[joemontes]

The AVCA poll (Division I coaches) just came out.  Stanford at #15.

https://www.avca.org/polls/di-women/10-18-2021.html

Georgia Tech at #13.  They have one really strong hitter and an average team supporting her.  I expect them to trip up later this season.

Penn State at #14.  They have two very tough matches this weekend on the road and could very easily go 0-2.

Of course the AVCA poll is mostly for fans to argue about and not worth much else.  Some of the coaches' votes make it clear they either have an agenda or don't look at all the results. 

For RPI, Stanford is at a cross-roads.  I'm hoping for at least one win this coming weekend.  Two wins and I'd feel pretty good about a top 16 seed.

My gut feel is that this vastly improving young Stanford squad will split their road trip to WA state this week, to end the 1st half of PAC 12 hostilities at 7-3.  Then, they make their momentous move during the 2nd half, taking advantage of a more favorable home/road schedule (home matches vs. the OR and WA teams, road matches vs. the AZ and Mountain teams, culminating on the road vs. USC and Cal) and a team clicking on all cylinders to finish PAC 12 play on either a 9-1 or 10-0 run, for a final PAC 12 record of either 16-4 or 17-3, and an overall record of either 21-7 or 22-6. This, plus wins over Florida, Penn State and Nebraska during their OOC schedule, should be good enough to give them a Top 16 seed in the forthcoming NCAA tournament for the right to host the first two rounds. 

That's why I earlier brought up the initial PAC 10/PAC 12 struggles of those Stanford 2004 and 2016 national championship teams who were ALSO both led by a freshman setter (KEHOE in 2004 and GRAY in 2016, and now MINER in 2021).  The 2004 team started PAC 10 play with a 7-3 record, then rattled off 8 straight wins to finish PAC 10 with a 15-3 record, while their 2016 counterparts started PAC 12 play with a middle-of-the-pack 5-4 record, then won 10 of their final 11 PAC 12 matches to finish PAC 12 with a 15-5 record.  

Question is, does this current 2021 Stanford team have a fiery eventual 1st Team All-American, like Oganna NNAMANI in 2004 and Inky AJANAKU in 2016, to will them to the Final 4 and eventually to the National Championship?  Well.....that still remains to be seen.  

But, hey!  All I want right now, like all of you, is for Stanford to be able to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, so we can continue to see them play at Maples....

[joemontes]

The AVCA poll (Division I coaches) just came out.  Stanford at #15.

https://www.avca.org/polls/di-women/10-18-2021.html

Georgia Tech at #13.  They have one really strong hitter and an average team supporting her.  I expect them to trip up later this season.

Penn State at #14.  They have two very tough matches this weekend on the road and could very easily go 0-2.

Of course the AVCA poll is mostly for fans to argue about and not worth much else.  Some of the coaches' votes make it clear they either have an agenda or don't look at all the results. 

For RPI, Stanford is at a cross-roads.  I'm hoping for at least one win this coming weekend.  Two wins and I'd feel pretty good about a top 16 seed.

My gut feel is that this vastly improving young Stanford squad will split their road trip to WA state this week, to end the 1st half of PAC 12 hostilities at 7-3.  Then, they make their momentous move during the 2nd half, taking advantage of a more favorable home/road schedule (home matches vs. the OR and WA teams, road matches vs. the AZ and Mountain teams, culminating on the road vs. USC and Cal) and a team clicking on all cylinders to finish PAC 12 play on either a 9-1 or 10-0 run, for a final PAC 12 record of either 16-4 or 17-3, and an overall record of either 21-7 or 22-6. This, plus wins over Florida, Penn State and Nebraska during their OOC schedule, should be good enough to give them a Top 16 seed in the forthcoming NCAA tournament for the right to host the first two rounds. 

That's why I earlier brought up the initial PAC 10/PAC 12 struggles of those Stanford 2004 and 2016 national championship teams who were ALSO both led by a freshman setter (KEHOE in 2004 and GRAY in 2016, and now MINER in 2021).  The 2004 team started PAC 10 play with a 7-3 record, then rattled off 8 straight wins to finish PAC 10 with a 15-3 record, while their 2016 counterparts started PAC 12 play with a middle-of-the-pack 5-4 record, then won 10 of their final 11 PAC 12 matches to finish PAC 12 with a 15-5 record.  

Question is, does this current 2021 Stanford team have a fiery eventual 1st Team All-American, like Oganna NNAMANI in 2004 and Inky AJANAKU in 2016, to will them to the Final 4 and eventually to the National Championship?  Well.....that still remains to be seen.  

But, hey!  All I want right now, like all of you, is for Stanford to be able to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, so we can continue to see them play at Maples....