BYU 2024

[vvv]

Is Mia Lee injured? I don't see her name or am I just not reading well.

[pelagius]

Aug 30, 2024 16:37:58 GMT -5 vvv said:

Is Mia Lee injured? I don't see her name or am I just not reading well.

I was there for warmups. She looked fine in warmups. I think Lee, Strong, and Kemavor are all going to play. I would be surprised if Lee doesn't start tonight.

[pelagius]

BYU beats Farfield 3-0: -18, -17, -11

A few notes:

- Same starting lineup as SLU earlier in the day

OH: Little
OH: Mortensen
OPP: Prior / Uluave
MB: Strong
MB: Kemavor
L: Billeter
S: A Bower

- Lee did get in at the end of third set. Stowell also played on the RS after Prior got a bloody nose towards the end of the third set. Johnson played a little in the backrow too.

- Erickson was the main serving sub (for Prior). Miller was also a serving sub a couple of times (for Strong).

- Passing broke down in the middle of the second set; maybe a 5-6 point stretch of bad passing. Other than that, it was ok (but not good).

- Seems like BYU has slowed down the offense some relative to what they tried to run in the Spring with A. Bower. I think it's helping Bower. I do worry about a slower offense against top teams.

- Mortensen with another impressive outing. 12 Kills and 400 hit pct. Four aces. Couple of solo blocks. Pretty good passing. I probably underrated her arm strength earlier.

- Little was a beast

-Nice offensive outing for Kemavor

- Still worried about the right side

[azvb]

I can’t argue with the middles or outsides (Mortensen was a surprise!) that are playing. But I HATE seeing Lee on the bench. And since she played for 2 points last night, I guess she’s not redshirting. Would love to see her at OPP. Kate Prior just looks very awkward out there as a hitter. Great blocker, but offensively a bit of a liability. Not sold on Billeter as a libero.

[bbg95]

Aug 31, 2024 13:14:48 GMT -5 azvb said:

I can’t argue with the middles or outsides (Mortensen was a surprise!) that are playing. But I HATE seeing Lee on the bench. And since she played for 2 points last night, I guess she’s not redshirting. Would love to see her at OPP. Kate Prior just looks very awkward out there as a hitter. Great blocker, but offensively a bit of a liability. Not sold on Billeter as a libero.

Agreed. It remains to be seen how she does against better opponents, but Kemavor may have developed into the player I hoped she would be. She could end up being the most physically imposing BYU player since Jennifer Hamson. But Lee was so good last year that I'd like to see them try her on the right side. She isn't super tall, but she can jump out of the gym, and I think she would provide more firepower there than we've had recently.

[pelagius]

BYU beats High Point 3-1: 26-28, -12, -18, -22

A few notes:

- Same starting lineup as yesterday:

OH: Little
OH: Mortensen
OPP: Prior / Uluave <- Billeter sets 2-4
MB: Strong
MB: Kemavor
L: Billeter <- Uluave sets 2-4
S: A Bower

- Uluave played Libero starting in set 2. I thought she played quite well, and is a pretty big upgrade in terms of court coverage and setting the second ball. She also served really well. Hopefully she continues to develop over the season. I also think Billeter is way more comfortable as a right side DS.

- Miller had a good night as a serving sub: really timely.

- BYU went much more up tempo relative to the first two matches. It did lead to some connection issues. Bower has tendency to miss low with a quicker tempo. Still, BYU hit 0.361, and High Point has pretty good court coverage.

- High Point was able to hit over Bower pretty successfully at times. Bower struggles as a blocker. Really good teams are going to take advantage of that.

- Thought Prior was pretty good tonight given she had to take some tough swings.

- Impressed with High Point. I think they will have a good season. I think they are likely a top 50 Pablo team.

- Really like Strong's speed on the slide.

- Passing: definitely struggled at times

[bbg95]

Mortensen had another big match (17-1-36, .444). In retrospect, maybe we shouldn't be surprised. Her mom was a first-team All-American.

[azvb]

Whose fault was it both teams were in Navy blue? Home or away team? Or is that not a big deal?

