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Post by illinivbfan1992 on Oct 31, 2024 16:11:54 GMT -5
Halfway through the Big Ten schedule and we've done what we needed to so far. We won the five "should win" matches and the one toss-up (Michigan) and lost the four "should lose" matches. The back half of the schedule looks tougher.
There are at least as many that project as "should lose" matches (Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota) and perhaps one more (USC). There are as only two clear "should win" matches (Northwestern and Rutgers). There are more in the "toss-up" category. I put Indiana there on their Senior Day and Ohio State because of Londot, though I think we're the slight favorite in both. (One advantage against OSU: They play at Michigan the night before, which is their big emotional match. Let's root for that one to go 5.) UCLA is a toss-up, and maybe USC.
Assuming we don't lose to Northwestern or Rutgers, going 5-5 gets us in the Tournament. Going 4-6 might, but it matters who we beat. I agree with everyone who's said that UCLA and USC are the keys. And if we're 5-5, we'll either have beaten at least one of those teams or someone better -- a current top 15 squad.
So now the suspense starts building. We may have a clearer picture in nine days: If we take care of business against Northwestern and win the home matches with USC and OSU, we can feel pretty good about our chances, barring a late-season collapse. I just have a hard time daring to hope that I'll feel that relieved, that soon. (I'm suffering from enough election-related nervous tension as it is!)
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Post by ilalum92 on Oct 31, 2024 17:54:48 GMT -5
Recruiting wise, is our 2026 Class only 2 people?
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Post by exit237a on Oct 31, 2024 18:08:28 GMT -5
Recruiting wise, is our 2026 Class only 2 people? Currently, yes. The two "Hoosier State" pins, Maya and Madison. Current 2026 roster projection is 17 out of 18 possible roster spots (if expected NCAA ruling goes through). Both of their names are hyperlinked to their Hudl pages. Having watched some of their game footage over there, I'm quite stoked at the prospect of them joining the Orange and Blue. |
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Post by exit237a on Oct 31, 2024 20:28:46 GMT -5
Fellow Illini heads, here's our match thread for Sunday, Wisconsin: |
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Post by oldmanvb on Oct 31, 2024 22:14:26 GMT -5
Watching the USC/UCLA match. If we can't beat UCLA on our floor after they have travelled across the country to play we probably don't deserve to be in the tournament.
The USC setter is terrific. Brooke should watch the way she attacks the middle. Whenever she is inside the 3 meter line and is able to see the middle she won't hesitate to shoot the ball to the middle. Her middles are up and ready, knowing there is a good chance they will get the ball. On one play in the first set she was on the baseline at the 10 foot line and shot the ball hard to the middle who was up and ready. We would have pushed a moon ball to the left pin hitter.
Our middles have to learn to open up the farther the setter is off the net. I can't believe Jen Tamas cannot and has not taught them how to open themselves up so they can take a fast set ball from as far back as the 3 meter line.
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Post by maigrey on Nov 1, 2024 8:28:10 GMT -5
Watching the USC/UCLA match. If we can't beat UCLA on our floor after they have travelled across the country to play we probably don't deserve to be in the tournament. The USC setter is terrific. Brooke should watch the way she attacks the middle. Whenever she is inside the 3 meter line and is able to see the middle she won't hesitate to shoot the ball to the middle. Her middles are up and ready, knowing there is a good chance they will get the ball. On one play in the first set she was on the baseline at the 10 foot line and shot the ball hard to the middle who was up and ready. We would have pushed a moon ball to the left pin hitter. Our middles have to learn to open up the farther the setter is off the net. I can't believe Jen Tamas cannot and has not taught them how to open themselves up so they can take a fast set ball from as far back as the 3 meter line. Mia is an amazing setter, and she is so underrated, likely because she is 5'9". If she had a couple more inches, she'd be in the NT setter discussion. |
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Post by liberovb10 on Nov 1, 2024 8:33:28 GMT -5
Watching the USC/UCLA match. If we can't beat UCLA on our floor after they have travelled across the country to play we probably don't deserve to be in the tournament. The USC setter is terrific. Brooke should watch the way she attacks the middle. Whenever she is inside the 3 meter line and is able to see the middle she won't hesitate to shoot the ball to the middle. Her middles are up and ready, knowing there is a good chance they will get the ball. On one play in the first set she was on the baseline at the 10 foot line and shot the ball hard to the middle who was up and ready. We would have pushed a moon ball to the left pin hitter. Our middles have to learn to open up the farther the setter is off the net. I can't believe Jen Tamas cannot and has not taught them how to open themselves up so they can take a fast set ball from as far back as the 3 meter line. Mia is an amazing setter, and she is so underrated, likely because she is 5'9". If she had a couple more inches, she'd be in the NT setter discussion. i think she’s been in that convo in the world of VT - i need to go back and look but i want to say she’s been invited to train or has made some of the collegiate rosters. i don’t want to turn this into a USC focused thread but Ally B has looked insane the last few matches for them too…if we can slow her down then we might have a chance. |
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Post by maigrey on Nov 1, 2024 8:53:43 GMT -5
