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Post by jagdpanther on Dec 21, 2014 1:45:05 GMT -5
To me, the way bigger concern is how quickly the new Libero and primary DS sub can come up to speed. I have to think it's a battle amongst the Pierce sisters and Dykstra right now, with the edge probably to Lainey for libero. Looking back at 2011, Gonzalez and Fuller both struggled a lot, which arguably led to an early exit for PSU in the NCAA tourney. They improved in 2012, but it wasn't until 2013 that they both really became stars.
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Post by Boof1224 on Dec 21, 2014 1:49:20 GMT -5
Like I said earlier a off year isn't the end of the world if it happened. The freshman have already had that sip of championship ant their junior senior years should be crazy. I think the rest of the league should db more worried if we won it again next year. Not psu fans if we don't. My opinion
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PSU 2015
Dec 21, 2014 2:11:33 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by SuperSpike on Dec 21, 2014 2:11:33 GMT -5
Dude, I know right! why's everyone so high on RR/PSU? Micah carried their sorry asses (#1,#2,#10..) all year long. Won in spite of her short, unathletic, subpar hitters.
Wait what? You're telling me they had the best front row, and will next year too? And that Russ can win with the best pins and M1 in the country? Pshhhh! I'll believe it when I see it!
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Post by blastingsand on Dec 21, 2014 2:23:16 GMT -5
Must be nice to be a PSU fan.
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PSU 2015
Dec 21, 2014 3:04:11 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by SuperSpike on Dec 21, 2014 3:04:11 GMT -5
Must be nice to be a PSU fan. Lol hardly. But they're calling a spade a cat
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Post by jsn112 on Dec 21, 2014 4:29:56 GMT -5
She can... but I don't think anyone can honestly say that she will. It will be a very interesting off-season battle. I have to think that Weiskircher has the edge now by virtue of being on the team already, but that is not a guarantee. I maintain that, while Hancock has improved, she is still not a particularly great technical setter like Plum or Carlini. I think, in that respect, our setting won't be noticeably poorer next year.... it even has an outside shot to be better. But, in terms of all-around play from the setter position, I cannot envision either Weiskircher or Rivera (or Courtney in some bizzaro move to setter for her) being anywhere near as good of an all-around player as Hancock. You guys are going to love Rivera. Just letting you know. Weiskircher yes is the starting setter for the next 7 months and 25 days. Have fun while it lasts. If Rivera turns out to be the starting setter, the good news is that Weiskircher is an accomplished OH, a la Courtney Thomas. After Courtney and Whitney graduating next year, depth is needed. It's a win-win either way.
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Post by lovethis on Dec 21, 2014 8:00:03 GMT -5
Who replaces Grant? Move Whitney back to middle? Or the new recruit (name escapes me...oldtimers kickin in)?
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Post by ballervolley on Dec 21, 2014 8:57:13 GMT -5
penn state will probably be the 2015 champion again
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roger
Sophomore
Posts: 211
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Post by roger on Dec 21, 2014 10:32:22 GMT -5
2015 will be a challenge but will it be very different than the other challenges that the PSU staff(well maybe not this specific one) has faced and overcome. It is so every year. But a lot of the team returning has spent a year playing with and against some of the best that are on the scene in 2014. given the determination that these young women have demonstrated in their high school years it will not be smart to discount what they have learned and can employ when challenged by new comers. Defensively Skylar has had some illness problems from day one at State College but she has solid skills and I suspect will be a difficult player to keep off the court.Certainly the Peirce girls have earned their spots but they will be challenged as only Russ would have it to take the spot of Dom or Lacey. Brianna is a solid setter and although not the dramatic player that Micha was she is more like those of yester year, Alisha, Bonnie and Sam. To my knowledge there has never been a setter with the dramatic display that Micha gave but there have been many great setters who did not have that flair and supported winning teams.
PSU will be in the mix next year. Will they repeat? Only time will tell.
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Post by Volley1234 on Dec 21, 2014 11:07:31 GMT -5
2015 reminds me of 2011 sooooooo much. They will have a freshman setter. They will have a new back row and have to replace their two back row anchors in Fuller & Gonzales like they did in 2011 with D'errico & Qullico. Hopefully the pierce sisters will have less struggles stepping into top defensive roles as Dom, Carp and Alli had. Not to mention in 2011 they returned the National freshman of the year (Deja vu) like they will in 2015. Micha and Dom were crucial to this team for so many reasons. Very few setters will be able to have the same serving and offensive threats Micha presented while few players will be able to step in and make the crazy plays Dom made in her last seasons.
