|
|
Post by cmon on Sept 18, 2022 16:43:30 GMT -5
Completely agree!
|
|
|
|
Post by bprtbone on Sept 18, 2022 21:43:10 GMT -5
Two wins against decent competition in Mississippi State and Bowling Green capped off Michigan's non-conference schedule this weekend. They will get their biggest test of the season next Saturday in Happy Valley when they face undefeated Penn State.
Because of the relatively weak schedule, it is tough to tell where this team is at. Their road loss to Duke came on a night where Scottee Johnson and May Pertofsky were returning from illness and when Gracie Johnson had a career match for the Blue Devils. But they have been largely in control in most of their matches including a sweep over UNC and a dominant performance against Mississippi State.
Michigan seems to have settled into a 5-2 offense with Johnson and her defensive skills setting in the front row and Dowd with her better tempo and location in the back. The big highlight of the 2022 season has been the emergence of Jess Robinson as an offensive force, leading the NCAA in hitting percentage. Much of that has to be attributed to her former club setter Dowd; the two have an instinctive connection that has paid big dividends this season.
Michigan does not have a sparkly resume like many of the top tier B1G squads but will have plenty of opportunities in conference play to get themselves in position for another tournament appearance. Go Blue!
|
|
|
|
Post by thevoiceofreason on Sept 19, 2022 9:32:59 GMT -5
This team, more than maybe any other in the recent history, will show us if the stat-padding non-conference slate will help or hurt the Big Ten slate. Even with so many things on the roster already set in place (Mruzik OH1, Grant LIB, Pertofsky RS, Robinson and Boney MB), there was a lot to get figured out in some key spots. Murray took control of the OH2 spot with her play opening weekend and since, and Beals has settled into the DS role (which I think could have been assumed, but in my mind still needed to play out). And the setter play... Well, TBone summed that up nicely. Those are some key positions to get set in place and I'd rather it get done against this type of schedule than say, Ohio State's.
Basically, I'm saying: USUALLY I am all about getting some higher-level competition on the schedule. It's fine that we usually see tournament-caliber teams (thinking Dayton in the past, Mississippi State is supposed to be that this year), but I've wanted to see some actual Top 25 opponents in the past. This year, however, I'm okay with how it played out.
And as previously pointed out, Mississippi State and Bowling Green are solid opponents.
I'd be interested to see the RPI numbers for this schedule. But overall, I think this schedule is what this Michigan team needed.
|
|
|
|
Post by volleynerd on Sept 19, 2022 15:04:30 GMT -5
so impressed with Robinson, she has become a really good offensive weapon and leads the entire country with a ridiculous .534% hitting clip...
the next highest is .477%
|
|
|
|
Post by potato518 on Sept 19, 2022 15:08:52 GMT -5
Robinson in club was averaging like 5/6 kps for a good amount of time. love to see her dominating recently!
|
|
|
|
Post by bprtbone on Sept 19, 2022 15:38:38 GMT -5
I'd be interested to see the RPI numbers for this schedule. But overall, I think this schedule is what this Michigan team needed. You can check the RPI numbers on vballfan17 's post here. 31. (33) Michigan - Big Ten (21-9) - .6006 - 50 This fair to middling type of non-conference scheduling has been Mark Rosen's MO for years and it has been a very successful formula for getting into the tourney just under the cut line. Finish the B1G over .500 with an upset or two and no bad losses will do the trick most years. Keep that final RPI line in the mid-30's or lower and you are good to go. Now does that type of low stress scheduling prepare the team for success in the tourney? That's a different question. If the program is going to take a step up competitively, they need to beef up the non-con schedule a touch (no need to go OSU crazy, but at least one Top 25 team would help); start getting aggressive on the transfer front; and build a new facility. |
|
|
|
Post by thevoiceofreason on Sept 19, 2022 21:11:28 GMT -5
I'd be interested to see the RPI numbers for this schedule. But overall, I think this schedule is what this Michigan team needed. You can check the RPI numbers on vballfan17 's post here. 31. (33) Michigan - Big Ten (21-9) - .6006 - 50 This fair to middling type of non-conference scheduling has been Mark Rosen's MO for years and it has been a very successful formula for getting into the tourney just under the cut line. Finish the B1G over .500 with an upset or two and no bad losses will do the trick most years. Keep that final RPI line in the mid-30's or lower and you are good to go. Now does that type of low stress scheduling prepare the team for success in the tourney? That's a different question. If the program is going to take a step up competitively, they need to beef up the non-con schedule a touch (no need to go OSU crazy, but at least one Top 25 team would help); start getting aggressive on the transfer front; and build a new facility. DING DING DING! It always makes me laugh to see people without much knowledge of U-M and where volleyball stands here make comments on where the program should be. The facility situation is not good. Bottom three in the league (easily) and with MSU playing all their matches in Breslin now it's safe to say bottom two. I'd take Keen above Rutgers and that's it (especially now that IU, Iowa and OSU are playing in new venues). How's that old saying go? If you build it, they will come? Wouldn't expect U-M to change their ways and suddenly support VB now, but it'd be nice to plan a fall trip to AA and know I'd be able to watch VB in a brand new facility. |
|
|
|
Post by bprtbone on Sept 22, 2022 11:19:50 GMT -5
A short Rosen Report this week as the team prepares for B1G conference play. The one notable comment is about having to play back to back matches with travel in between. That makes the challenge of playing Penn State even tougher. |
|
|
|
Post by thevoiceofreason on Sept 22, 2022 11:21:55 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by volleynerd on Sept 23, 2022 18:24:13 GMT -5
I thought Robinson was the d1 leader in ncaa
but Jacque Boney went off for 14 kills on .812 hitting
|
|
|
|
Post by bprtbone on Sept 23, 2022 18:54:12 GMT -5
I missed the match tonight but saw that Jenni Liu got playing time and recorded a block? So awesome. Nice to see the bench players get play time.
|
|
|
|
Post by volleynerd on Sept 23, 2022 21:05:58 GMT -5
were really going to see what this michigan team is made of.... 4 of the next 5 are against top10 teams
@ 9 Penn State (TOMORROW)
v. 7 Ohio State (Wednesday on FS1)
@ Northwestern (next Saturday)
v. 8 Minnesota (10.07 on BTN)
v. 3 Nebraska (10.09)
|
|
|
|
Post by cmon on Sept 24, 2022 19:34:02 GMT -5
GO BLUEEEEE!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by thevoiceofreason on Sept 24, 2022 19:51:50 GMT -5
HUGE W! And sets up an even bigger match Wednesday night against OSU
|
|
|
|
Post by bprtbone on Sept 26, 2022 14:31:18 GMT -5
|
|