Mia is an amazing setter, and she is so underrated, likely because she is 5'9". If she had a couple more inches, she'd be in the NT setter discussion. i think she’s been in that convo in the world of VT - i need to go back and look but i want to say she’s been invited to train or has made some of the collegiate rosters. i don’t want to turn this into a USC focused thread but Ally B has looked insane the last few matches for them too…if we can slow her down then we might have a chance. Mia did go to the NORCECA Final Six, which is what you may be remembering and I'd love to see her in the conversation. We'll have to wait and see who the new coach is and what they think. And Ally is so much happier at USC - their transition system is a bit different and she thrives on it. When you watch the game, watch how Reina sets up in transition: wide off the court coming in at an angle; Ally and USC's hitting path is much further inside the court and is straighter, more like a middle. USC's block is also strong, so Brooke is going to need to run her middles much more than she's usually inclined to spread the defense out and get some 1-1 matchups. USC will camp out on Raina with a triple block if Brooke overuses her. It will be a good match, IMO! |
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Post by ilalum92 on Nov 1, 2024 14:58:38 GMT -5
Watching the USC/UCLA match. If we can't beat UCLA on our floor after they have travelled across the country to play we probably don't deserve to be in the tournament. The USC setter is terrific. Brooke should watch the way she attacks the middle. Whenever she is inside the 3 meter line and is able to see the middle she won't hesitate to shoot the ball to the middle. Her middles are up and ready, knowing there is a good chance they will get the ball. On one play in the first set she was on the baseline at the 10 foot line and shot the ball hard to the middle who was up and ready. We would have pushed a moon ball to the left pin hitter. Our middles have to learn to open up the farther the setter is off the net. I can't believe Jen Tamas cannot and has not taught them how to open themselves up so they can take a fast set ball from as far back as the 3 meter line. Its not an issue of coaching, its an issue of talent. Philipot can easily hit it but Bohm is too slow, Binham/Dean we havent seen play. |
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Post by ilalum92 on Nov 1, 2024 15:00:37 GMT -5
Recruiting wise, is our 2026 Class only 2 people? Currently, yes. The two "Hoosier State" pins, Maya and Madison. Current 2026 roster projection is 17 out of 18 possible roster spots (if expected NCAA ruling goes through). [/font][/a] [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]6'1" [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]OH [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]Boiler Juniors VBC, IN [/td][/tr][/tbody][/table] Both of their names are hyperlinked to their Hudl pages. Having watched some of their game footage over there, I'm quite stoked at the prospect of them joining the Orange and Blue. [/quote] So 6 pins and 3 MB with one who has never played and a frosh?? We need a MB!!! |
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Post by oldmanvb on Nov 1, 2024 15:01:50 GMT -5
It has been frustrating seeing all the times Cari should have been up in the air in a quick transition situation, but she was half a step slow and the ball invariably went outside. To be fair, a slow 1 could be effective in those situations. It’s just not a part of the way we think about attacking.
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Nov 1, 2024 16:03:03 GMT -5
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Post by illinivbfan1992 on Nov 1, 2024 16:23:17 GMT -5
Currently, yes. The two "Hoosier State" pins, Maya and Madison. Current 2026 roster projection is 17 out of 18 possible roster spots (if expected NCAA ruling goes through). [/font][/a] [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]6'1" [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]OH [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]Boiler Juniors VBC, IN [/td][/tr][/tbody][/table] Both of their names are hyperlinked to their Hudl pages. Having watched some of their game footage over there, I'm quite stoked at the prospect of them joining the Orange and Blue. [/quote] So 6 pins and 3 MB with one who has never played and a frosh?? We need a MB!!! [/quote] This is the class of 2026. As things stand, we'll have four middles: Philpot (Jr.), Bohm (Sr.), Dean (RS Jr.) and Gabriela Pitcel (Soph.) Odds are things will change before then -- we'll lose at least one and gain at least one. (No inside info here, just seems likely. Players who go through multiple seasons without playing seldom stick around for three or four years.) I seem to recall hearing good things about Pitcel on this board in the context of our move from bigger and slower to shorter and quicker in upcoming classes. Would hope that either she or a transfer can challenge Cari for a starting role next season. In general -- and especially with Raina gone -- we can't afford to rely on a middle who's not an attacker. We at least need the option of putting an offensive threat at every front-row spot. |
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Post by ilalum92 on Nov 1, 2024 17:34:00 GMT -5
[/font][/a] [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]6'1" [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]OH [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]Boiler Juniors VBC, IN [/td][/tr][/tbody][/table] Both of their names are hyperlinked to their Hudl pages. Having watched some of their game footage over there, I'm quite stoked at the prospect of them joining the Orange and Blue. [/quote] So 6 pins and 3 MB with one who has never played and a frosh?? We need a MB!!! [/quote] This is the class of 2026. As things stand, we'll have four middles: Philpot (Jr.), Bohm (Sr.), Dean (RS Jr.) and Gabriela Pitcel (Soph.) Odds are things will change before then -- we'll lose at least one and gain at least one. (No inside info here, just seems likely. Players who go through multiple seasons without playing seldom stick around for three or four years.) I seem to recall hearing good things about Pitcel on this board in the context of our move from bigger and slower to shorter and quicker in upcoming classes. Would hope that either she or a transfer can challenge Cari for a starting role next season. In general -- and especially with Raina gone -- we can't afford to rely on a middle who's not an attacker. We at least need the option of putting an offensive threat at every front-row spot. [/quote] Bohm is redshirt - we have to see if she decided to come back. After that it’s Philipot for one year & Pitcel. We need another MB to come in and train. Im not counting on Dean at all. |
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Post by ilalum92 on Nov 1, 2024 22:44:03 GMT -5
In other news, Mizzou beats Texas which will help our RPI.
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