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Post by StanfordFan on Sept 5, 2005 15:10:00 GMT -5
Did anyone see Arizona play this weekend? How were they? Are we looking at a repeat of last few years, or is the team finally playing well together?
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azfan
Sophomore
Posts: 152 
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Post by azfan on Sept 5, 2005 22:28:10 GMT -5
I saw them play versus Georgia Tech and Northwestern. I'd say that they were very composed in both matches and really never threatened in either match. GT is nowhere near their pre season ranking of 20. They have some good young ( keyword: young ) players and they'll be good in time but not yet.
Northwestern was much better than GT at this point of the season and played very hard but in all 3 games when Arizona needed to string some good points together to put away the game they did it.
What I liked about the Cats was: the young liberos Leonard and Jaeckels are both as good or better than Mulvany was in serve receive and are significantly better in floor defense speed - wise. Glass took more and more confident swings as the matches progressed. Jen Abernathy played very well all 3 matches and was the tourney MVP for the 2nd straight year. She had all the shots working and was in control hitting angles, power through the block and from the back row. Ladd and Lamb in the middle could hit over or around the block when the sets were placed properly which was not the case all the time. I'm still not sold on Butkus as the setter, judging from Rubios reaction sometimes I think he'd concur, mostly when it comes to choices of who to set and when.
I'd say at this point they are playng very cohesively with confident smiles that looked like they are comfortable with knowing what they are all about on the floor.
I'll be interested to see how they do going to Santa Clara this week. Playing the Broncos and UCSB will give them some input of what they need more work on. I don't see playing together as a problem however.
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