09-17-2026, 04:34 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-17-2026, 04:47 PM by Hieronymus.)
Mostly not competitive again today. Some life at the end of the second into the third set, but not enough.
Harvey and Blyashov were good especially considering, but this team has no shot with Andrew hitting .118 and 5 kills. And Kurt hitting negative puts the nail in the coffin. Offense to the middles is just collapsing right now and that was the saving grace last year.
They are in serious trouble with no easy fixes. Demaria doesn’t solve anything. Less Kirsch has probably helped a little. Getting Sayers back would help some, but offense to the middles is down and heading the wrong way.
To my eye:
1. Parks is no better setting wide and clearly worse setting in the middle this year.
2. Offense to the middles is collapsing. 8 kills today when last year we averaged about 5.5 a set. Andrew has her hitting percentage way down from .550ish last year.
3. Serving is worse - errors are about 2.5x aces and the eye test says we aren’t generating consistent pressure. Only 2 aces today vs. 6 errors.
4. we haven’t been great in rallies in years, but it feels worse again this year.
Not sure passing is worse or not - I would love to see advanced stats.
On the positive side Blyashov and Harvey I think are playing better this year - especially Blyashov, but it isn’t enough so far.
Harvey and Blyashov were good especially considering, but this team has no shot with Andrew hitting .118 and 5 kills. And Kurt hitting negative puts the nail in the coffin. Offense to the middles is just collapsing right now and that was the saving grace last year.
They are in serious trouble with no easy fixes. Demaria doesn’t solve anything. Less Kirsch has probably helped a little. Getting Sayers back would help some, but offense to the middles is down and heading the wrong way.
To my eye:
1. Parks is no better setting wide and clearly worse setting in the middle this year.
2. Offense to the middles is collapsing. 8 kills today when last year we averaged about 5.5 a set. Andrew has her hitting percentage way down from .550ish last year.
3. Serving is worse - errors are about 2.5x aces and the eye test says we aren’t generating consistent pressure. Only 2 aces today vs. 6 errors.
4. we haven’t been great in rallies in years, but it feels worse again this year.
Not sure passing is worse or not - I would love to see advanced stats.
On the positive side Blyashov and Harvey I think are playing better this year - especially Blyashov, but it isn’t enough so far.