2019 Texas Volleyball

[Js1 85,610]

Just looking at Sunday's big match:

Schedule-wise: Texas has the stronger schedule so far, hands down.  A very strong UNI team, a top 15 USC and a top 10 Minny.  Stanford played #7 Florida and Duke/College of Charleston.  

Offense
Hitting: Tree .348; Texas .327
Kills per set: Tree 15.2; Texas 14.8
Errors: Tree 37; Texas 35

Defense
Hitting % allowed: Tree .129; Texas .232
Blocks: Tree 23; Texas 24
Blocks per set: Tree 2.6; Texas 2.2
Digs per set: Tree 15.6; Texas 15.3

Serving
Aces: Tree 13; Texas 18
Service Errors: Tree 23; Texas 35
Reception Errors: Tree 4 (.4/set); Texas 15 (1.4/set)

I mean, it's going to come down to:

• Can Texas receive serve and stay in system?
• Can Texas' service game get the Cards out of system without handing them free points?
• How will be frosh respond to their first big road game? 

On paper, Tree is the winner.  Upper classmen across the board: senior setter, senior libero, senior MB; senior and junior OH.  They're so good.  

Edited September 6, 2019 by Js1

[Js1 85,610]

Baylor took down Wisky. 

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

Not that I'm rooting for another program but we need the Big 12 to have at least 1 highly ranked team other than Texas, so it's good that Baylor is having success. We play each Big 12 team twice so Baylor could give us 2 high RPI matches.

Edited September 7, 2019 by perfectchaos007

[Js1 85,610]

Tree calls TO down 11-7. 

[Js1 85,610]

Texas playing very well. Up 18-15. 

[Js1 85,610]

21-15 TO Tree. Let’s win this first set 

[TwiceHorn 31,576]

Niiiiice 

[Js1 85,610]

25-17 Texas

1-0

[Js1 85,610]

Baylor swept Marquette. They will be a handful 

[Js1 85,610]

TO Texas. 11-9 Tree 

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

Stanford playing well now. 

[Js1 85,610]

18-13 Tree Texas burns last TO

[Js1 85,610]

25-18 Tree

1-1

[TwiceHorn 31,576]

PAC12 network can gobble my crank.

[TexasDPT 297]

Texas can't stop Plummer right now...she's going over and abusing the block.

Edited September 8, 2019 by TexasDPT

[Js1 85,610]

And Tree starts 4-0 in set 3. Yeesh

[TwiceHorn 31,576]

Go ahead and make it 9-2.

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

5 minutes ago, TexasDPT said:

Texas can't stop Plummer right now...she's going over and abusing the block.

Plummer still hasn't graduated? Shit

[Js1 85,610]

11-4 now. Ugh 

[TexasDPT 297]

Getting ugly now... 

Edited September 8, 2019 by TexasDPT

[TwiceHorn 31,576]

I can't stand volleyball by gametracker.  Guess I'll find the results here later.

[TexasDPT 297]

Stanford cruising in the 3rd set.

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

Stanford wins set 3. 25-11 yikes

[TexasDPT 297]

Stanford just shows how to defend a ball when it gets past the block....even if they are out-of-system, they take good rips on the ball.

 

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

4th set looking a lot better. 14-7 Texas right now

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

Texas holds on to win set 4. 25-21

Going to a deciding 5th set! 

[perfectchaos007 6,677]

Tree wins it. Still a good effort to take 2 sets off them. Now we really need to beat BYU

[texasstrong12 4,668]

I thought we would be swept in this match. I'm impressed. Get Butler back and this team is going to be scary. 

[Js1 85,610]

Texas took #1 to 5 on their home court playing a bunch of freshman and sophomores. We easily meet then again in December I’m guessing. 

I’m sure we will stay #3 in the polls with Wisky losing twice. But damn it’s Tree-Texas with Nebraska right behind I think. 

Edited September 8, 2019 by Js1

[Js1 85,610]

5 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said:

Tree wins it. Still a good effort to take 2 sets off them. Now we really need to beat BYU

Best BYU and I think we’ve basically locked up a top 4 seed assuming we beat Baylor at least once and win the conference. 

[texasstrong12 4,668]

Saw this posted on Volley Talk. I think somebody mentioned this earlier  but maybe Elliott realized he needed more than just terminal pins/middles. Seems like we're starting to recruit types that have more ball control. 

Based on what I've read Para is very good. I'm no volleyball expert by any means but she reminds me a lot of Amy Neal. 

"Truly scary for the next few years for teams playing Texas. Parra (2020) from Mexico is a really good ball control player that finds ways to score from front and back and they get the top libero and one of the top 2020 setters. Yikes, the Longhorns have a very bright future. Obviously Stanford has a great 2019 class, should be fun matches the next few years when they match up."

 

[Js1 85,610]

Uh yeah between Madison Williams, Parra, Cabello, Iosia + Fields, O’Neal, Phillips, Butler, Logan ... STACKED.  

[texasstrong12 4,668]

Based on volley talk it sounds like Petersen was the best player on the court today. We're going to be set at Libero for a few years. 

 

[sunset87 250]

18 hours ago, perfectchaos007 said:

Plummer still hasn't graduated? Shit

Need Butler back if we see Stanford again. Freakin Plummer had 34 kills...maybe Brionne can help slow her down just a bit.

