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Post by thebeach1 on Aug 26, 2015 22:29:08 GMT -5
Concerning Grahovac, she has been a monster in practice, and at this point in time, looks to be the best freshman of the bunch. Once she loses the jitters she will be very effective. She is much farther along than Mackie was at this point in time. Losing Atkinson to injury has been the biggest blow to the team. Offensively she could have been an elite attacker this season and LBSU needs that type of hitter since the others are just solid players. Great news concerning Grahovac. The Beach will be big up front with 6'4 RS Grahovac, 6'2 MB Murray, 6'4 MB Benson, 6'0 OH Barber, and 6'0 OH Kruidof.
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Post by chatchu-off moksri on Aug 26, 2015 22:39:32 GMT -5
That is good to hear that Grahovac has been doing well. We are gonna need her to produce along with the other newcomers on the outside Kruidhof and Barber. I think the Beach is going to be a lot better than people think they are going to be even though it seems like the odds have not been in their favor.
GO BEACH!
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Post by bill on Aug 26, 2015 23:19:54 GMT -5
Atkinson's injury was a kind of a freak thing, but probably out for the year...she can apply for a 6th year and probably will get it, if she does medical red-shirt. Anete was nursing a sore shoulder last year and finally figured that she would have to get it taken care of medically, which happened this week with her surgery...out for the year. In spite of the two injuries and the two transfers, this just may be the deepest LBS team in a decade if not longer...young, but big and skilled...Hawaii is definitely the conference favorite but LBS could surprise a whole lot of people...depends on how quickly 11 freshmen mature!
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Post by thebeach1 on Aug 26, 2015 23:43:47 GMT -5
I think a lot of Fortyniner fans were eagerly anticipating the beginning of Atkinson's playing career this season. She had the potential to have a break out year with Hudson setting. As for Brinke, I wonder if she will be available for the Sand season beginning in spring. I wouldn't be surprised--if she is healthy--if Campbell places her on the top pairs team for 2016.
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Aug 28, 2015 0:40:07 GMT -5
www.presstelegram.com/sports/20150826/long-beach-state-womens-volleyball-hopes-new-faces-can-step-up-in-2015“Before the season started, I thought we could have been one of the surprise teams in the whole country,” said Long Beach State women’s volleyball coach Brian Gimmillaro. “Now, we’re going to have to surprise ourselves.” The 49ers are hoping for a pleasant surprise at some point this year — because to this point they’ve all been quite the opposite. First, there was a wave of transfers who departed despite the 49ers having their best season in more than a decade. In all, four players departed the program for other schools, along with the graduation of four seniors — add to that a pair of unexpected potentially season-ending injuries to anticipated starters Sherridan Atkinson and Anete Brinke — and 49er fans might need to keep a roster handy for the 2015 season. Read more of our Long Beach State coverage this Fall The result is a 18-woman roster with 11 freshmen or redshirt freshmen, meaning that young players will have to really step up for the 49ers to defend their Big West Conference title and try to make some noise in the NCAA Tournament again this year. “We’re asking some people to go beyond what you’d ask a freshman to do,” said Gimmillaro. “Nobody saw some of them in this position — we didn’t, and they didn’t.” Of course, if you have to ask a new team to gel, it helps to have the best player in the Big West running the show. Senior setter Jenelle Hudson is not only the reigning BWC Player of the Year, she’s also gotten noticeably better. She moves faster, she’s added muscle so she’s jumping higher, and another year in the 49ers’ system (last year was her first with the program after transferring) means she’s making even quicker decisions. “It’s a little different this year because there’s so many young players,” said Hudson. “But as a setter I need to be a leader anyway.” Her top option is likely the only other player who will be immediately recognizable to casual fans: middle blocker Ashley Murray, last year’s Big West Freshman of the Year. Murray is a dynamic, athletic force in the middle at 6-foot-2, and will need to be a big player for LBSU this year. “It’s a whole new experience,” said Murray. “Last year I was learning, and this year I have to take the lead because I’m the experienced one. It’s a whole new perspective — but we have great team chemistry.” Murray makes a good point that the 49ers might be newer, but they aren’t necessarily less talented. In fact, an argument could be made that even without Atkinson and Brinke, they’re more physically gifted this year than they were last year at many positions. Gimmillaro expects big things from transfers Nele Barber (Marquette) and Hayley Benson (Ball State), and the freshman class is strong as well. Peyton Grahovac already looks comfortable on the right side, and the ex-Lakewood High duo of Megan Kruidhof and Sarah Miller look like they could contribute immediately as well.
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Post by network155 on Aug 28, 2015 3:25:02 GMT -5
Excited about volleyball especially Big West volleyball. Reading what everyone has to say about the 49ers, I think they will be just as good or even better than last year. Very physical at the net!
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Post by chatchu-off moksri on Aug 28, 2015 11:09:52 GMT -5
I think LBSU will surprise people. The freshman should be capable of stepping up and producing. I am excited to see them play!
