WVolleyball sets new program record with 30 straight wins, advances to NCAA semis

[Canalejas]

https://twitter.com/StanfordWVB/status/1...6782111744

Edit: gostanford.com writeup:

https://gostanford.com/news/2018/12/7/wo...there.aspx

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 11:22 PM by Canalejas.)

[BobK]

Big win tonight. Plummer awesome. On to the elite 8 vs Penn state at 7 tomorrow

[Canalejas]

The only team seeded in the top 8 that failed to advance to the quarterfinals was Minnesota.  So they won't get the benefit of playing the final four on their home turf.  That's got to be a relief for the other teams still alive in the tournament.

[d4cohn]

Big win tonight. Plummer awesome.  On to the elite 8 vs Penn state at 7 tomorrow

Really tough Elite 8 matchup, even considering earlier season sweep of PSU.

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In other NCAA WVB news, Oregon upset No.2 overall seed Minnesota. Given the Final 4 is in Minneapolis this year, Minnesota had a path to host the entire NCAA's if they kept winning. Our Final 8 matchup is very tough, but a potential large obstacle has been eliminated much earlier than expected.

(This post was last modified: 12-07-2018, 11:25 PM by d4cohn.)

[CTcard]

Really tough Elite 8 matchup, even considering earlier season sweep of PSU.

Can you elaborate? 
Is this primarily because of their tradition, or are there reasons that they are stronger now than their seeding, ranking, etc.?

[BobK]

Penn State historically gets tougher and tougher as the season goes on. While we have won 4 iirc national championships since 1997 none were thru Penn State. Since 1997 we have not beaten Penn State post season.

Rose has been their coach the entire time and he may well be the greatest ever

Come on out and watch the fun

[BostonCard]

I’m surprised we’ve never had a longer streak.

BC

[BobK]

That’s almost a full season Boston.

[d4cohn]

Penn State historically gets tougher and tougher as the season goes on. While we have won 4 iirc national championships since 1997 none were thru Penn State.  Since 1997 we have not beaten Penn State post season.

Rose has been their coach the entire time and he may well be the greatest ever

Come on out and watch the fun

Thanks BobK. Yes, CTCard, Bob's point about PSU being a different team in the postseason, combined with our lengthy drought against them in postseason, makes this a much less favorable matchup to me than say, Texas, Oregon or Wisconsin (teams we have all beaten recently in postseason play or have been fairly dominant against or both). 

Playing PSU makes me think back some of those heartbreaking NC games in the mid to late 2000's.

If anything, if we get a good result tonight, and qualify for the Final 4, we will have certainly earned it.

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 11:24 AM by d4cohn.)

[Erika]

Can't wait for the game today.  Unfortunate that 3 Pack-12 teams had to be in the same regional.

Good discussion on the boneyard (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten etc.) here: https://the-boneyard.com/threads/ot-wome...fs.137149/

Always fun to get a perspective from outsiders.

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 11:44 AM by Erika.)

[M T]

ESPN continues to claim the Big 10 is the best conference.  Do others here think that is  justified?

2018 WVB Big 10 - PAC-12 record:  edit: 5-7 (before Saturday's Elite 8 games)


Illinois 2-0 (Colorado 3-0, Washington 3-0)
Indiana 0-0
Iowa 0-2 (Washington 1-3, Oregon 1-3)
Maryland 0-0
Michigan 0-0
Minn 0-3 (Oregon 1-3, Stanford 1-3, Oregon 1-3)
Nebraska 1-0 (Oregon 3-0)
Northwestern 0-0
Ohio State 0-0
Penn State 1-1 (Stanford 0-3, Oregon 3-0, Edit: Washington 3-0)
Purdue  0-0
Rutgers  0-1 (Cal 0-3)
Wisconsin 0-0
(sorry... I originally missed listing Penn State's win over Washington)

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 04:02 PM by M T.)

[d4cohn]

ESPN continues to claim the Big 10 is the best conference.  Do others here think that is  justified?

