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Post by exit237a on Sept 10, 2024 18:26:18 GMT -5
I'm reminded how good their home volleyball broadcasters are. I think you'll enjoy them on the call this weekend for our WKU match.
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Post by brucks on Sept 10, 2024 20:15:37 GMT -5
Schedule conflict? On Friday, Nov. 22 both volleyball and women's basketball play at home. Volleyball plays Rutgers at 7:00 at Huff, while basketball plays Oregon State at State Farm Center. Does anyone know what time the basketball game tips off?
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Post by jade58 on Sept 10, 2024 20:29:39 GMT -5
To switch topics really quick, recruiting is still going strong and wondering if we have any offers out there. Maybe Tamas is going to pass on any ‘26’s and see what the portal has to offer. We need support at MB. I’ve heard through different sources that Tamas made a couple of recruiting trips to Europe in the spring so there maybe offers out there from that trip. I see the trend of building our future through the portal given we will be losing Raina, Barnes, Burbage, Reilly, CMM, and let’s just assume 1 current roster player, as is the trend. I would say player development is not his strategy.
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Post by exit237a on Sept 10, 2024 20:32:27 GMT -5
To switch topics really quick, recruiting is still going strong and wondering if we have any offers out there. Maybe Tamas is going to pass on any ‘26’s and see what the portal has to offer. We need support at MB. I’ve heard through different sources that Tamas made a couple of recruiting trips to Europe in the spring so there maybe offers out there from that trip. I see the trend of building our future through the portal given we will be losing Raina, Barnes, Burbage, Reilly, CMM, and let’s just assume 1 current roster player, as is the trend. I would say player development is not his strategy.
Umm, our 2025 class of recruits is five incoming players. There are your replacements.
Starting to feel like some bad faith posting at this point.
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Post by exit237a on Sept 10, 2024 20:43:58 GMT -5
I’ve heard through different sources that Tamas made a couple of recruiting trips to Europe in the spring so there maybe offers out there from that trip. I see the trend of building our future through the portal given we will be losing Raina, Barnes, Burbage, Reilly, CMM, and let’s just assume 1 current roster player, as is the trend. I would say player development is not his strategy. Umm, our 2025 class of recruits is five incoming players. There are your replacements. Starting to feel like some bad faith posting at this point.
Understandable that you couldn't find that info though, jade58 , since it's hidden all the way toward the *end* of the table on the first post of this thread. Here's that secret list of our incoming prep recruits for 2025. Might want to do the reading before the next narrative you want to push here:
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Post by inpaign on Sept 10, 2024 21:14:06 GMT -5
She seemed pretty shanky against Iowa State. I haven’t seen all the games this season, but I didn’t see any reason to replace a 4 year starter with a grad transfer/ 1 & done player. Not sure that would be the best message for recruiting either… Barnes is passing a 1.85 on the season so far. that’s atrocious. the ISU match is the only one where she’s outplayed CMM. in the 5 other matches, CMM is passing a combined 2.08 and Barnes is passing a 1.80 Chiming in here because I always have something to say about our libero situation Prefacing this by once again reiterating that I think Barnes is a good player, a good teammate and has a great presence on the court. In my opinion, a previous poster said it best when they said that CMM and Barnes is the difference between a great and a good libero. CMM is a natural. There's no doubt she didn't pass well that match...but I'd argue her bad passes are so much more noticeable to us because we just assume she will play a perfect ball. If you rewatch that match, you'll see Barnes has just as many, if not more, shanks/overpasses than CMM. Yes, she's playing more points. But as our libero, a shank/overpass should be a RARITY. It's not normal at this level, and the mistakes are what separates a libero vs a good DS. 4 years of Barnes has us numb to the little mistakes we see (that accumulate) each game. All I'd like is to see us play CMM at libero for ONE game. I think she's exceptional defensively and I think playing every point will allow her to get into the serve-receive groove. That is just my opinion.
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Post by Chewblocka on Sept 10, 2024 21:34:25 GMT -5
Anyone watching Creighton and Nebraska? My goodness what a game! I am on the edge of my seat. Into set 5 tied 2-2 Jays are looking for a win versus Nebraska, upsets all over the place this year. Watching both of these teams they are swinging at every single ball with all their might. I can’t believe the defence by everyone!
