Stanford beach VB 2017 (and beyond)

[johnbar]

Stanford's regular season will wind up this weekend in Arizona. They are currently 12-6 and 3-3 in the Pac-12. With a little luck, they could split this weekend (hoping they can beat ASU, but not a given; assuming they will fall to UA). Not sure how far they will go in the Pac-12 tournament; it will depend on the seeding. So some random thoughts.

It's certainly an improvement over last year's 5-10 regular season record. But with the addition of a dedicated head coach (Andrew Fuller), and a beach stud (Kathryn Plummer), I had really hoped they would end up ranked in the top 15. So far they have not beaten a ranked opponent, and split with Cal and with St. Mary's, two teams that are also in the "receiving votes" category.

The line-up at the beginning of the season was:
#1 Gray/Plummer (10-8)
#2 Chang/Vanjak (13-5)
#3 Raquel/Richardson (10-8)
#4 Hentz/C.Keefe (10-8)
#5 Anderson/Bowen (13-5)
Ex Mohl/DiSanto (7-8)

The only change during the season was swapping the 3s and 4s about half way through.
Season stats (not including the USC loss yet) are posted here:
s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/gostanford.com/documents/2017/4/15/2017_Stat_Document.pdf

In an interview, Fuller said he took input from the players on who they wanted to play with. Gray and Plummer apparently get along great and are good friends. I'm just wondering if Plummer and Chang (who has a bit more beach experience) would have made a better pair? Was there no room for experimentation in competition? Maybe these were the best pairs they could put out there.  There is certainly value in team chemistry.

According to RichKern.com, Stanford has two beach recruits coming in next year:
Amelia Smith 5'7" (San Jose)
Sunny Villapando 5'9" (Mira Costa High)
Smith has AA CBVA rating and Villapando is a 'B'. (Though you can argue about the relative rankings of NorCal and SoCal players.) Anyway, those sound like promising additions; not sure if they are really going to be enough to really raise the status of the program.

Of course, if Hayley Hodson is fully healthy and plays beach next year, that is another big plus.

Seems like it will take a while to build the program.  It would help if they could fully fund the six scholarships.

[vballfreak808]

Apr 21, 2017 11:49:33 GMT -5 johnbar said:

In an interview, Fuller said he took input from the players on who they wanted to play with. Gray and Plummer apparently get along great and are good friends. I'm just wondering if Plummer and Chang (who has a bit more beach experience) would have made a better pair? Was there no room for experimentation in competition? Maybe these were the best pairs they could put out there.  There is certainly value in team chemistry.

I'm sure that Fuller tested many combinations in the preseason and maybe Plummer and Gray just had the better connection. It also depends on how Fuller is planning his line-up potentially putting the better Chang with a taller player in Vanjak. You're right that it could also just be their best pairs. I think this team can only get better as they are so young. If Hodson does play beach next season then it may be just swapping her in for Vanjak as she is departing and it may be the same exact line-up next year.

[johnbar]

Yes, and it could be part of a long-term plan to develop Gray+Plummer, since they will be together for all four years.

[downtheline]

Gray & Plummer are better than a PC/KP duo, imho.

They were giving USC trouble and if they reduced the unforced errors may have come closer or beat them. Big block at the net had Plummer intimidating Claes.

[johnbar]

Stanford lost 3-2 to UA, but made it really close. It came down to a 3rd set loss of 21-19 for the #2s.

Chelsea Red-Horse Mohl played with Katrina Anderson on the #5 team, in place of Courtney Bowen. No reason given for the switch; maybe Bowen was unavailable for some reason

[sunger4222]

Apr 21, 2017 14:20:34 GMT -5 downtheline said:

Gray & Plummer are better than a PC/KP duo, imho.

They were giving USC trouble and if they reduced the unforced errors may have come closer or beat them. Big block at the net had Plummer intimidating Claes.

Maybe surprised Claes, but certainly didn't intimidate. 

[Ballislife]

Hmmm because by accidentally serving a player once the whole match doesn't show intimidation at any level? There was clearly physical dominance displayed at the net. If you call dinking every ball you get set with a block up to the corner and not having a defensive player with enough experience to cover it anything other then intimidation then idk what that is

[Hawk Attack]

Apr 22, 2017 16:26:36 GMT -5 Ballislife said:

Hmmm because by accidentally serving a player once the whole match doesn't show intimidation at any level? There was clearly physical dominance displayed at the net. If you call dinking every ball you get set with a block up to the corner and not having a defensive player with enough experience to cover it anything other then intimidation then idk what that is

Other than being intimidated, it also sounds like smart and proper gameplay management.

[geddyleeridesagain]

Apr 22, 2017 14:38:27 GMT -5 sunger4222 said:

Apr 21, 2017 14:20:34 GMT -5 downtheline said:

Gray & Plummer are better than a PC/KP duo, imho.

They were giving USC trouble and if they reduced the unforced errors may have come closer or beat them. Big block at the net had Plummer intimidating Claes.

Maybe surprised Claes, but certainly didn't intimidate. 

Claes (and Hughes) had a rough first half of the 2nd game. Otherwise Claes played quite well, even got a one-handed Kong stuff block on Plummer. "Intimidation" is too strong a word for how that match played out. "Careful," perhaps.

[johnbar]

And then Stanford gets swept by ASU. 12-8 for the season, 3-5 in the Pac-12.

[downtheline]

I was there so I saw, but I respect others opinions.

Kelly is hands down the best big to have come along since Kerri. She has improved since her first sessions with USAV beach to her unmatched records at USC.

Physically I think she is a more gifted athlete than KW, when she can master the mindset, focus and high level of intensity she and Hughes will be AVP & FIVB champions.

Now KP will have something to say about that in the not so distant future if she focused solely on beach. I don't think I've seen such a high contact heavy ball like hers and the block is intimidating and shot altering if your going to get by it.

Both are what USAV and the tour need. Pair Sarah Sponcil with Plummer & they and C&H would do America proud at the Olympics.

[sunger4222]

I see another pair from USC who may not be ready for the next summer games, but will be a force on the circuit if they stay together: Abril B. and Joy D.