Volleyball Thread

[wadesworld]

I hate how the NCAA volleyball tournament is run, but it is what it is.

Ehh. Tough to fix it with so few teams. Just stinks particularly this year. Typically 2 teams separate themselves in the MPSF which is fine because they can both get in. This year it's 4 so at least one is left out.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I hope you saw that point in the third set 22-17...amazing

[wadesworld]

I hope you saw that point in the third set 22-17...amazing

The kick save for a point? I wasn't kidding when I said UCLA pursues EVERYTHING. Crazy. Classic LBSU to just assume they're so good that nobody could return that point. Awesome.

I know the UCLA coaches well and my cousin is the registered dietitian at UCLA, so when she came home for Christmas she had 2 sweet UCLA volleyball shirts from them for me for Chirstmas. Pretty cool of them.

Looked like UCLA must've played really well.

[ChicosBailBonds]

The kick save for a point? I wasn't kidding when I said UCLA pursues EVERYTHING. Crazy. Classic LBSU to just assume they're so good that nobody could return that point. Awesome.

I know the UCLA coaches well and my cousin is the registered dietitian at UCLA, so when she came home for Christmas she had 2 sweet UCLA volleyball shirts from them for me for Chirstmas. Pretty cool of them.

Looked like UCLA must've played really well.

Yes, that was the point.  My son has done some similar things to keep points alive, especially with his soccer background, but I've never seen one that actually went over the next for a winner. 

UCLA played pretty well, though a lot of service errors by both teams.  I though Mah was a little off...made a number of service errors and his spikes were blocked quite a bit.  Obviously he's a setter, and he does well there.  We are going to the BYU UCLA game this weekend.

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/03/volleyball-player-takes-repeated-shots-to-the-face-byutv-video


LOL

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Anyone know when the national team rosters are gonna be released for the Olympics?

[wadesworld]

Great match just starting with Stanford at UCLA.  On Pac-12 Bay Area (can view it online with your cable login).  For those with Pac-12 Network on their cable they are showing it on delay tonight at midnight (Central).  Stanford won at home earlier in the season 3-1.  They are tied for first (and have the tiebreak) with BYU in the MPSF, and UCLA is tied for 3rd.

[StillAWarrior]

Just saw this today...

Sarah Rose ( 2017 S 5-8 Elmhurst, Illinois)~~Marquette(DI in Wisconsin) Big East Conference
Club: 1st Alliance / Lions Jrs
High School: York Community
Other Big East Recruits
http://www.richkern.com/vb/recruits/conf.asp?Div=DI&VBYear=2017&conf=Big+East



I was surprised to see it because Marquette hadn't been recruiting a '17 setter.  They have a very strong '16 setter coming in next year (Lauren Speckman), and it's unusual to have setters in two consecutive classes.  Anyone now what's up?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Just saw this today...

Sarah Rose ( 2017 S 5-8 Elmhurst, Illinois)~~Marquette(DI in Wisconsin) Big East Conference
Club: 1st Alliance / Lions Jrs
High School: York Community
Other Big East Recruits
http://www.richkern.com/vb/recruits/conf.asp?Div=DI&VBYear=2017&conf=Big+East



I was surprised to see it because Marquette hadn't been recruiting a '17 setter.  They have a very strong '16 setter coming in next year (Lauren Speckman), and it's unusual to have setters in two consecutive classes.  Anyone now what's up?

I'm in the "you can never have too many quality setters" camp. (as well as back row players) if you remember, marquette got screwed a couple years ago right after Koberstein graduated and before Blasier got here due to transfers and setters being ineligible. Don't get me wrong, Mary Nilles was a nice person but not a D1 quality setter.

Also, the same thing is happening to a high scool around me. They pretty much returned everyone except their libero and D1 setter but are really struggling this year. Maybe as a former setter I'm a little biased but always load up on setters and DS.

[StillAWarrior]

I'm in the "you can never have too many quality setters" camp. (as well as back row players) if you remember, marquette got screwed a couple years ago right after Koberstein graduated and before Blasier got here due to transfers and setters being ineligible. Don't get me wrong, Mary Nilles was a nice person but not a D1 quality setter.

