:48:02 GMT -5
15-9 Arizona
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 8, 2014 21:51:41 GMT -5
19-14 Arizona... to much tipping by the cats
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 8, 2014 22:18:36 GMT -5
Arizona 25-19 winner set 1
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 8, 2014 22:20:23 GMT -5
U of A 19 14 set 2
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Post by arizonafan on Oct 9, 2014 10:07:40 GMT -5
Match started past my bed time Wed (beauty sleep, thank you), so just had the chance to watch it EARLY this morn - twice. After the tough loss in Colorado, this was a breath of fresh air for the Arizona fan. Final, Cats win in 3, 25-19, 25-19 & 25-11 (not sure I have ever seen a D-1 match where a set started 10-0, like Cats did in 3rd). Different team showed last night than in Colo.
1st, I thought they looked extremely sharp, and kill totals reflect a large piece of that - .289, .342, & .357, overall .327 (will not lose many sets when you hit .275 or better). I though it was a great night in blocking, and partially shown by the extremely low kill percentages by Cal. Some of the lowest I've seen for a while - overall .082, with a low in the 3rd of -.059!
Offensively our top hitters were Madi with 13 kills, Ashley, with 11 (a red hot .474), Taylor with 8, & Rachael adding 6. While blocking stats show 9 for the Cats, overall I would have guessed MANY more, after watching the match twice - Taylor, and Rachael seemed to be in Cal's face constantly. Impressive performance by all front liners, in my estimation, both offensively and defensively. One stat sends me over the top, whether it's good OR bad - that is service errors, and last night was about as good as it gets, as ONLY ONE (1) all night! When you don't give the "freebees", it's nothing but good, and usually factors into final results. Back line defense was VERY effective and passing reflected that.
Way to go Coach in preparation of the team to face a club that WILL bite someone before conference season is over, and congrats to the entire team for implementing about as well as possible. A great team victory!
Stanford next, and if we play the type of ball I know we can, magical things can happen. GO CATS!
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 9, 2014 14:54:48 GMT -5
The level of intensity the team displayed was outstanding. They played so much better last night than against CU last wk. The Cats play in the 3rd set was one of the best I've seen them play all year and I hope they will sustain that level of play against Stanford.
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 11, 2014 10:39:40 GMT -5
i'm interested in why Arizona played on Wed and Fri (Cal & Stanford) while ASU played the same teams on Fri & Sun? it appears to me the #1 team in the nation had the scheduling advantage over its travel partner and the 2 Arizona teams. Was it all about tv? good job Lady Cats!
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Post by arizonafan on Oct 11, 2014 13:06:36 GMT -5
Was extremely proud of the Wildcat performance last night against Stanford. Final: 25-23, Cards, 26-24 Cats, and last 2 to Cards, 25-20 & 25-20.
Base stats which tell a lot (in front of one of our larger, noisier crowds - 3,400): Hitting %s - Stanford .432, .343, .441, .415. Match - .408. Cats .333, .275, .205, .222. Match - .259. Blocks - both teams @7. Digs - Stanford 69 & Cats 59.
I'm not sure many clubs have or will play much better this year than Arizona did against Stanford, and have to say that, as long as Ajanaku, Burgess & Boukather (16 kills, .577, 19 kills, .410 & 14 kills, .444, respectively) stay healthy, victories against them will be minimal, IF at all. Ajanaku hits from ANYWHERE, is tremendously accurate, and hits as hard (AND straight down) as any I recall. Every time she was out of rotation, we closed gaps in the score, and I was praying she might stay out a bit longer. Burgess is likewise amazing, and has such a quick reaction to the set, very, very difficult to block. Both VERY impressive. I came away now convinced that they, at this point in the season, carry a justifiable #1 ranking, and would not be surprised to see them carry it to tourney.
Have to say, even tho the # of blocks by both teams might have seemed low, both offenses were relentless, and think that in both cases, these #s were more due to the great hitting, than just a "lack of defense at the net" by both clubs. Arizona hitters, while not quite as proficient as the top 3 from Stanford, were far from anemic - Madi, 22 kills, .200, Taylor, 14 kills, .321, & Ashley, 13 kills, .314.
