[MSG1716]

My guess for tomorrow's AVCA poll:

#1 Pitt   #2 Penn State  #3 Stanford  #4 Purdue ? (6-0 on weak schedule)   #5 Nebraska ? (4-1 weak schedule except getting swept by SMU)

This weeks ranking should be interesting and, for me, is impossible to predict top 10.  It's very up in the air.  Pitt is 3-0 with their only good win against an overrated Oregon (#10).  Penn St beat Tennessee (#17) and Kentucky (#9 -- 3-2) on the road and Louisville (#4) at home.  I think Penn St deserves #1 beating 3 top 20 teams and being undefeated.  

Where to put Stanford?  Wins against Wisconsin (2-3 with their two wins in 5 sets), Minnesota (1-3 with their only win against Texas) and Marquette (lost today to Western Michigan) don't look as impressive now as they did preseason.  Should be ranked in top 3 or 4, but could be anywhere.  Our big tests of where we fit nationally at the moment (and we will be better in November) are our upcoming matches against Texas, Nebraska and Kentucky, all top 10 teams now that have each had bad losses.  

I'm curious where they put Louisville (beat Wisconsin, ranked 6th, and Tennessee, ranked 17th with only loss being swept by Penn St in State College PA), Wisconsin (2-3 with a 5 set win over TCU and a 5 set win over Baylor, and losses to Texas, Louisville and us) and Creighton (undefeated and play Nebraska on Tuesday).  Since it's the coaches who vote, I would expect Texas to remain top 5 because they are the team to beat after consecutive national championships and returning a superstar and also Nebraska, another predicted powerhouse.

I would go 1. Penn St, 2. Pitt, 3. Stanford and absolutely no idea after that with the top 10 including Texas, Nebraska, Purdue (no reason to move them up or down as they haven't played anyone), Wisconsin and Creighton (I think will be bumped up).  Intriguing to think about.  I care most that Stanford keeps developing and Blyashov plays some this week before the UT match.

[MSG1716]

My guess for tomorrow's AVCA poll:

#1 Pitt   #2 Penn State  #3 Stanford  #4 Purdue ? (6-0 on weak schedule)   #5 Nebraska ? (4-1 weak schedule except getting swept by SMU)

This weeks ranking should be interesting and, for me, is impossible to predict top 10.  It's very up in the air.  Pitt is 3-0 with their only good win against an overrated Oregon (#10).  Penn St beat Tennessee (#17) and Kentucky (#9 -- 3-2) on the road and Louisville (#4) at home.  I think Penn St deserves #1 beating 3 top 20 teams and being undefeated.  

Where to put Stanford?  Wins against Wisconsin (2-3 with their two wins in 5 sets), Minnesota (1-3 with their only win against Texas) and Marquette (lost today to Western Michigan) don't look as impressive now as they did preseason.  Should be ranked in top 3 or 4, but could be anywhere.  Our big tests of where we fit nationally at the moment (and we will be better in November) are our upcoming matches against Texas, Nebraska and Kentucky, all top 10 teams now that have each had bad losses.  

I'm curious where they put Louisville (beat Wisconsin, ranked 6th, and Tennessee, ranked 17th with only loss being swept by Penn St in State College PA), Wisconsin (2-3 with a 5 set win over TCU and a 5 set win over Baylor, and losses to Texas, Louisville and us) and Creighton (undefeated and play Nebraska on Tuesday).  Since it's the coaches who vote, I would expect Texas to remain top 5 because they are the team to beat after consecutive national championships and returning a superstar and also Nebraska, another predicted powerhouse.

I would go 1. Penn St, 2. Pitt, 3. Stanford and absolutely no idea after that with the top 10 including Texas, Nebraska, Purdue (no reason to move them up or down as they haven't played anyone), Wisconsin and Creighton (I think will be bumped up).  Intriguing to think about.  I care most that Stanford keeps developing and Blyashov plays some this week before the UT match.