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Post by B1Gminnesotafan on Dec 10, 2022 9:14:19 GMT -5
Jenna Wenaas is a Junior. She has one year left to finish her degree. Incoming frosh are tallented but not 6-rotation players. Minnesota needs Jenna as a 6-rotation outside. Frosh can sit a year if necessary. Please Jenna, finish you degree here at Minnesota.
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Post by comet on Dec 10, 2022 9:48:41 GMT -5
To be clear, I'm not saying there isn't room to be critical. Like so many posters, for instance, I wonder whether serving harder and faster would pay off. But what do I know? I assume the coaches are better than I am in assessing what the players can and can't do effectively. I just don't think emotionalism is the answer, though. Sometimes, getting riled up helps; sometimes, letting emotions take over one's game gets in the way. One can argue that it was Minn losing its composure after that call reversal in game 2 that led to a great gopher team losing to Oregon in the third round in 2018. One can argue that it was Minn's calm and unemotional, "play our game" approach that enabled it to come back against Creighton when on the verge of defeat in 2019. Each team has its own way of figuring out what works best for the given group of individuals that comprise its floor players. I agree, I don't think getting riled up is the right answer either. In the Creighton match, the team didn't become riled up when behind, but Pittman stepped up and took that team on her shoulders and said "no, we're going to fight for this". Her blocks at the end were so clutch. That's what this team didn't have this season, and it might be because some are still young, but I would have liked to have seen more from them at the end. They have so much talent! That was a winnable match, but so be it that Londot stepped up for her team and had an incredible match. Kudos to her for playing her best game yet.
On to next year, I have great hope for this team moving forward. It will be an interesting next few weeks to hear the players decisions to stay or go and to hear the coaching change. I'm especially excited to hear who will fill our DS and Libero roles. Gomilion and Morioka could be a great double punch for the team.
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Post by zero-rotation outside hitter on Dec 10, 2022 10:13:23 GMT -5
Jenna Wenaas is a Junior. She has one year left to finish her degree. Incoming frosh are tallented but not 6-rotation players. Minnesota needs Jenna as a 6-rotation outside. Frosh can sit a year if necessary. Please Jenna, finish you degree here at Minnesota. True, but she also has two more years of eligibility if she wants it. |
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Post by B1Gminnesotafan on Dec 10, 2022 10:38:40 GMT -5
Jenna Wenaas is a Junior. She has one year left to finish her degree. Incoming frosh are tallented but not 6-rotation players. Minnesota needs Jenna as a 6-rotation outside. Frosh can sit a year if necessary. Please Jenna, finish you degree here at Minnesota. True, but she also has two more years of eligibility if she wants it. Yes, but players have been grad transferring. Finishing their degree in one school first and then getting a grad degree at the second. Academically it makes sense and she could still get the opportunity to play at another school. It could be easier to get the school of your choice if they only have to commit 1 year of scholarship. I'm hopeful. |
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Post by courtwatchers on Dec 10, 2022 11:02:32 GMT -5
There have been teams and/or individual players that have had "THEIR BEST EVER" match vs a Minnesota team. Northwestern this year, Rettke's 30 kills and now Londot's 29 kills just naming a few.
We have had that go to player saying in tough matches "give the ball to me" or "get on my shoulders and I will get us the win"....Santana, Wilhite, Pittman and Samedy to name a few in the past.
I really feel Wenaas is that type of player. However, I also feel, for whatever reason, she became absent in those moments in a match. Maybe that is what needed to be figured out with this Gopher team. The Gopher Program needs Wenaas.
I personally felt we saw the same offense season after season after season. I guess, if you don't change things up for a few plays or a set, in any match, your opponent can "read you like a book" as many would say...we became very predictable.
The area of our game most improved througout this season was our middle game. So I, for one, would like Pedro to remain on the staff. I think most fans would agree with me there.
