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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 8, 2024 8:38:57 GMT -5
I love our two freshman starters Laynie Smith and Ashlyn Philpot. I was only able to watch set one of our 4 set win over Northwestern at my seat in Huff Gym before I had to leave (the one we lost). However, Ashlyn was dialed in from the beginning of the first set. She seemed very determined from the get-go! Very happy for her to be rewarded.
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Post by ilalum92 on Oct 8, 2024 12:53:33 GMT -5
Beginning with Northwestern, this is the schedule stretch where Fighting Illini should go 5-0 (Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana at Huff, and Maryland at Huff). 5-0 builds momentum towards earning an NCAA tournament bid. Has there been explanation why Taylor De Bour is not receiving playing time? I get it...Tamas lineups are locked in unless injuries force adjustments...but there was significant Taylor De Bour hype prior to her illness. Thanks!
I'd assume it's partly stats-based. Laynie and Averie are hitting more efficiently than Taylor has, in her limited opportunities. And for one, Averie has been probably our best passer so we've gotta have her on the court, IMO, in addition to everything else she brings to the table.
With Kayla, Sarah, and Gabby seemingly out indefinitely, Taylor is next up if one more middle or a pin becomes unavailable. A prediction on Illinois VT was made that if one of our current healthy middles is unavailable that Laynie would shift to middle and Taylor would play opposite. If memory serves, Laynie played middle for most (if not all) of her penultimate club season, so she's got recent experience there. Did Triangle win nationals that season? I can't remember if it was that season or this most recent one.
I think Averie strengthens the back row on passing and defense which gives her the edge over TDB. Lately she is swinging a lot harder too. I think her confidence is building. I would like to see TDB come in and play either to sub Laynie when she is off or if Averie is off. |
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Post by Chewblocka on Oct 8, 2024 16:00:32 GMT -5
I'd assume it's partly stats-based. Laynie and Averie are hitting more efficiently than Taylor has, in her limited opportunities. And for one, Averie has been probably our best passer so we've gotta have her on the court, IMO, in addition to everything else she brings to the table.
With Kayla, Sarah, and Gabby seemingly out indefinitely, Taylor is next up if one more middle or a pin becomes unavailable. A prediction on Illinois VT was made that if one of our current healthy middles is unavailable that Laynie would shift to middle and Taylor would play opposite. If memory serves, Laynie played middle for most (if not all) of her penultimate club season, so she's got recent experience there. Did Triangle win nationals that season? I can't remember if it was that season or this most recent one.
I think Averie strengthens the back row on passing and defense which gives her the edge over TDB. Lately she is swinging a lot harder too. I think her confidence is building. I would like to see TDB come in and play either to sub Laynie when she is off or if Averie is off. You raise a valid point, ilalum92. TdB isn’t quite ready for a full 6-rotation role yet, and that development will come with time. My concern, however, is that if the situation arises where we need to make adjustments, she hasn’t been given enough court time to truly gain her footing. If we were to take a snapshot of other players with limited playing time, many wouldn’t look great either, but they’ve been given the opportunity to build a body of work that’s reliable over time. As for Avery, I like what she brings, but I question whether her passing is stronger than what we could get from a dedicated DS. We’re not utilizing back-row attacks much, so it’s worth considering if her defensive value outweighs that of a DS in that position. The announcers often describe her as a “steady” presence—not flashy, or “high impact” but consistent. While that’s certainly valuable, I think we’re missing some of the explosive swings we need. There’s also a noticeable height difference between TdB and Avery, and we may be leaving some blocking potential on the table. I haven’t dug into the blocking stats yet, but that’s something to consider. Ultimately, I’m hopeful we’ll see what TdB is capable of like the rest of you. She has a lot of potential, and it’s like waiting to unwrap a gift—I know we’re eager to see what she can bring, and I’m sure she’s just as eager to prove herself after all she has been through to stick with volleyball and keep pushing on. |
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Post by exit237a on Oct 8, 2024 17:17:26 GMT -5
Hey Illinois sportsfans! Here's a thread for Friday night's match between Illinois and host, Michigan: |
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Post by UofIlliniVBFan on Oct 8, 2024 17:39:38 GMT -5
RPI Futures Rank. (last week rank) - Conference (projected wins-losses[rounded] - RPI Score - Strength of Schedule
Week 6 RPI Future: 44. (48) Illinois - Big Ten (17-13) - .5862 - 16
Week 5 RPI Future: 48. (30) Illinois - Big Ten (17-13) - .5815 - 20
Week 3 RPI Future: 30. (41) Illinois - Big Ten (19-11) - .6013 - 33
Week 2 RPI Future: 41. (77) Illinois - Big Ten (18-12) - .5896 - 32
Week 1 RPI Future: 77. (96) Illinois - Big Ten (14-16) - .5538 - 30
Week 0 RPI Future: 96. Illinois - Big Ten (12-18) - .5342 - 27
Week 6 RPI Future:
2. (2) Nebraska - Big Ten (29-2) - .7307 - 7
7. (7) Penn State - Big Ten (27-4) - .6795 - 17
9. (11) Wisconsin - Big Ten (20-9) - .6613 - 3
14. (13) Purdue - Big Ten (24-7) - .6463 - 22
