[joemontes]

After yesterday's 5-set loss @ #14 Oregon, Stanford's record stands at 9-5 overall and 4-2 in PAC 12 conference play.  

Those 2 PAC 12 losses to Top 25 teams in UCLA/Oregon could have easily been wins had it not been for unfortunately untimely injuries to major players, firstly to libero OGLIVIE during the UCLA match with Stanford leading 2-0 and up in the 3rd set, and then to OH2/OPP FRANCIS during the Oregon match with Stanford leading 2-1 and 8-6 in the 4th set (although she did return in the 4th set with Stanford trailing 13-16).  

So, OK, I will attribute those 2 PAC 12 losses partly to tough luck.

Moving forward, I think it is crucial for Stanford to win at least 3 of their next 4 matches vs. Top 25+ PAC 12 teams in Utah/Colorado/WSU/Washington, in order for them to continue to have a chance to get an NCAA Tournament seeding that will enable them to host the first two rounds.  

For that to happen, their offense needs to be more unpredictable and less OH/OPP heavy, probably by involving the middles more. The problem right now is VICINI is mightily struggling in her hitting during PAC 12 play, averaging only 0.83 kill/set with a .206 hitting % after 6 PAC 12 matches, and in the last 4 matches (vs. ASU/Arizona/OSU/Oregon), she averaged only 0.6 kill/set with an abyssmal .052 hitting % (hitting 0% or negative in 3 of those 4 matches).  On the other hand, VICINI's blocking has increased to a PAC 12 leading 1.73 blocks/set during PAC 12 play, so Stanford needs her defensive presence at the net.

[joemontes]

After yesterday's 5-set loss @ #14 Oregon, Stanford's record stands at 9-5 overall and 4-2 in PAC 12 conference play.  

Those 2 PAC 12 losses to Top 25 teams in UCLA/Oregon could have easily been wins had it not been for unfortunately untimely injuries to major players, firstly to libero OGLIVIE during the UCLA match with Stanford leading 2-0 and up in the 3rd set, and then to OH2/OPP FRANCIS during the Oregon match with Stanford leading 2-1 and 8-6 in the 4th set (although she did return in the 4th set with Stanford trailing 13-16).  

So, OK, I will attribute those 2 PAC 12 losses partly to tough luck.

Moving forward, I think it is crucial for Stanford to win at least 3 of their next 4 matches vs. Top 25+ PAC 12 teams in Utah/Colorado/WSU/Washington, in order for them to continue to have a chance to get an NCAA Tournament seeding that will enable them to host the first two rounds.  

For that to happen, their offense needs to be more unpredictable and less OH/OPP heavy, probably by involving the middles more. The problem right now is VICINI is mightily struggling in her hitting during PAC 12 play, averaging only 0.83 kill/set with a .206 hitting % after 6 PAC 12 matches, and in the last 4 matches (vs. ASU/Arizona/OSU/Oregon), she averaged only 0.6 kill/set with an abyssmal .052 hitting % (hitting 0% or negative in 3 of those 4 matches).  On the other hand, VICINI's blocking has increased to a PAC 12 leading 1.73 blocks/set during PAC 12 play, so Stanford needs her defensive presence at the net.