Again, I am one of those fans looking for a change in our coaching staff. It's time and I think it was time for Hugh to focus more on his personal life and I certainly do not blame him one bit for that. He has two children to raise and his time spent and focus needs to be on them during these critical years of their lives. Most parents should know what I am talking about.
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Post by zero-rotation outside hitter on Dec 10, 2022 11:10:34 GMT -5
True, but she also has two more years of eligibility if she wants it. Yes, but players have been grad transferring. Finishing their degree in one school first and then getting a grad degree at the second. Academically it makes sense and she could still get the opportunity to play at another school. It could be easier to get the school of your choice if they only have to commit 1 year of scholarship. I'm hopeful. I'm a big Wenaas fan, I'm just skeptical that running the three-outside rotation they've done this year is a winning strategy. It's obviously what Hugh has deemed the best chance for winning with his current lineup, but having a junior hit .223 as our starting opposite (mostly hitting on the right anyway), is pretty rough for our expectation at scoring points. And serving needs to be MUCH better at getting teams out of system. *Edit: But...Jenna made strides on the right this year, and with another year to improve, maybe she'd be lights out next fall. Again, just skeptical. |
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Post by gogophers on Dec 10, 2022 12:53:51 GMT -5
I agree, I don't think getting riled up is the right answer either. In the Creighton match, the team didn't become riled up when behind, but Pittman stepped up and took that team on her shoulders and said "no, we're going to fight for this". Her blocks at the end were so clutch. That's what this team didn't have this season, and it might be because some are still young, but I would have liked to have seen more from them at the end. [/div][/quote] Maybe, but I'm not in a position to say which came first: Pittman saying (presumably to herself) no, we're going to fight for this" or the blocks, which certainly jazzed up the players and the crowd. Minn's talented players can make plays. And if they had, and had done so at a critical juncture, I would expect lots of cheering and back slapping among them. I'm sure we'd see emotion. was it because they were trying less hard than Pittman was? I'm skeptical about it. Perhaps Pittman was just better at performing at stressful moments when the season is on the line. Perhaps. But perhaps she (and Gopher fans) were just fortunate that the Creighton hitters hit into her block. I still believe the Gophers were trying as hard as they could. Sometimes, that isn't enough. |
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Post by pavsec5row10 on Dec 10, 2022 13:19:20 GMT -5
To be clear, I'm not saying there isn't room to be critical. Like so many posters, for instance, I wonder whether serving harder and faster would pay off. But what do I know? I assume the coaches are better than I am in assessing what the players can and can't do effectively. I just don't think emotionalism is the answer, though. Sometimes, getting riled up helps; sometimes, letting emotions take over one's game gets in the way. One can argue that it was Minn losing its composure after that call reversal in game 2 that led to a great gopher team losing to Oregon in the third round in 2018. One can argue that it was Minn's calm and unemotional, "play our game" approach that enabled it to come back against Creighton when on the verge of defeat in 2019. Each team has its own way of figuring out what works best for the given group of individuals that comprise its floor players. I just wonder if it's a generational thing, where people who didn't grow up with the steely gaze of Bud Grant need to see histrionics from players after every point and conflate the over celebrating with success or "wanting it more" or any other cliche they throw out? |
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Post by gogophers on Dec 10, 2022 13:30:24 GMT -5
I believe some players do have to be fired up inside and outside to play their best. But not all. Not even close to all.
Mike Hebert wrote about competitiveness in his book, Thinking Volleyball. There are some players, even in a sport of super-competitors, who are super, super competitive. He cited Mary Eggers, a player from what is now quite a while ago, when Hebert was coaching Illinois, and others cite Michael Jordan often. These are people who get distraught when they lose a coin toss. But each had their own way of focusing, shutting out distractions, accepting the pressure, and elevating their game. Perhaps the Gophers are super competitive personalties but lacked that super, super competitive player. They're rare. I don't know. I'm not the team counselor. But I just doubt that we fans can tell what is going on in the players' heads just from watching in the stands or watching 8 inch figures on a screen.