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Post by Phillytom on Dec 21, 2014 11:26:45 GMT -5
Every year is different. Every year is a transitional year.
On the surface it looks like 2011 but there are key differences. The two setter prospects are both a lot more experienced at setting than Hancock was when she arrived at PSU. And Weiskircher has had this entire year to watch and learn and train and be coached by Rockwell.
On the other hand I don't think she or Rivera is a lefty, so that means a lot of things about the position will change for PSU.
Also no idea how liberal and DS will look. But if the Pierce sisters are an indication of how much talent PSU has at DS, clearly the Lions will be OK.
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Post by mplssetter on Dec 21, 2014 11:52:14 GMT -5
No question in my mind that PSU will be the team to beat and the heavy favorite to win again next year. Congratulations on winning the recruiting wars. The only team that even gets close to their talent level next year might be Stanford. But that team has crapped the bed the last three years and there's no indication that won't happen again.
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Post by Boof1224 on Dec 21, 2014 12:10:34 GMT -5
I agree on pierce sisters. I think Lainey will be the libero and kendel the ds. Even up through high school it's been said the little sister has more natural talent then older sister but both are good. Watching that championship video the put out, kendel came out of locker room with huge smile Lainey had het game face on. Looked cold as ice. It was funny up the difference between both. I got kick out of its anyway
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Post by redincolorado on Dec 21, 2014 13:57:49 GMT -5
So, a finish to another successful season. Although psu fans prob still not done celebrating, I thought I'd start the the thread for next season Although it's gonna be sad with the loss of micha, dom, lacy, and nia, I have no doubt we will rise up again and be very competitive. New faces will make their mark as the old ones move on. Very excited to see the progression of franti, Washington and lee. Equally excited to see what Reed and weiskircher will bring finally. Can't forget about the incoming freshman with gorell, canulli and Rivera. Even though this class seems like a ghost of a class compared to 2014, you never know who will surprise and when. The obvious questions about 2015 are who will replace the seniors we lose. Can weiskircher fill hancocks absence? Which of plethora of ds players are gonna fill dom and Lacey's shoes. Is Courtney ready to be the team leader? The question of weather psu will be good enough to compete I'm not gonna ask. I think it's a foolish question and not worth the time to answer. My thought on the above questions are as follows: Hancock is a player that would be very hard to duplicate. I don't know if there's ever been a setter like her. All the different dynamics in her game make it pretty hard to copy. I do believe weiskircher will do fine though. Brianna is a natural setter, micha wasn't. So like the carlini/ Hancock debate, I think Brianna could be a better natural setter. If she's a better pure setter and has high volleyball iq, with the athletes psu has they will be fine. Let's not forget Brianna had a lot of these girls from her freshman class on her club team so she knows them we'll, she set them in club ball I believe Courtney showed her leadership in these last two matches and will shine as a leader next year. It's been said numerous times she has highest volleyball iq on team. Think she will be great leader. The last question is on libero /ds spots. You would think this would be hardest question since they have a ridiculous amount of ds on team. I don't think it is. In my opinion it will be the Pierce sisters. Maybe dykstra although I really havnt seen her play. She comes from huge volleyball family with all 5 siblings have played and brother currently is professional player. She was high recruit out of high school, rs freshman year at ucla, barely played this year at psu. So not sure what to think of her right now. I think incoming freshman canulli has outside shot. Seen tape on her and she looks good. Not sure how it translates in college game though. None of rest of ds you never ever really hear about. The pierce sisters played more ds then everyone not named fuller. Those are my thoughts. I'm interested to see what other psu fans or fans in general that know volleyball think. Well I'm a Nebraska fan, bit surprise, but IMHO, with the way Russ recruits and DEVELOPES those recruits, he will simply reload and make yet another serious run at a national championship in 2015. How many times have we been down this road ??----PSU losing key senior contributors to graduation only to see Russ not miss a beat and lead PSU right back to the top. IMHO, just as John Wooden was dubbed the Wizard of Westwood for his consistency at UCLA with collegiate men's basketball, Russ Rose is the Wizard of Happy Valley with his consistency in women's VB @ PSU. Bottom line, don't EVER underestimate Russ Rose.
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Post by Wiswell on Dec 21, 2014 16:54:38 GMT -5
I predict 3 more NCs for this group.
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