12-15-2017, 12:24 PM
My opinion, watching:
(1) As always, passing. Stanford was just off all night long, including Hentz. Way too many times, Gray was setting a highball from about 12 feet off the net. And it's not like all of them were forced - we overpassed on a freeball, for gosh sakes.
(2) Neither Gray nor Fitzmorris had a good match. Normally, that's survivable - but Plummer was also mortal; don't know if she was hurt, but she was definitely off. Gray's sets appeared low all night long, at least partly due to #1 above. Merete had a really good match, McClure had 4 of 5 good sets, and Alade was fine when she got a set, which wasn't often, again because of #1.
(3) Rotation 4. And to a certain extent 5. The rotation with Gray, Fitzmorris, and McClure in the frontline absolutely killed Stanford in the fifth set. It's WAY too limited offensively against a great team - the only options appear to be a high set to McClure at the pin and Fitzmorris on the slide - and Florida was sitting on both. The Gators knew that they could cover the slide and still have their MB get over on McClure. They also didn't seem to be willing to set Plummer in that set, and those 5 errors by McClure were the difference.
And with Plummer, Gray, and Fitz in the frontline, again, only two offensive options. Stanford really needs to develop some more backrow attackers. Heck, I even thought "Why doesn't Plummer set the Gray/Fitz/McClure rotation, and let Gray swing?" Because only two offensive options are NOT going to win against elite competition. Especially a senior-laden elite competitor.
The last and largest thing - the Inky-shaped hole. I think it's always tough when you lose an emotional and talented leader like that, especially if the best players on your team are younger. I think to a certain extent that's what WBB is going through - their best players are younger, and the leadership roles haven't shaken out - Smith and Lutz being great players, but not the "fire folks up" kind of leaders.
A good season. But Nebraska is going to be REALLY good next year as well.
VG
(1) As always, passing. Stanford was just off all night long, including Hentz. Way too many times, Gray was setting a highball from about 12 feet off the net. And it's not like all of them were forced - we overpassed on a freeball, for gosh sakes.
(2) Neither Gray nor Fitzmorris had a good match. Normally, that's survivable - but Plummer was also mortal; don't know if she was hurt, but she was definitely off. Gray's sets appeared low all night long, at least partly due to #1 above. Merete had a really good match, McClure had 4 of 5 good sets, and Alade was fine when she got a set, which wasn't often, again because of #1.
(3) Rotation 4. And to a certain extent 5. The rotation with Gray, Fitzmorris, and McClure in the frontline absolutely killed Stanford in the fifth set. It's WAY too limited offensively against a great team - the only options appear to be a high set to McClure at the pin and Fitzmorris on the slide - and Florida was sitting on both. The Gators knew that they could cover the slide and still have their MB get over on McClure. They also didn't seem to be willing to set Plummer in that set, and those 5 errors by McClure were the difference.
And with Plummer, Gray, and Fitz in the frontline, again, only two offensive options. Stanford really needs to develop some more backrow attackers. Heck, I even thought "Why doesn't Plummer set the Gray/Fitz/McClure rotation, and let Gray swing?" Because only two offensive options are NOT going to win against elite competition. Especially a senior-laden elite competitor.
The last and largest thing - the Inky-shaped hole. I think it's always tough when you lose an emotional and talented leader like that, especially if the best players on your team are younger. I think to a certain extent that's what WBB is going through - their best players are younger, and the leadership roles haven't shaken out - Smith and Lutz being great players, but not the "fire folks up" kind of leaders.
A good season. But Nebraska is going to be REALLY good next year as well.
VG