Also, the same thing is happening to a high scool around me. They pretty much returned everyone except their libero and D1 setter but are really struggling this year. Maybe as a former setter I'm a little biased but always load up on setters and DS.

I share your bias, but that doesn't make it any less unusual.  It's a numbers game -- with only 12 scholarships to give, most programs will only use two on setters -- typically every other year.  But they may be making an exception, or perhaps one is walking on.

[wadesworld]

Interesting, if you  believe in GMS they'll tell you setter is the least important position on a volleyball roster (or maybe it's 2nd behind MB, can't remember for sure).

I like GMS a lot but don't consider it gospel. But I don't necessarily disagree with the principal.

Serve and pass game.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Interesting, if you  believe in GMS they'll tell you setter is the least important position on a volleyball roster (or maybe it's 2nd behind MB, can't remember for sure).

I like GMS a lot but don't consider it gospel. But I don't necessarily disagree with the principal.

Serve and pass game.

I guess I can see that at a high level of play. Though you know Dante, New Trier is struggling without him.

[wadesworld]

I guess I can see that at a high level of play. Though you know Dante, New Trier is struggling without him.

And UCI is struggling with him 

But in reality, while I'm not sure where I'd rank the setter in terms of importance to a team, I think the principle certainly holds true.  If you pass well enough you can find any schmuck and teach him to run to an area on the court, coach him up on how to set a volleyball and get good footwork, and it's not all that hard to look like a good setter.  Conversely, if you're running all over the court chasing bad passes around, even teams with the best setters in the world will struggle to win matches.

So I guess you look at if you have 2 really good passing OH's and a really good passing L, you can take an average S and make him look really good by simply making his life easy.  If you take 2 bad passing but great offensive OHs and a bad passing L and give them the best setter at whatever level of competition, the S can throw up some pretty outside bailout sets, but that's what they are...bailout sets where the opposing team can set up a double/triple (suppose it depends on the level of skill of the players) block and play defense around them.  The best hitters in the world will struggle with that.

I do think GMS differentiated based on the boys vs. girls game, with defense and ball control being more important on the girls side and terminating the ball being more important on the boys side.  I'm pretty sure the 2 OHs were listed top 2 for both, which I would definitely agree with.  They are big on "take your best athletes/terminators and make them into passers and put them at OH."  It's why almost all big athletic SoCal kids who would be in the middle in the Midwest are all on the OH in SoCal, and why you see so many 6'4" middles who just move quickly pin to pin, and also why you see so many MBs from the Midwest go out West for college (because the Midwest tends to keep their giant athletes in the middle).

[wadesworld]

The NCAA Men's Volleyball semifinals are going on right now.  Semis are streamed live at the link below and the finals will be on Saturday at 7 CT on ESPN2.

http://www.ncaa.com/championship/liveplayer/player?gameId=2030822

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Craziest season ever for the varsity team at the school I coach the freshman for. They have had more 6 packs this season then they have in the past decade that I've watched them.

They have a legit 6'9" middle and last game he gave the othe teams middle a concussion when he went up to block him and broke another kids nose off the block. The other middle took out a kid on the same team, after the game he was puking in the corner. But my favorite one was from a 5'8" outside. The other team didn't block line and he got their right back square in the face. He didn't come out but you could tell he wasn't all there.

Obviously sucks for the kids who got hurt but there have been some pretty incredible swings.

[wadesworld]

Craziest season ever for the varsity team at the school I coach the freshman for. They have had more 6 packs this season then they have in the past decade that I've watched them.

They have a legit 6'9" middle and last game he gave the othe teams middle a concussion when he went up to block him and broke another kids nose off the block. The other middle took out a kid on the same team, after the game he was puking in the corner. But my favorite one was from a 5'8" outside. The other team didn't block line and he got their right back square in the face. He didn't come out but you could tell he wasn't all there.

Obviously sucks for the kids who got hurt but there have been some pretty incredible swings.

Sounds like some athletes on the team.  Are they seniors?  Play club?