2018 WVB Big 10 - PAC-12 record:  4-7 (before Saturday's Elite 8 games)


Illinois 2-0 (Colorado 3-0, Washington 3-0)
Indiana 0-0
Iowa 0-2 (Washington 1-3, Oregon 1-3)
Maryland 0-0
Michigan 0-0
Minn 0-3 (Oregon 1-3, Stanford 1-3, Oregon 1-3)
Nebraska 1-0 (Oregon 3-0)
Northwestern 0-0
Ohio State 0-0
Penn State 1-1 (Stanford 0-3, Oregon 3-0)
Purdue  0-0
Rutgers  0-1 (Cal 0-3)
Wisconsin 0-0

In a word, yes, sadly. Four out of last five NC. Two of top 4 seeds in NCAA tournament. 4 out of final 8 teams.

The depth of the Big 10 has been better than the depth of the Pac-12 behind Stanford in recent years. To wit, it has been 5 years since a non-Stanford team has made a Final 4 (UW).

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 03:17 PM by d4cohn.)

[BobK]

Very justified as D 4 Cohn pointed out

[qwerty49]

I just remember the h.u.g.e crowds at Nebraska a few years ago when they were ruling the roost.  What an atmosphere.

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 03:41 PM by qwerty49.)

[BobK]

10 or so years ago we played the F 4 then the final in Sacramento. Nebraska the favorite didn’t make it and many of their fans didn’t come but 6,000 had bought tickets

[BobK]

Illinois beats Wisconsin and gets to the Final 4

[d4cohn]

ESPN continues to claim the Big 10 is the best conference.  Do others here think that is  justified?

2018 WVB Big 10 - PAC-12 record:  4-7 (before Saturday's Elite 8 games)


Illinois 2-0 (Colorado 3-0, Washington 3-0)
Indiana 0-0
Iowa 0-2 (Washington 1-3, Oregon 1-3)
Maryland 0-0
Michigan 0-0
Minn 0-3 (Oregon 1-3, Stanford 1-3, Oregon 1-3)
Nebraska 1-0 (Oregon 3-0)
Northwestern 0-0
Ohio State 0-0
Penn State 1-1 (Stanford 0-3, Oregon 3-0)
Purdue  0-0
Rutgers  0-1 (Cal 0-3)
Wisconsin 0-0

In a word, yes, sadly. Four out of last five NC. Two of top 4 seeds in NCAA tournament. 4 out of final 8 teams.

The depth of the Big 10 has been better than the depth of the Pac-12 behind Stanford in recent years. To wit, it has been 5 years since a non-Stanford team has made a Final 4 (UW).

Looking like the non Stanford Pac-12 drought could very well extend to 6 years. Oregon looks overmatched so far in performance/talent, and fan support.

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If we are fortunate enough to beat PSU tonight to make Final 4, Nebraska fan support in Minn. today a preview of the potentially daunting matchup.

(This post was last modified: 12-08-2018, 04:44 PM by d4cohn.)

[d4cohn]

Oregon smoked by Nebraska in straight sets. Pac-12 hopes, for sixth consecutive year, will come down to our Cardinal tonight.

[M T]

Looking like the non Stanford Pac-12 drought could very well extend to 6 years. Oregon looks overmatched so far in performance/talent, and fan support.

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If we are fortunate enough to beat PSU tonight to make Final 4, Nebraska fan support in Minn. today a preview of the potentially daunting matchup.

While it went 3-0, Oregon was certainly in the first 2 sets. (22, 23, 17 pts)

My understanding was the winner of Stanford/Penn State will play the winner of Texas/BYU.  The other semi is Illinois vs Nebraska.

(My preference would be Stanford vs BYU.)

[d4cohn]

Looking like the non Stanford Pac-12 drought could very well extend to 6 years. Oregon looks overmatched so far in performance/talent, and fan support.

---

If we are fortunate enough to beat PSU tonight to make Final 4, Nebraska fan support in Minn. today a preview of the potentially daunting matchup.

While it went 3-0, Oregon was certainly in the first 2 sets. (22, 23, 17 pts)

My understanding was the winner of Stanford/Penn State will play the winner of Texas/BYU.  The other semi is Illinois vs Nebraska.

(My preference would be Stanford vs BYU.)

Two close sets, but two close set wins for BYU. Looking like Cougs get winner of Stanford-PSU. Crowd is absolutely rocking in Provo.