Cal 2021

[calbears4ever]

Aug 1, 2021 18:09:53 GMT -5 sanseibear said:

Jul 31, 2021 21:27:23 GMT -5 @bigwestfan2 said:

Gruszczynski won the job and only lost it because of the concussion. Gruszczynski had better passing numbers than DeSa on the year (which is why she won the job) and losing her hurt the offense.

I'm not saying DeSa can't win the job this fall but she was only playing libero because Gruszczynski was hurt and the staff clearly didn't feel DeSa was better in the spring.

Make the 2nd best passer the defensive specialist when one is used.

That’s what needs to be done for the team to be successful. Period.
Additionally Gruszczynski is no longer on the roster, presumably because her previous injury was severe enough to end her playing career

[oskibear]

I think it's realistic to expect Cal to make finish in the middle of the Pac and return to the NCAA tourney, but unlikely they will win the Pac or get to the FF.

Hopefully the new foreign setter is significantly better than Potter.
Middle will probably be the weakest position, where they might be forced to play Grote there despite her being more valuable at Opp imo.
There looks to be enough depth at the pins, especially with the return of Mirkovic, addition of Smoot, and experience that Pantovic and Liliomova have picked up.
I thought Bellizi and DeSa did ok at libero.

[gocalbears]

Mirkovic and Smoot make this a completely different team/roster. I'm excited to see the team in action.

[calbears4ever]

Aug 7, 2021 2:26:57 GMT -5 oskibear said:

I think it's realistic to expect Cal to make finish in the middle of the Pac and return to the NCAA tourney, but unlikely they will win the Pac or get to the FF.

Hopefully the new foreign setter is significantly better than Potter.
Middle will probably be the weakest position, where they might be forced to play Grote there despite her being more valuable at Opp imo.
There looks to be enough depth at the pins, especially with the return of Mirkovic, addition of Smoot, and experience that Pantovic and Liliomova have picked up.
I thought Bellizi and DeSa did ok at libero.

Lilomaiava is an opposite. They have Ava Mehrten to back her up. I thought Bergmark and Grote did quite well in the middle last season. Expect Bergmark to heat up this season on a tandem with either Grote or Hamm. And Annalea Maeder will be a significant upgrade for Cal at setter, as she is 6’1 and is very likely good at both blocking and setting, which is what we need for a setter in a 5-1 offense

[oskibear]

If Bergmark and Hamm can hold down the middle, I would play Grote as a 6 rotation Opp, as she was successfully hitting from everywhere on the court last season. Couple that with Mirkovic and Smoot at OH, maybe Pantovic playing backrow for Smoot if needed, and they can potentially have all 3 as hitting options from the front and back row.

If not, then play Grote at MB, with Smoot or Liliomova at Opp. Probably depends on whether it's better to have Pantovic at OH with Smoot at Opp, vs Smoot at OH with Liliomova at Opp.

[calbears4ever]

Aug 7, 2021 19:46:49 GMT -5 oskibear said:

If Bergmark and Hamm can hold down the middle, I would play Grote as a 6 rotation Opp, as she was successfully hitting from everywhere on the court last season. Couple that with Mirkovic and Smoot at OH, maybe Pantovic playing backrow for Smoot if needed, and they can potentially have all 3 as hitting options from the front and back row.

If not, then play Grote at MB, with Smoot or Liliomova at Opp. Probably depends on whether it's better to have Pantovic at OH with Smoot at Opp, vs Smoot at OH with Liliomova at Opp.

IMHO, it is most ideal to have lefty opposites over righty ones, think Annie Drews of the gold medal-winning US Women’s national team. Lilo is a lefty, as you know, and she is more than capable of being a starter at the position; hopefully she can have a breakout junior season like her predecessor Huizenga did. Mehrten is also a lefty, so I think it is better to keep Smoot at OH since she is a righty. I’m not saying that righty opposites are bad, I just think that lefty ones are the best, as they can run plays that a righty would have a harder time with. I was an oppo when I was a player and I’m lefty.

On another note, it would be cool to see both Mirkovic and Pantovic on the court together in a system with 2 6-rotation outsides on the court at once, but we’ll have to see what Crosson decides to do.