As far as the NCAA Tournament goes, the UCLA vs. OSU match was really good.  I thought UCLA might struggle with OSU but thought they'd pull out the win, but OSU is tough.  They run everything through the pins, and UCLA's pins go 6' and 6'4" on the right and 6'2" and 6'7" on the left.  Pretty dang small for a high major program.  Scherzens (not sure how to spell the name) is legit and him and Patch are going to have some pretty great battles for National Player of the Year for the next few years (Scherzens got it this year).

I don't see OSU beating BYU, but I do think they'll have a better chance than UCLA would've.  BYU went 3-0 this year against UCLA, and none were all that close.  BYU is just too big and athletic for UCLA.  OSU beat LBSU at LBSU and just beat UCLA this season, so we'll see what they can do.

Patch is just so tough right now.  If he can get any kind of defense down and get a little more fundamental the pin hitters coming up for the National team are going to be scary.  Even if Anderson were to retire or decline in production, you'd still have Sander and Russell on the OH with Jaeshke as a backup and DeFalco coming up and Patch on the RS.  If Anderson does continue to produce for another Olympics or 2 beyond 2016, then it's even more absurd.  Anderson, Russell, Sander, Jaeshke, DeFalco on the OH, Patch (or Anderson can move back here if Patch can't play defense) on the RS, Micah setting, and Holt in the middle and you have what could turn into the best in the world at a lot of different positions.

I really like Enriques coming up as a libero at Stanford and Ma'a just as an all around volleyball player.  Wish Shaw was mentally tougher as he physically has the tools to be every bit as good as Micah.  As it is you might take Ma'a down the road as a setter over Shaw if Shaw can't figure it out mentally.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

The 6'9" middle are both juniors and everyone else is a senior. They have a stud libero who is actually probably the best player on the team. Last year's team was actually much better but the middle is a weapon theyve never had, he played right side last year because he was too slow, quickened up A LOT.

I don't know why, but I've never been overly impressed with Sander, maybe I've just seen his off games. All their outsides are really young which is nice and Anderson is still producing. Definitely need another middle though, Holt is good but that's about all they have. I don't pay attention to West Coast volleyball so there may be some good middles out there at all but I feel like Jendryk from Loyola could become a middle for the US eventually.

[wadesworld]

The 6'9" middle are both juniors and everyone else is a senior. They have a stud libero who is actually probably the best player on the team. Last year's team was actually much better but the middle is a weapon theyve never had, he played right side last year because he was too slow, quickened up A LOT.

I don't know why, but I've never been overly impressed with Sander, maybe I've just seen his off games. All their outsides are really young which is nice and Anderson is still producing. Definitely need another middle though, Holt is good but that's about all they have. I don't pay attention to West Coast volleyball so there may be some good middles out there at all but I feel like Jendryk from Loyola could become a middle for the US eventually.

Very nice.

Sander is legit. His arm speed is very impressive. Holt is my favorite volleyball player to watch. Not sure what they'll do with the rest of the middles. Jendryk will get looks but defensively he's really poor and offensively he's not fundamental but gets it done. If you could give Olson Jendryk's athleticism you'd be set there. Further down the line Scott Stadick from Watertown, WI will get there someday. I coached him when he was a roughly 6'8" 14 year old. He's the top rated recruit in the senior class. He made Youth National a year younger than the rest of the team and started. Last summer he was named the Best Blocker at the Youth National's word tournament. Going to UCI so we'll see if he gets the coaching he needs to keep up. Some decent middles who graduated within the last 2 years but none overly impressive. Conrad Kaminsky will probably get in the gym to train with them. Stanford senior this year and 1st Team AA from New Berlin, WI. He played 16-2s at North Shore his 16s year then made our 17s group as a backup to Olson and Kirchner, beat out Kirchner for the starting spot his 18s year, got into Stanford and walked on to the volleyball team and is now the top MH in the country. Great kid, hard worker, and incredibly smart. Mechanical engineer who interned at Tesla last summer. Must be nice.

[ChicosBailBonds]

My son's team made CIF playoffs.  Four hour drive to the first game on Tuesday night against a high school basically on the beach...ranked 7th.  Son's team is ranked 20th.  Should be fun, but that's tough to sit in a bus that long, then play all while also taking AP exams next week. 


If they win and advance a few rounds, could play a newer high school called...... Crean Lutheran. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

OSU crushes BYU.  A little surprised.