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Post by Chewblocka on Sept 10, 2024 21:47:24 GMT -5
My son-in-law is a volleyball geek (John) and he had the following suggestions for this weekend but he will never post on VT so I am going to share his ideas and given he is in the “VT witness protection program” lol. From his perspective , some ideas to secure a win against Dayton, Illinois should focus on the following: “1. Maximize Raina Terry’s Impact: Terry is the primary offensive weapon, but it’s essential to elevate contributions from secondary attackers like Smith, Philpot and de Boer to create a balanced, unpredictable offence that doesn’t rely solely on Terry. 2. Exploit Dayton’s Serve Receive Weaknesses: Illinois should capitalize on Dayton’s service errors and minimize their own to gain free points and keep pressure on their opponents. Aggressive serving will be critical in disrupting Dayton’s rhythm. Based on stats, Liana Sarkissian has struggled in serve receive, making her a key target for Illinois' servers. Pressuring her in serve receive could disrupt Dayton's offensive flow. 3. Shut Down Dayton’s Key Players: Special attention should be given to neutralizing Dayton’s top offensive players: Kaylee Cox (3.41 kills/set) and Alivia Skidmore (3.08 kills/set) are major threats. Illinois must use disciplined blocking and strategic defence to limit their attacking opportunities. Izzy Van De Wiele (.323 attack percentage) is also highly efficient. Strong blocking from Illinois will be essential to prevent her from finding gaps in the defense. 4. Leverage Ashlyn Philpot and Laynie Smith: Philpot brings a crucial defensive presence at the net with her 1.57 blocks per set, along with an efficient attack (.338 hitting percentage). Her ability to block and convert quick attacks is key to both Illinois' defence and offence. Smith provides consistent offensive output with 2.93 kills per set, but her blocking is not a primary strength. While her contributions in attack are critical, Illinois will need to rely more on Philpot and de Boer for effective blocking against Dayton’s top attackers. Smith’s focus should remain on offensive contributions, but she must support the blocking scheme when necessary. 5. Strengthen Passing and Defensive Coverage: Caroline Barnes and Christina Martinez Mundo will be pivotal in ensuring accurate passing and serve receive to keep Illinois in system. Both must provide consistent defensive coverage to maintain quick transitions from defense to offense, enabling Illinois to maintain offensive flow. 6. Utilize Taylor de Boer in the Front Row: At 6'5", de Boer offers a significant height advantage that strengthens Illinois’ front row, particularly in blocking and attacking. As a freshman, she has the potential to grow into a dominant player with more consistent playing time. Her presence at the net will be key in disrupting Dayton’s offensive flow, and she can serve as a major asset in Illinois’ blocking game alongside Philpot. 7. Deploy Avery Hernandez in the Back Row: Hernandez’s strengths in the back row—her defensive consistency, serve receive, and back-row attacking ability—are vital to Illinois’ success. Her ability to make crucial digs and contribute from the backcourt will keep Illinois in system and allow the team to maintain pressure on Dayton. While she is a versatile player, keeping Hernandez primarily in the back row will help prevent potential exposure in the front row, where she may be less effective against Dayton’s strong attackers. By using Hernandez where she excels and pairing her backcourt skills with de Boer’s front-row height, Illinois can maintain a balanced and efficient lineup. IMO by focusing on these strategies, Illinois can counter Dayton’s offensive threats, limit unforced errors, and create a well-rounded attack. Although Dayton may have a statistical advantage, Illinois has the tools to win if they leverage their strengths, shore up defensive gaps, and maintain consistency throughout the match. Keying in on Liana Sarkissian during serves can a An impressively detailed effort. Thanks to you and your SIL. Congratulations to the team for their start. I can't comment on #6 and #7 but does it not see that #1 through #5 are likely things the coaches are preaching every day but the players are not executing well enough? If I'm offbase and totally missed something, I apologize for my ignorance. Go Big Ten! Haha, I caught that sarcasm! Trust me, we all know Coach is preaching the basics day in and day out Execution is the tricky part, right? Sometimes it feels like they’ve got selective hearing kind of like when I had teenagers. But hey, fingers crossed this weekend they’ll remember those minor details like, you know, blocking and passing 😅 Go Big Ten! (My brutal attempt at sarcasm back)
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Post by volleyaudience on Sept 10, 2024 21:59:16 GMT -5
An impressively detailed effort. Thanks to you and your SIL. Congratulations to the team for their start. I can't comment on #6 and #7 but does it not see that #1 through #5 are likely things the coaches are preaching every day but the players are not executing well enough? If I'm offbase and totally missed something, I apologize for my ignorance. Go Big Ten! Haha, I caught that sarcasm! Trust me, we all know Coach is preaching the basics day in and day out Execution is the tricky part, right? Sometimes it feels like they’ve got selective hearing kind of like when I had teenagers. But hey, fingers crossed this weekend they’ll remember those minor details like, you know, blocking and passing 😅 Go Big Ten! (My brutal attempt at sarcasm back) No sarcasm. Straight comments.
