This week, a couple of early-season contests have the feel of Final Four matchups ...
NEBRASKA 3, PENN STATE 2: The Cornhuskers, playing last night in Lincoln, won their very first match as members of the Big Ten. The Huskers pasted the four-time defending national champions in the first two sets, only to fall in sets 3 and 4. Nebraska pulled it out in the fifth, 15-10. Penn State has now dropped four matches this season ... maybe poll voters will finally move them out of the top five.
STANFORD/CAL @ UCLA/USC: Crazy big Pac-12 matchups this weekend in LA. In my book, these are four of the best seven teams in the nation (plus Washington, Florida and Nebraska.) Home court counts for something, but I'd be very surprised if any of these teams gets a two-match sweep. How about UCLA beating Stanford, losing to Cal and USC beating Cal but losing to Stanford?
Can i ask your opinion of the apparant lack of backsets in last weeks matches, especially against USC. Maybe I'm too programmed watching Jenna backset Kindra from the 10 ft line, but it sure did not seem like Summer was getting much action over there. We all know you need this to keep the middle blocker from camping on Krista. thank, jim
ReplyDeletesetdancer:
ReplyDeleteJim McLaughlin has always talked about the importance of distributing sets to all his hitters. In particular, he has emphasized the right side, often putting his best/strongest hitter in that slot.
Setter Evan Sanders and middle blocker Bianca Rowland were not in sync during the USC match, and I suspect that was Evan's major focus in the UCLA match (with great success). I assume she'll soon do the same with Summer Ross on the right side. Clearly, however, Ross got precious few chances last weekend ... just 9 attacks each match, some from the back row.