[wadesworld]

OSU crushes BYU.  A little surprised.

Mental midgets. They always find a way to not get it done.

MIVA has now won 3 straight titles and 4 of the last 6. Only one MPSF school has won a title in the last 6 years. 1 set win in a national title in the last 3 years for the MIVA. West Coast/MPSF fans' heads have to be exploding now.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Mental midgets. They always find a way to not get it done.

MIVA has now won 3 straight titles and 4 of the last 6. Only one MPSF school has won a title in the last 6 years. 1 set win in a national title in the last 3 years for the MIVA. West Coast/MPSF fans' heads have to be exploding now.

Hmm....well UC Irvine, right down the road from me, won in 2009, 2012, 2013 and they are from the MPSF. 

Also, I would look at the rosters and who else is getting that far.

7 OSU players from California.  8 total from west coast...just won the championship.  UCLA in the final four along with Long Beach.  In the last few years, USC, UCSB, Stanford, BYU....tons of west coast players.

Some years not so much....Loyola certainly had some key players from out here, but plenty of mix from other states.  Lewis had a ton of midwest kids, but they have been the exception.

US men's national team....dominated by Californians...one local for us in Paul Lotman...from about 2 miles from where we live.


Case in point, my son's high school team is ranked something like 90th in the state and 145 nationally.  Think about that...in the other 49 states only 55 teams in TOTAL are considered better....or about 1 team per state.  That's pretty crazy.

[wadesworld]

Hmm....well UC Irvine, right down the road from me, won in 2009, 2012, 2013 and they are from the MPSF. 

Also, I would look at the rosters and who else is getting that far.

7 OSU players from California.  8 total from west coast...just won the championship.  UCLA in the final four along with Long Beach.  In the last few years, USC, UCSB, Stanford, BYU....tons of west coast players.

Some years not so much....Loyola certainly had some key players from out here, but plenty of mix from other states.  Lewis had a ton of midwest kids, but they have been the exception.

US men's national team....dominated by Californians...one local for us in Paul Lotman...from about 2 miles from where we live.


Case in point, my son's high school team is ranked something like 90th in the state and 145 nationally.  Think about that...in the other 49 states only 55 teams in TOTAL are considered better....or about 1 team per state.  That's pretty crazy.

Just go check out Volleytalk. The talk for the past 3 years was "just wait for Loyola's guys to be gone and things will be back to normal and the MPSF will dominate!" That was supposed to be this year, all the talk throughout the year was how bad the MIVA was...and yet there's the MIVA with their 3rd straight title.

Pointing out Final Four appearances doesn't take much. You get 2 conferences that are even considered for the 2 at large births, and the team that matches up with the Coastal Carolinas in the play in is going to move on to the Final Four.

Of course the West Coast is going to have tons of players representing them at the highest level. There are literally about 100 boys volleyball players in CA to every 1 boys volleyball player from any other state. Which is what makes what the MIVA has done to close the gap on the MPSF pretty remarkable.

As far as high school national rankings, when you consider that there are probably single digit schools in FL, MO, and OH and then maybe 40? Teams from IL that are considered in these rankings (WI, TX, and NY high school seasons are in the fall so don't get ranked) then it makes complete sense that very few teams outside of CA get ranked...there are probably 60 teams total outside of CA that have varsity boys high school volleyball programs. There are hundreds of teams in CA alone. Once again, just makes the competitiveness of the MIVA recently to be incredible.

CA, especially Southern, is the epicenter of men's volleyball. But seeing as there was a total of 1 National Title in the last 20+ years of college volleyball from outside of the MPSF until 6 years ago, the fact that 4 of the last 6 titles have gone to the MIVA is pretty dang impressive. There have been a total of 0 Southern California teams in the national championship match since UCI repeated. You would've never seen even 2 years in a row without a Southern California college in the finals even just 5 years ago.

[ChicosBailBonds]

You do agree that 1 of the last 6 was incorrect...yes?

[wadesworld]

You do agree that 1 of the last 6 was incorrect...yes?

No. The same MPSF school won the title twice. So one MPSF school has won a national title in the past 6 years, which is exactly what I said.