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Aug 30, 2015 14:17:16 GMT -5
www.presstelegram.com/sports/20150829/long-beach-state-womens-volleyball-tops-duke-in-five-set-thrillerLong Beach State women’s volleyball tops Duke in five-set thriller By Mike Guardabascio, Press-Telegram Posted: 08/29/15, 10:19 PM PDT | Updated: 2 hrs ago The future is bright for the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team, but that doesn’t mean the road that lies ahead doesn’t have some potholes. The 49ers’ talented newcomers showed how high their ceiling can be, and how low their floor in a wild five-set win over Duke, 25-17, 24-26, 17-25, 25-21, 15-11. It was the second win in two nights for the 49ers, after they defeated Alabama on Friday in their home opener, in four sets. “Last night we beat the best football college in America and tonight we beat the best basketball college in America,” laughed Long Beach head coach Brian Gimmillaro. Read more of our Long Beach State coverage. His team showed that the potential is there for a repeat Big West championship and another move forward in the NCAA Tournament during the first set, which saw them hold Duke to .146 hitting in a frame that Long Beach led wire to wire. But in a mistake-riddled third set, the 49ers’ youth showed in a major way, as Duke jumped out to an 8-0 lead, hit .379 and won easily. Gimmillaro’s team entered the year down a pair of expected starters, both of whom will miss significant time due to injury. Saturday they were also missing one of the freshmen who’s expected to step up, after Peyton Grahovac sprained her ankle in Friday’s win over Alabama. The result was a challenging second contest. “I had to pull out 40 years of tricks,” said Gimmillaro, who has been the 49ers’ head coach for 31 seasons. After rallying to win the fourth set, the 49ers took control in the deciding fifth frame. Marquette transfer Nele Barber was a star all night, finishing with 19 kills and 13 digs, as well as three blocks and an ace. She had a stuff block and back-to-back kills to put Long Beach State up 12-8 in the fifth set. “It felt like a roller coaster,” said Barber after the match. “I don’t know why it happened … we concentrated on us and what we wanted to do. We just wanted to win.” Besides Barber, leaders were Carly Beddingfield (11 kills), Mykah Wilson (19 digs) and setter Jenelle Hudson, who had five kills to go with 41 assists. Long Beach State (2-0) won’t get much rest before playing its third match in three days on Sunday afternoon, hosting St. Mary’s in the Walter Pyramid at 1 p.m.
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Kamali'i-7
Sophomore
I'm not ethnocentric.
Posts: 200
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Post by Kamali'i-7 on Aug 31, 2015 18:53:39 GMT -5
surprisingly they didn't fall from #26 today.
three middles in Murray, Wallace, and Benson's MB/OH? (moving forward)?
Wilson's @ libero
3x New Mexico ~Fab15 selection (and top 7 HS Sr.) Beddingfield / &Miller @ L2.
What ever happened to lefty Zoi Konst?! --- LBS is going the whole season only RV, imo.
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Post by thebeach1 on Aug 31, 2015 21:12:14 GMT -5
surprisingly they didn't fall from #26 today. three middles in Murray, Wallace, and Benson's MB/OH? (moving forward)? Wilson's @ libero 3x New Mexico ~Fab15 selection (and top 7 HS Sr.) Beddingfield / &Miller @ L2. What ever happened to lefty Zoi Konst?! --- LBS is going the whole season only RV, imo. I think we will probably see 6'2 Beddingfield on the right side until the return of Grahovac who is recovering from a strained ankle. I wouldn't be surprised if the 6'4 Grahovac is back on the court by the end of this month. Also, 6'4 Wallace is a good player; however, she is playing out of position on the right side. I hope BG moves the more agile 6'4 Benson temporarily to the right side and positions Wallace as MB2. The Beach's frosh, libero, phenom--Mikah Wilson--won the award for Big West Defensive player of the week after averaging 5 digs per set in three matches this past weekend.
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Post by chatchu-off moksri on Sept 1, 2015 12:43:06 GMT -5
Would Beddingfield be better on the OPP than the OH position? From the stats that I saw, it seemed Beddingfield was doing pretty well on the outside. Although I would like to see Kruidhof play, I am not sure if she can produce enough yet.
Also any chance that the lefty Konstantopoulou gets a shot at OPP?
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Post by chatchu-off moksri on Sept 1, 2015 22:48:12 GMT -5
Predictions for this weekend? I think LBSU should go 3-0 playing against Harvard, Illinois State, and Rutgers.
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Sept 1, 2015 22:51:27 GMT -5
illinois State (lost to 2 decent programs last week) & Harvard are not automatic wins - they should be able to compete as well, maybe better, than St. Mary's
given it's a young LB team, and still with players out, 3-0 would be very good, they'll be favored, but you never know with 2 games in a day sometimes
St. Mary's handled LB's serve with ease - like it was 'T-ball' - LB has to apply better pressure.
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Post by chatchu-off moksri on Sept 4, 2015 0:34:05 GMT -5
So any idea when, or if, Grahovac will be back and healthy enough to play?
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Post by thebeach1 on Sept 4, 2015 0:40:35 GMT -5
So any idea when, or if, Grahovac will be back and healthy enough to play? Good question. She was walking, without crutches, this past Sunday at the St. Mary's match. My guess is that she will be ready to play 2 to 3 weekends from today.
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