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Post by tomclen on Nov 21, 2014 10:07:09 GMT -5
Those are great photos.
I especially like #14, where the line-judge is having gas issues.
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Post by rainbowbadger on Nov 21, 2014 11:00:48 GMT -5
I love Morey & Nelson chest-bumping.
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Post by badgerbreath on Nov 21, 2014 13:41:58 GMT -5
I re-watched that comeback in the 3rd set. That was simply amazing. My opinion of what happened hasn't really changed. I think IL fought hard, and their level of play barely changed, but a couple of things changed that made the badger run possible. First, the badger block really stepped up and started closing fast with 4 separate blocks during the run. There were a couple key digs on untouched smashes by McMahon and Birks, but usually their hits got slowed down (and importantly not redirected) by touches from the block which allowed for digs and nice passes. Only at the end was McMahon able to tool some blocks. They tried tipping around the block in response, but the blockers were covered. IL also blocked some hits that should have been points, but again some amazing saves in coverage on the hitters kept the points alive. There were some long rally's with both sides playing inspired defense. It was just heart-thumping stuff.
If there is something I'd criticize IL for its the predictability of setting the outsides...but that was because Viliunas was usually getting the ball at 10 foot line, or somebody else was bump setting because of scrambling to keep the ball in play off attacks. IL has had a tendency in other games I've watched to try to power through well formed blocks when challenged. What really mattered , IL the block largely failed them. Bates ate up McMahon and Dorn on the left, and Nelson had some key slide kills on the slide against Birks. Sometimes the sets to the left to Birks were too wide, which also helped the block.
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kabvb
Sophomore
Posts: 155
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Post by kabvb on Nov 21, 2014 16:03:36 GMT -5
I re-watched that comeback in the 3rd set. That was simply amazing. My opinion of what happened hasn't really changed. I think IL fought hard, and their level of play barely changed, but a couple of things changed that made the badger run possible. First, the badger block really stepped up and started closing fast with 4 separate blocks during the run. There were a couple key digs on untouched smashes by McMahon and Birks, but usually their hits got slowed down (and importantly not redirected) by touches from the block which allowed for digs and nice passes. Only at the end was McMahon able to tool some blocks. They tried tipping around the block in response, but the blockers were covered. IL also blocked some hits that should have been points, but again some amazing saves in coverage on the hitters kept the points alive. There were some long rally's with both sides playing inspired defense. It was just heart-thumping stuff. If there is something I'd criticize IL for its the predictability of setting the outsides...but that was because Viliunas was usually getting the ball at 10 foot line, or somebody else was bump setting because of scrambling to keep the ball in play off attacks. IL has had a tendency in other games I've watched to try to power through well formed blocks when challenged. What really mattered , IL the block largely failed them. Bates ate up McMahon and Dorn on the left, and Nelson had some key slide kills on the slide against Birks. Sometimes the sets to the left to Birks were too wide, which also helped the block. As a former setter it is frustrating to watch Illinois set to the OH,even if she was getting passes on the 10ft line. That is the easiest of sets and they have multiple dominate hitters on the left. When I watched what stuck in my head was at crucial moments at the end of the match a senior player with the height of McMahon 6'6 could not stop freshman Bates at 5'10 . She destroyed her to come back in that set. McMahon just didn't stop her. In my eyes the rest of our team looked flustered except for Bates. Kudos to Carlini for continuing to feed her.
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Post by badgerbreath on Nov 21, 2014 17:06:27 GMT -5
I will have to apologize for ripping on the BTNplus announcers. They were not so bad for that section I just rewatched. Meesh McMahon was the color commentator and she was pretty good, although a little obvious at times ("WI can't make any mistakes!" when IL was at 23), and prone to commentators curse ("IL block is starting to dominate much more!" just before it disappeared and the UW block took over). The play by play guy did much better than I remember...no mangled names, attributions or stats this time around. Not as good as Arias and Nordstrom, mind you, but they were fine and not announcing form a UW perspective. That's closest to an A-team they can get on BTNplus.
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