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Post by Chewblocka on Sept 10, 2024 22:20:21 GMT -5
Everyone keeps mentioned using the portal for one & done players and how it might effect recruiting. From my perspective, this is a dumb point. The top 10 programs consistently recruit and reload from the portal and still get the top recruits every year. The name of the game is winning, is it not? Top players want to to go to the programs that are in the mix for a natty every year. Absolutely right. It's Tamas' job to win games, not provide a friendship circle for the players. As Petros Kyprianou said when he took over our putrid Track & Field program two years ago, "Some feelings are going to get hurt". And then his women's team went out and won the Big10 championship in his second year at Illinois. My daughter started every game in her 4 years for the Northwestern FH team, and every year the coach told her she was bringing in transfers and freshman to take her place in the lineup. My kid had to prove herself over and over to keep the starting spot. Welcome to college sports. Ah yes, the beloved “musical chairs” approach to coaching. Nothing builds character like constantly reminding players they’re one mistake away from getting voted off the island. It’s like Survivor meets The Hunger Games—but instead of alliances and winning immunity, they’re just desperately clinging to the hope that they might still have a job! "Congrats on making the lineup today! But don’t get too cozy, because tomorrow we might pull someone from the portal who can juggle while serving." And your kid proving themselves every year? Sounds like quite the good time! Nothing like an annual existential crisis to keep things nice and spicy. Forget Taylor Swift-style friendship bracelets and positive vibes—we’re going old-school, pull out the clip boards and flip phones and lets get on with our “tough love” boot camp style here. But hey, maybe there’s room for a little balance? After all, building trust and support could work wonders alongside a bit of competition. Just something to think about! 😊
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Post by uofaGRAD on Sept 10, 2024 22:45:02 GMT -5
shifting a player from 6ro to 3ro because of repeated bad performance doesn’t seem like musical chairs to me lol
I would actually have far less respect for a coach who doesn’t play Player B because Player A has been there for longer even if Player B is playing better. I mean why would a transfer ever go to your school?
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Post by oldmanvb on Sept 10, 2024 22:46:45 GMT -5
Locker rooms are delicate things. I can’t help but recall the internal problems Poulter’s freshman year when she replaced a popular senior setter in Alexis Viliunas. CMM is clearly a better choice for libero and I think Tamas mis-handled the situation by failing to give both CMM and Carolyn time at libero against the early season cupcakes. Now, getting into the tougher parts of the schedule, change - even an obvious change - is a much riskier proposition which carries with it possible locker room issues.
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Post by Chewblocka on Sept 10, 2024 22:54:32 GMT -5
2. Exploit Dayton’s Serve Receive Weaknesses: Illinois should capitalize on Dayton’s service errors and minimize their own to gain free points and keep pressure on their opponents. Aggressive serving will be critical in disrupting Dayton’s rhythm. Based on stats, Liana Sarkissian has struggled in serve receive, making her a key target for Illinois' servers. Pressuring her in serve receive could disrupt Dayton's offensive flow. Keying in on Liana Sarkissian during serves can also help disrupt Dayton’s rhythm and give Illinois an edge” Liana Sarkissian is a middle that doesn't pass I am going to have to fire John now, just kidding I will keep him. Thanks for the catch uofaGRAD
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Post by Chewblocka on Sept 10, 2024 22:57:11 GMT -5
Locker rooms are delicate things. I can’t help but recall the internal problems Poulter’s freshman year when she replaced a popular senior setter in Alexis Viliunas. CMM is clearly a better choice for libero and I think Tamas mis-handled the situation by failing to give both CMM and Carolyn time at libero against the early season cupcakes. Now, getting into the tougher parts of the schedule, change - even an obvious change - is a much riskier proposition which carries with it possible locker room issues. Decent point as usual oldmanvb but I think Barnes has so much to offer- maybe I am not seeing it objectively - fair assessment
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Post by inpaign on Sept 10, 2024 22:57:53 GMT -5
Locker rooms are delicate things. I can’t help but recall the internal problems Poulter’s freshman year when she replaced a popular senior setter in Alexis Viliunas. CMM is clearly a better choice for libero and I think Tamas mis-handled the situation by failing to give both CMM and Carolyn time at libero against the early season cupcakes. Now, getting into the tougher parts of the schedule, change - even an obvious change - is a much riskier proposition which carries with it possible locker room issues. 100% agree. I really can't think of a reason why we didn't give CMM an opportunity, even a single set in a match we had control of....Sadly I think it's to the point now where the only thing that would elicit a change is a bad losing streak. In that case I will never wish losses on the Illini so I guess I'll be happy as long as Caroline has the L jersey lol
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