Thought 1st & 2nd sets were about as exciting as big time VB can get, and both teams had to have been ready for the break, going in tied 1-1. Stanford's 2nd set loss was only the 8th set they had lost all year and, with just a "few" less mistakes by the Cats in the 3rd, we could have had at least 2 of their last 9. BUT, "if onlys" don't seem to win many sets or matches.
As is expected, most coaches are seldom pleased with all aspects of their team's play, especially in losses, and Coach Rubio didn't break that mold - "(While) Stanford is clearly a very good team, I'm upset we didn't play better. Our expectations were high...we had to play with composure & poise & I feel we didn't do that tonight." He also indicated that, while he looks at the Cardinal as a very good team, and maybe even the best, and he thought we were very good also, but could only beat a team of that caliber if we proved that on the court. He also indicated he was not terribly pleased with our defense.
While I completely agree that we, too, are a very good VB team, I also know that when a team has the talent of a Stanford, has hitters (at least one All American) that are much better than average, not sure most defenses, regardless of how talented, are going to be able to keep up with the relentless hitting that a Stanford brings, for an entire match. I thought we performed exceptionally well, considering what Stanford brings. Don't recall ever seeing SO many hits for points from the pins, almost parallel to the net, or so many buried, with such quickness off the set, down the lines, as well as multiple quick sets/hits in the middle, which are close to impossible to defense. With an offense like Stanford's, maintaining that high level defense we normally bring, for an entire match, would seem to be very difficult.
Just want to say again, I couldn't have been much more proud of our Cats than I was last night, On to a victorious upcoming weekend with the "Washingtons"...
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Post by arizonafan on Oct 12, 2014 16:27:17 GMT -5
19-14 Arizona... to much tipping by the cats In MY estimation, we always tip too much. Not sure if it's an uncertainty/lack of confidence on the hitters part or not, but watch a lot of PAC & BIG 10 VB, and would bet the Cats set records in that area (AND, we have so many great hitters). Would so much rather see the full swing and maybe be blocked, than to see defense licking their chops and hoping for a other free ball via a Cat tip. Think we actually score on maybe 1 of every 10 (and that is NOTHING but a wild, emotional, and probably incorrect guess.
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 13, 2014 23:02:53 GMT -5
i haven't seen anything on AVCA vb rankings yet. does anyone have any information?
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Post by arizonafan on Oct 15, 2014 12:57:01 GMT -5
i haven't seen anything on AVCA vb rankings yet. does anyone have any information? You've probably seen it by now, but the Cats are 16th (and my other favorite team, Illinois, is 15th)
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 15, 2014 21:18:30 GMT -5
i haven't seen anything on AVCA vb rankings yet. does anyone have any information? You've probably seen it by now, but the Cats are 16th (and my other favorite team, Illinois, is 15th) watching your other favorite team on the btn network right now. tied at 1 set each and knotted up at 4 in the 3rd. I really like the Illinois libero. Iowa looks pretty good at the net. Looking forward to a big weekend for the Cats.
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Post by southie on Oct 16, 2014 7:37:45 GMT -5
A bit off topic, but I remember in the early 2000's where Arizona started reeling in some marquee recruits like Kim Glass. But, they couldn't sustain that type of recruiting momentum for very long (if memory serves). Since the head coach is still there, why did the recruiting tail off? Was it more about an assistant coach who may have departed?
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Post by logcabincoach on Oct 17, 2014 15:11:49 GMT -5
does anyone, on vt, know who the 6-8(2015/2016)recruits that are in town this weekend for visits? i sure wouldn't mind seeing them on the broadcast this evening so i can see who's thinking about coming to Tucson. i believe there should be some opportunity for playing time with the loss of key players to graduation (MK,TA,RL,RR & KW). Let's hope these prospects are good enough to keep the train rolling and have the ability and desire to be impact players for the U of A.
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