16. (18) Oregon - Big Ten (21-8) - .6414 - 13
20. (14) Minnesota - Big Ten (20-10) - .6291 - 11
23. (29) USC - Big Ten (19-11) - .6180 - 12
25. (23) Washington - Big Ten (22-8) - .6148 - 52
44. (48) Illinois - Big Ten (17-13) - .5862 - 16
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50. (54) Indiana - Big Ten (16-14) - .5791 - 20
51. (35) UCLA - Big Ten (15-14) - .5787 - 29
52. (67) Michigan - Big Ten (21-10) - .5775 - 85
95. (80) Ohio State - Big Ten (12-18) - .5452 - 23
120. (130) Michigan State - Big Ten (12-19) - .5307 - 45
122. (133) Maryland - Big Ten (14-17) - .5286 - 71
164. (153) Iowa - Big Ten (11-21) - .5052 - 54
187. (181) Northwestern - Big Ten (7-21) - .4924 - 47
235. (234) Rutgers - Big Ten (7-24) - .4661 - 67
15. (20) Dayton - Atlantic 10 (28-1) - .6445 - 83
28. (26) Missouri - Southeastern (19-9) - .6077 - 35
75. (85) Western Kentucky - Conference USA (22-9) - .5553 - 164
83. (97) Bowling Green - Mid-American (20-9) - .5516 - 145
102. (87) Iowa State - Big 12 (13-16) - .5425 - 50
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Post by badgerbyproxy on Oct 8, 2024 18:28:20 GMT -5
Hey Illinois fans! I’m wanting to show my partner the Illinois-Michigan match from 2018, but it looks like BTN Plus only goes back to 2019. Anyone know if the video is available on YouTube or in the annals of BTN plus?
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Post by exit237a on Oct 8, 2024 18:33:18 GMT -5
Hey Illinois fans! I’m wanting to show my partner the Illinois-Michigan match from 2018, but it looks like BTN Plus only goes back to 2019. Anyone know if the video is available on YouTube or in the annals of BTN plus?
On the computer I'm able to access that match on BTN+:
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Post by badgerbyproxy on Oct 8, 2024 18:35:08 GMT -5
Hey Illinois fans! I’m wanting to show my partner the Illinois-Michigan match from 2018, but it looks like BTN Plus only goes back to 2019. Anyone know if the video is available on YouTube or in the annals of BTN plus?
On the computer I'm able to access that match on BTN+:
Thank you! 😊 |
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Post by exit237a on Oct 8, 2024 18:38:03 GMT -5
On the computer I'm able to access that match on BTN+:
Thank you! 😊
You're welcome! That match is right around when I first started watching Illinois volleyball so I might have to watch it again for nostalgia's sake : )
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Post by ilalum92 on Oct 8, 2024 19:28:23 GMT -5
I think Averie strengthens the back row on passing and defense which gives her the edge over TDB. Lately she is swinging a lot harder too. I think her confidence is building. I would like to see TDB come in and play either to sub Laynie when she is off or if Averie is off. You raise a valid point, ilalum92. TdB isn’t quite ready for a full 6-rotation role yet, and that development will come with time. My concern, however, is that if the situation arises where we need to make adjustments, she hasn’t been given enough court time to truly gain her footing. If we were to take a snapshot of other players with limited playing time, many wouldn’t look great either, but they’ve been given the opportunity to build a body of work that’s reliable over time. As for Avery, I like what she brings, but I question whether her passing is stronger than what we could get from a dedicated DS. We’re not utilizing back-row attacks much, so it’s worth considering if her defensive value outweighs that of a DS in that position. The announcers often describe her as a “steady” presence—not flashy, or “high impact” but consistent. While that’s certainly valuable, I think we’re missing some of the explosive swings we need. There’s also a noticeable height difference between TdB and Avery, and we may be leaving some blocking potential on the table. I haven’t dug into the blocking stats yet, but that’s something to consider. Ultimately, I’m hopeful we’ll see what TdB is capable of like the rest of you. She has a lot of potential, and it’s like waiting to unwrap a gift—I know we’re eager to see what she can bring, and I’m sure she’s just as eager to prove herself after all she has been through to stick with volleyball and keep pushing on. I dont disagree with you on putting in a DS for an OH in the back row. In 2018 there were times when we had Kuper, Welsh & O’brien all being used. Our passing and defense were on point. Prince & Cooney never played back row. |
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Post by jade58 on Oct 8, 2024 19:51:34 GMT -5
I think Averie strengthens the back row on passing and defense which gives her the edge over TDB. Lately she is swinging a lot harder too. I think her confidence is building. I would like to see TDB come in and play either to sub Laynie when she is off or if Averie is off. You raise a valid point, ilalum92. TdB isn’t quite ready for a full 6-rotation role yet, and that development will come with time. My concern, however, is that if the situation arises where we need to make adjustments, she hasn’t been given enough court time to truly gain her footing. If we were to take a snapshot of other players with limited playing time, many wouldn’t look great either, but they’ve been given the opportunity to build a body of work that’s reliable over time. As for Avery, I like what she brings, but I question whether her passing is stronger than what we could get from a dedicated DS. We’re not utilizing back-row attacks much, so it’s worth considering if her defensive value outweighs that of a DS in that position. The announcers often describe her as a “steady” presence—not flashy, or “high impact” but consistent. While that’s certainly valuable, I think we’re missing some of the