[calbears4ever]

Cal starts off non-conference play in NOLA, how exciting! It’s been awhile since I last went there, yet if I was gonna go back, I’m gonna have to wait for at least a year because the COVID cases are through the roof down there. Hope the team is fully vaccinated and stays safe.
calbears.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule

[Deleted]

Aug 8, 2021 14:52:15 GMT -5 calbears4ever said:

Aug 7, 2021 19:46:49 GMT -5 oskibear said:

If Bergmark and Hamm can hold down the middle, I would play Grote as a 6 rotation Opp, as she was successfully hitting from everywhere on the court last season. Couple that with Mirkovic and Smoot at OH, maybe Pantovic playing backrow for Smoot if needed, and they can potentially have all 3 as hitting options from the front and back row.

If not, then play Grote at MB, with Smoot or Liliomova at Opp. Probably depends on whether it's better to have Pantovic at OH with Smoot at Opp, vs Smoot at OH with Liliomova at Opp.

IMHO, it is most ideal to have lefty opposites over righty ones, think Annie Drews of the gold medal-winning US Women’s national team. Lilo is a lefty, as you know, and she is more than capable of being a starter at the position; hopefully she can have a breakout junior season like her predecessor Huizenga did. Mehrten is also a lefty, so I think it is better to keep Smoot at OH since she is a righty. I’m not saying that righty opposites are bad, I just think that lefty ones are the best, as they can run plays that a righty would have a harder time with. I was an oppo when I was a player and I’m lefty.

On another note, it would be cool to see both Mirkovic and Pantovic on the court together in a system with 2 6-rotation outsides on the court at once, but we’ll have to see what Crosson decides to do.

Lydia is the best Opp in the gym and it isn't close. If Cal has anyone else that can play MB, Lydia will be on the right.

[calbears4ever]

Aug 17, 2021 21:29:48 GMT -5 @bigwestfan2 said:

Aug 8, 2021 14:52:15 GMT -5 calbears4ever said:

IMHO, it is most ideal to have lefty opposites over righty ones, think Annie Drews of the gold medal-winning US Women’s national team. Lilo is a lefty, as you know, and she is more than capable of being a starter at the position; hopefully she can have a breakout junior season like her predecessor Huizenga did. Mehrten is also a lefty, so I think it is better to keep Smoot at OH since she is a righty. I’m not saying that righty opposites are bad, I just think that lefty ones are the best, as they can run plays that a righty would have a harder time with. I was an oppo when I was a player and I’m lefty.

On another note, it would be cool to see both Mirkovic and Pantovic on the court together in a system with 2 6-rotation outsides on the court at once, but we’ll have to see what Crosson decides to do.

Lydia is the best Opp in the gym and it isn't close. If Cal has anyone else that can play MB, Lydia will be on the right.

It’s gonna be a tough, tight battle. Do you think Crosson dislikes either of the lefty opposites? I think both of them have the capability of contributing to the team and doing well. Bear in mind that Lilomaiava played very little as a freshman being Huizenga’s backup, which may explain why she was inconsistent last season despite 98 kills. I believe Crosson is going to put Lilo at opposite and Grote at middle with Bergmark

[calbears4ever]

So cal beat Alabama a&m this morning and are beating Northwestern state right now. And Mirkovic has 1000 career kills AND digs to her name; she’s truly unstoppable

[JJVb]

Oof what happened to CAL today vs. Tulane. They lost 1-3, and Mirkovic didn't play. Hope she isn't injured. Also, L. Schmidt only played one set. Wonder why. Pantovic and Sam T. couldn't step up to fill the void. Also, noticed Grote hasn't played yet. Any news on her? Hamm not quite filling her void well in the middle. Barely getting any blocks or kills.

[calbears4ever]

Aug 29, 2021 0:06:55 GMT -5 JJVb said:

Oof what happened to CAL today vs. Tulane. They lost 1-3, and Mirkovic didn't play. Hope she isn't injured. Also, L. Schmidt only played one set. Wonder why. Pantovic and Sam T. couldn't step up to fill the void. Also, noticed Grote hasn't played yet. Any news on her? Hamm not quite filling her void well in the middle. Barely getting any blocks or kills.

Kat doesn’t quite live the hype of Mirkovic and neither does Smoot. It’s simple. Maybe she got the day off that day

[calbears4ever]

Cal beat Pacific today which was good, but the next home stand will be hard unless Mirkovic stays on and continues to play

[calbears4ever]

They play Spamford on Wednesday at Maples to start pac -12 play

[baytree]

I have a match thread for the Stanford match on Wed

volleytalk.proboards.com/thread/86279/cal-12-stanford-pac-network

Does anyone know when Grote will be able to play?