FINAL FOUR: #6 Washington VS #2 Kentucky - 4/22 4 PM PDT

[redbeard2008]

Apr 21, 2021 5:59:29 GMT -5 @madden54 said:

Apr 21, 2021 5:41:32 GMT -5 jwvolley said:

Crenshaw should get every serve

and if you’re washington don’t serve lollipops at Curry all night like Purdue did or it’ll be a quick night.

UDub doesn't serve lollipops. They are one of the best serving-teams, if not the best serving-team, in the country. They are where they are largely because of their serve: UW: 26sa/17se (+9) in 15 sets vs UK: 9sa/19se (-10) in 9 sets. Last year they targeted Stumler: 4re, 10k, 5he, .132.

[Deleted]

Apr 21, 2021 8:55:53 GMT -5 redbeard2008 said:

Apr 21, 2021 5:59:29 GMT -5 @madden54 said:

and if you’re washington don’t serve lollipops at Curry all night like Purdue did or it’ll be a quick night.

UDub doesn't serve lollipops. They are one of the best serving-teams, if not the best serving-team, in the country. They are where they are largely because of their serve: UW: 26sa/17se (+9) in 15 sets vs UK: 9sa/19se (-10) in 9 sets. Last year they targeted Stumler: 4re, 10k, 5he, .132.

I’m not saying they do. I’m just saying they better bring a better serving plan/execution than Purdue did. I assume they will

[redbeard2008]

Team Profiles*:

Hitting%:
UK .362 (.145 opp)
UW .255 (.198 opp)

Kills/Set:
UK 15.45
UW 13.14

Blocks/Set:
UW 2.55
UK 2.46

Assists/Set:
UK 13.88
UW 13.74

Aces/Set:
UW 1.68
UK 1.59

Digs/Set:
UW 13.82
UK 13.31

Pts/Set:
UD 19.19
UW 17.37

Individual Profiles:

Hitting%:
Tealer UK .452
M Skinner UK .378
A Skinner UK .366
Grote UW .353
Summers UW .349
Drechsel UW .279

Kills/Set:
Stumler UK 4.33
A Skinner UK 3.77
Drechsel UW 3.47
Hoffman UW 3.34
Endsley UW 3.17
M Skinner 2.68

Blocks/Set:
Sanders UW 1.29
Tealer UK 1.24
Goetzinger UK 1.20
Grote UW 1.04
Drechsel UW 0.85
M Skinner 0.83

Assists/Set:
Lilley UK 12.15
Powell UW 10.23
Curry UK 0.99
Crenshaw UW 0.78

Aces/Set:
Lilley 0.39
Hoffman UW 0.35
Drechsel UW 0.34
Powell UW 0.33
Curry UK 0.25
Stumler 0.24

Digs/Set:
Curry UK 3.63
Crenshaw UW 3.62
Drechsel UW 2.47
Stumler UK 2.41
Powell UW 2.41
Lilley UK 2.36

Pts/Set:
Stumler UK 4.79
Drechsel UW 4.25
A Skinner UK 4.25
Hoffman UW 3.93
Endsley UW 3.17
M Skinner UK 3.09

* I call these "profiles" rather than "comparisons" because schedule/conference strengths can vary significantly.

[sunsuphornsup]

I just don't see this matchup being competitive after seeing Washington play this tournament. Unless Kentucky lays an egg and Washington plays lights out, I'm guessing a sweep by the Wildcats.

[Disc808]

UW has the power to make things exciting, I feel it

[Deleted]

Apr 21, 2021 16:47:31 GMT -5 sunsuphornsup said:

I just don't see this matchup being competitive after seeing Washington play this tournament. Unless Kentucky lays an egg and Washington plays lights out, I'm guessing a sweep by the Wildcats.

I don’t think it won’t be competitive. Washington has a lot of talent. However, I agree for them to win Kentucky would have to play poorly and Washington would have to play light outs.

[trojansc]

Apr 21, 2021 16:48:30 GMT -5 Disc808 said:

UW has the power to make things exciting, I feel it

Washington (and Keegan Cook's teams) are perennially tough serving and blocking teams. It's underrated. Washington has 3 pins that can terminate OOS. They've won by being good (at least enough) OOS all season. Crenshaw has to hold up just enough and UW has to serve+block to their standard and they have a chance.

I still like Kentucky 3-1. I think losing at Florida might have been good for them. They got a little push from Purdue and completely responded. That's a great sign.

[mikegarrison]

It just occurred to me -- the only time Washington won a national title, they did it entirely via 3-0 sweeps.

They have so far won every match this tournament by 3-2. How weird would it be if the same program won one national title with 3-0 sweeps in every match and another with 3-2 wins in every match?

[trojansc]

In his first year as a FT assistant at SMC, the Gaels were 191st NCAA-serving. In the next 4 years straight, they led the WCC in serving each year and were 20th in the nation in 2012. UW is one of the best serving teams as well each year in the PAC under Cook. No coincidence.

[mikegarrison]

Apr 21, 2021 17:17:53 GMT -5 trojansc said:

In his first year as a FT assistant at SMC, the Gaels were 191st NCAA-serving. In the next 4 years straight, they led the WCC in serving each year and were 20th in the nation in 2012. UW is one of the best serving teams as well each year in the PAC under Cook. No coincidence.

It's clearly not coincidental. UW serving got noticeably better the year Cook came on as an assistant.

[Sbilo]

Biggest difference of this match will be Curry and Lilley. They make this team so good.

With that being said, I hope UW gets to keep this competitive and who knows what will happen.

[Disc808]

Lilley is probably gonna school EMP, and even with UW's serving, I feel like Kentucky can handle. I don't really care who wins, but since I have visited UW before and liked it and they have a good CS program, I'll be rooting for them lol.

[Deleted]

24 more hours to go.

[ay2013]

Apr 21, 2021 16:49:54 GMT -5 @madden54 said:

Apr 21, 2021 16:47:31 GMT -5 sunsuphornsup said:

I just don't see this matchup being competitive after seeing Washington play this tournament. Unless Kentucky lays an egg and Washington plays lights out, I'm guessing a sweep by the Wildcats.

I don’t think it won’t be competitive. Washington has a lot of talent. However, I agree for them to win Kentucky would have to play poorly and Washington would have to play light outs.

I'm pretty sure that Washington is a solid enough serving, blocking, and OOS terminating team where if they are playing lights out, Kentucky doesn't have to be playing poorly for Washington to still win. Both teams can play well and it be competitive and Washington still win.

[Deleted]

Apr 21, 2021 18:13:02 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

Apr 21, 2021 16:49:54 GMT -5 @madden54 said:

I don’t think it won’t be competitive. Washington has a lot of talent. However, I agree for them to win Kentucky would have to play poorly and Washington would have to play light outs.

I'm pretty sure that Washington is a solid enough serving, blocking, and OOS terminating team where if they are playing lights out, Kentucky doesn't have to be playing poorly for Washington to still win. Both teams can play well and it be competitive and Washington still win.

I respectfully disagree. If both teams are playing to their potential Kentucky will win. UK is the best passing team in the country so if anyone can handle the huskies service pressure it’s them. Plus if UK stays in system most of the night I don’t think the Washington middles are fast enough to close an in system Lilley conducted offense. That being said if UK does have a passing breakdown that big husky block can be absolutely brutal and would definitely open the door for Washington to take the match. My main point here being if both teams play well I think Kentucky has just too much talent.