explosive swings we need. There’s also a noticeable height difference between TdB and Avery, and we may be leaving some blocking potential on the table. I haven’t dug into the blocking stats yet, but that’s something to consider. Ultimately, I’m hopeful we’ll see what TdB is capable of like the rest of you. She has a lot of potential, and it’s like waiting to unwrap a gift—I know we’re eager to see what she can bring, and I’m sure she’s just as eager to prove herself after all she has been through to stick with volleyball and keep pushing on. When a team is down 17-6 in the 3rd set of a match like they were in Oregon and you don’t sub in your bench, you are not developing, you are hoping. I’ve watched numerous games where he can give his starters a breather or relief as they are getting it handed to them, but he didn’t. I have watched how some of our competitors use subs as a strategy to throw off the competition. He doesn’t. Watching his interview the other day said it all, “if you make a substitution, it can change the chemistry on the floor.” No %*$#, that’s why you do it sometimes. And since when is team chemistry based on 6 players and not 18? If you don’t change because of team chemistry then that’s a coaching problem, not a player one. They should all be interchangeable parts, that’s what makes great teams great. |
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Post by tditman2 on Oct 9, 2024 10:32:46 GMT -5
Heads up for Saturday's MSU match. Due to the conflict with football, the radio broadcast will be online only at fightingillini.com. But, the start time is listed at 12am. Remember when oldmanvb pointed this out for a previous match and it was never fixed despite my pleadings? Well, it's happening again. So if you want to get the hometown call with inside info you won't get anywhere else (and I'm actually on site unlike FS1 this past week), start emailing DIA folks with your displeasure. If this isn't fixed, this might be my retirement post  |
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Post by Chewblocka on Oct 9, 2024 13:48:40 GMT -5
You raise a valid point, ilalum92 . TdB isn’t quite ready for a full 6-rotation role yet, and that development will come with time. My concern, however, is that if the situation arises where we need to make adjustments, she hasn’t been given enough court time to truly gain her footing. If we were to take a snapshot of other players with limited playing time, many wouldn’t look great either, but they’ve been given the opportunity to build a body of work that’s reliable over time. As for Avery, I like what she brings, but I question whether her passing is stronger than what we could get from a dedicated DS. We’re not utilizing back-row attacks much, so it’s worth considering if her defensive value outweighs that of a DS in that position. The announcers often describe her as a “steady” presence—not flashy, or “high impact” but consistent. While that’s certainly valuable, I think we’re missing some of the explosive swings we need. There’s also a noticeable height difference between TdB and Avery, and we may be leaving some blocking potential on the table. I haven’t dug into the blocking stats yet, but that’s something to consider. Ultimately, I’m hopeful we’ll see what TdB is capable of like the rest of you. She has a lot of potential, and it’s like waiting to unwrap a gift—I know we’re eager to see what she can bring, and I’m sure she’s just as eager to prove herself after all she has been through to stick with volleyball and keep pushing on. When a team is down 17-6 in the 3rd set of a match like they were in Oregon and you don’t sub in your bench, you are not developing, you are hoping. I’ve watched numerous games where he can give his starters a breather or relief as they are getting it handed to them, but he didn’t. I have watched how some of our competitors use subs as a strategy to throw off the competition. He doesn’t. Watching his interview the other day said it all, “if you make a substitution, it can change the chemistry on the floor.” No %*$#, that’s why you do it sometimes. And since when is team chemistry based on 6 players and not 18? If you don’t change because of team chemistry then that’s a coaching problem, not a player one. They should all be interchangeable parts, that’s what makes great teams great. decent point jade58 I am thinking of it differently now, yes, if players are struggling its also a benefit to them to get a restart. For some reason I keep thinking about seeing players get experience (clearly I am focused on the future here ) but I bet it can be overwhelming to be not playing well and knowing that there is no outlet- sink or swim strategy. I think this weekend will be telling as both of these teams can be tough at times so hopefully there is a “recovery” of “plan B” that mixes things up if we are struggling. Anyone travelling to watch? I will not be able to watch Friday and hopefully I can watch Saturday but my regular life is starting to creep into my volleyball watching time. How rude everyone doesn't work around my Illini VB schedule! :D Ps updates from games will be highly appreciated :) |
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Post by ilalum92 on Oct 9, 2024 15:30:32 GMT -5
Totally agree with the poster above, we need to win both matches this weekend. Would love to have the Mizzou match back and win that one. Plus, I think we need to at least beat one of USC/UCLA and maybe one upset of a top tier team, maybe Purdue?
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Post by exit237a on Oct 9, 2024 16:30:07 GMT -5
Hi again, Illini Nation! I'll be busy through Friday so I had to get the Michigan State match thread made now. Here we go:
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