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Post by onceandfuturesetter on Dec 10, 2022 13:53:09 GMT -5
One of the big reasons Wenaas stayed at OPP for 6 rotations was because Kilkelly had a lot of trouble playing right back and is a more natural middle back defender. It was a liability at times and didn't make up for the offensive power of Hanson (who I'm such a fan of after her pre-conference play). Wucherer could be lethal at OPP and it's a better fit for her style of play given how hard she hits the ball. A DS for her back row would make sense. This allows Wenaas to return to OH. With the combination of Landfair's power and Wenaas' excellent shot selection that makes for a formidable left side for opponents.
I'd love to see Stokes or Gomillion in gold, too!
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Post by blackiechan1999 on Dec 10, 2022 13:58:46 GMT -5
One of the big reasons Wenaas stayed at OPP for 6 rotations was because Kilkelly had a lot of trouble playing right back and is a more natural middle back defender. It was a liability at times and didn't make up for the offensive power of Hanson (who I'm such a fan of after her pre-conference play). Wucherer could be lethal at OPP and it's a better fit for her style of play given how hard she hits the ball. A DS for her back row would make sense. This allows Wenaas to return to OH. With the combination of Landfair's power and Wenaas' excellent shot selection that makes for a formidable left side for opponents. I'd love to see Stokes or Gomillion in gold, too Stokes is going to NC State. |
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Post by BigDigEnergy on Dec 10, 2022 14:02:19 GMT -5
One of the big reasons Wenaas stayed at OPP for 6 rotations was because Kilkelly had a lot of trouble playing right back and is a more natural middle back defender. It was a liability at times and didn't make up for the offensive power of Hanson (who I'm such a fan of after her pre-conference play). Wucherer could be lethal at OPP and it's a better fit for her style of play given how hard she hits the ball. A DS for her back row would make sense. This allows Wenaas to return to OH. With the combination of Landfair's power and Wenaas' excellent shot selection that makes for a formidable left side for opponents. I'd love to see Stokes or Gomillion in gold, too! I would put my money more on Gomillion and/or Morioka. I posted in the transfer tea thread that Jen Houk just recently followed Gomillion. |
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Post by GoGophs on Dec 10, 2022 17:53:48 GMT -5
One of the big reasons Wenaas stayed at OPP for 6 rotations was because Kilkelly had a lot of trouble playing right back and is a more natural middle back defender. It was a liability at times and didn't make up for the offensive power of Hanson (who I'm such a fan of after her pre-conference play). Wucherer could be lethal at OPP and it's a better fit for her style of play given how hard she hits the ball. A DS for her back row would make sense. This allows Wenaas to return to OH. With the combination of Landfair's power and Wenaas' excellent shot selection that makes for a formidable left side for opponents. I'd love to see Stokes or Gomillion in gold, too! I would put my money more on Gomillion and/or Morioka. I posted in the transfer tea thread that Jen Houk just recently followed Gomillion. That would be amazing… can we get both? Pretty please? Surprised that Morioka is in the portal after decommitting from MN and only a year at PSU. Playing time must be high on her priority list |
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Post by clob on Dec 10, 2022 21:05:21 GMT -5
I'll admit I do check out the Transfer/Portal threads every day. And pray no one leaves.
If Minnesota has everyone back, it might be one of the best offensive teams they've ever had. The player are also older and everyone knows their role.
That said, can't wait to see who's in the back court.
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Post by BigDigEnergy on Dec 10, 2022 21:19:03 GMT -5
I'll admit I do check out the Transfer/Portal threads every day. And pray no one leaves. If Minnesota has everyone back, it might be one of the best offensive teams they've ever had. The player are also older and everyone knows their role. That said, can't wait to see who's in the back court. Without knowing who might end up transferring, the biggest question mark will definitely be the back row. |
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