I like Uluave at libero.

I watched the soccer game more than the volleyball game. The announcer for volleyball was really…….loud? B - Y - U B - Y - U B - Y - U But I never heard the crowd join in. I do love the Simba cam.

[bbg95]

Sept 1, 2024 10:26:20 GMT -5 azvb said:

Whose fault was it both teams were in Navy blue? Home or away team? Or is that not a big deal?

I like Uluave at libero.

Hmm, I guess in volleyball, the jersey colors don't really matter because there's always a net separating the two teams. I was watching Arizona and New Mexico football, and that was unusual because Arizona was at home but playing in their away jerseys and vice versa for New Mexico. The announcers mentioned that the Lobos had some kind of issue with their away jerseys and didn't have access to them, so Arizona let them swap for the game.

[vvv]

Are we still sure Lee is not injured? She really didn't play the entire tournament right? She made the preseason Big 12 team. I can't imagine her not playing?

[pelagius]

Sept 2, 2024 0:57:53 GMT -5 vvv said:

Are we still sure Lee is not injured? She really didn't play the entire tournament right? She made the preseason Big 12 team. I can't imagine her not playing?

She played against Farfield at the end of the third set. Got one kill; she certainly didn't look injured. Here it is:

[vvv]

You are right! She can jump!

[marnvbc2]

Sept 2, 2024 1:13:22 GMT -5 pelagius said:

Sept 2, 2024 0:57:53 GMT -5 vvv said:

Are we still sure Lee is not injured? She really didn't play the entire tournament right? She made the preseason Big 12 team. I can't imagine her not playing?

She played against Farfield at the end of the third set. Got one kill; she certainly didn't look injured. Here it is:

Kemavor is the real deal.  She has an advantage on Lee in the Middle and I will make a prediction that she will be a first team All-American before she is finished at the Y.  Strong is more experienced than Lee and when Strong leaves, Lee will be back in the starting lineup if Lee doesn't get irritated and leave.  Mortensen is also putting to rest the careers of Eden Bower and Stowell and frankly any other OH on the roster except Little.  Bower is a serviceable setter, but not a Damuni.  Just so sad that Heather picks favorites and runs off better players who aren't in the preferred family.  Lulu is not a top line L at this point and I don't think she ever will be.  BYU makes recruits who come in as highly touted club players a little more average when the player isn't into staying in shape and BYU doesn't refocus the athlete on physical fitness.  Lulu and Little had better focus on that.  Both appear to need to focus in that area.  BYU got out passed by High Point, but I will say that BYU flat out coached HPU.  HPU exposed Bower's blocking issues (not enough though) but HPU had their own setter who can't block and Olmstead and Co found that weakness faster than HPU found Bower.  BYU spread their offense much better than HPU.

Alex Bower is a better setter than the Gray girl at HPU ... but the backup setter at HPU must have grade problems or physical issues because she looked to be the best setter on the floor for either team.  The HPU coach spent his time sulking (over missed calls) the entire match rather than concentrating on making adjustments to the match game plan and putting the correct players on the floor.  If HPU focused on running their MB's more it would have been a 5 set toss up match.  BYU's power on the front row and HPU's predictableness in only setting their pins resulted in the BYU win.  SE Louisiana and Fairfield were decent teams but just not on the same level as BYU and HPU.  BTW, how did BYU let the Wilson girl from Sandy UT go unrecruited and get to HPU?  She is a legit Opp with a heavy heavy arm. 

Billeter is a decent DS but not even an average L.  BYU's passing will be exposed by really good teams as the season progresses.  Lulu will not be able to hold up because she is challenged in lateral quickness and sometimes other quickness also.  6-7 losses for BYU this year unless Miller and Johnson can make an impact in the passing dept.

On to the next 3 matches.  Looks like Georgia Tech isn't as good as I thought.

[vvv]

I actually do look forward to Marn's take on things. I know others may disagree, but he/she does really make sense in so many areas. Onward to Georgia Tech.

[azvb]

This just in: BYU can’t pass. Again. Been aced 8 times in a game and a half. Edit- make that 9.

#freemialee