[Js1 85,610]

10 minutes ago, sunset87 said:

Need Butler back if we see Stanford again. Freakin Plummer had 34 kills...maybe Brionne can help slow her down just a bit.

She's a god damn beast.  She was basically the entire Tree offense.  

O'Neal had trouble reading the setter - you saw her struggle when Gray would dump on her.  Phillips/Butler would be a good MB combo, except they both play MB2. 

[sunset87 250]

17 minutes ago, Js1 said:

She's a god damn beast.  She was basically the entire Tree offense.  

O'Neal had trouble reading the setter - you saw her struggle when Gray would dump on her.  Phillips/Butler would be a good MB combo, except they both play MB2. 

Butler struggled with that last season.  A really good setter can make the MB look bad and Stanford's is elite. I would think with a full season of game experience and practice, Butler has likely improved in that regard.

Edited September 9, 2019 by sunset87

[TexasDPT 297]

Butler trained with the US Women's National Team this summer and was a starter for the Pan Am Cup team that won gold.  She was playing over Rachael Adams (TexasEx and Olympic Bronze Medalist). 

I heard she had really improved her blocking and attacking over the summer.  So it will be interesting to see how Elliott handles playing time between her and Molly when she is cleared to play.  

 

[texasstrong12 4,668]

2 hours ago, TexasDPT said:

Butler trained with the US Women's National Team this summer and was a starter for the Pan Am Cup team that won gold.  She was playing over Rachael Adams (TexasEx and Olympic Bronze Medalist). 

I heard she had really improved her blocking and attacking over the summer.  So it will be interesting to see how Elliott handles playing time between her and Molly when she is cleared to play.  

 

Elliott has been talking like Butler is the best player on the roster. 

[TwiceHorn 31,576]

2 hours ago, TexasDPT said:

Butler trained with the US Women's National Team this summer and was a starter for the Pan Am Cup team that won gold.  She was playing over Rachael Adams (TexasEx and Olympic Bronze Medalist). 

I heard she had really improved her blocking and attacking over the summer.  So it will be interesting to see how Elliott handles playing time between her and Molly when she is cleared to play.  

 

That's good to see.  

[Js1 85,610]

Poll stays Tree, Nebbie, Texas

Baylor 5 - WOW
Minny - 8
BYU - 13
USC - 20
 

[Machinator 32,099]

 

[texasstrong12 4,668]

Shook has been such an interesting player to watch on the sidelines. Looks relaxed and truly enjoying herself. Pressure is a hell of a thing and I think that's her biggest issue. Her demeanor is so different when she's not playing. 

[TexasDPT 297]

13 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Shook has been such an interesting player to watch on the sidelines. Looks relaxed and truly enjoying herself. Pressure is a hell of a thing and I think that's her biggest issue. Her demeanor is so different when she's not playing. 

It's going to be interesting to see what Shook does after this season with 6'1 Naomi Cabello (the top-ranked setter for 2020) coming in next year.

Right now, I just don't see Shook beating out Gabriel...Jhenna may be a blocking liability for 3 rotations, but she puts the ball where the hitters need it to be for every rotation, whereas Shook puts up a good block but has trouble setting the ball  consistently to her players in every rotation.  

With Logan establishing herself as a 6 rotation player, Elliott can now have the flexibility to possibly run a 'situational' 6-2, so a bigger blocker can play in the front row for Gabriel and have Shook setting from the back row. 

Who knows...maybe Shook does like her new role and wants to finish her degree at UT?

[TwiceHorn 31,576]

35 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Shook has been such an interesting player to watch on the sidelines. Looks relaxed and truly enjoying herself. Pressure is a hell of a thing and I think that's her biggest issue. Her demeanor is so different when she's not playing. 

And, she's super-engaged in the little skull sessions at timeouts, as opposed to the "checked-out" you might expect to a demoted player.

My guess is she's content to be a backup.  Maybe has coaching aspirations.

[Js1 85,610]

12 hours ago, TexasDPT said:

It's going to be interesting to see what Shook does after this season with 6'1 Naomi Cabello (the top-ranked setter for 2020) coming in next year.

Right now, I just don't see Shook beating out Gabriel...Jhenna may be a blocking liability for 3 rotations, but she puts the ball where the hitters need it to be for every rotation, whereas Shook puts up a good block but has trouble setting the ball  consistently to her players in every rotation.  

With Logan establishing herself as a 6 rotation player, Elliott can now have the flexibility to possibly run a 'situational' 6-2, so a bigger blocker can play in the front row for Gabriel and have Shook setting from the back row. 

Who knows...maybe Shook does like her new role and wants to finish her degree at UT?

This is a good point.  She was used last year as late set blocking substitute when Jhenna was in the front row. 

[Js1 85,610]

On 9/8/2019 at 8:05 PM, texasstrong12 said:

Based on volley talk it sounds like Petersen was the best player on the court today. We're going to be set at Libero for a few years. 

 

Yeah, a few people on VolleyTalk mention Iosia might be the best prep libero we've ever signed.  And she's a damn good secondary setter too when the setter takes the first contact.  And that's thinking back to Petersen, Kisner, Palmer, McCoy

[TexasDPT 297]

Iosia was a setter before transitioning to a full-time libero.  She is currently setting her HS team (ranked #1 in CA) while their starting setting is with the USA YNT.

She is able to hand-set with tempo to the pins as well as to the middles from BEHIND the 10' line.  

Imagine all those balls that get bumped set to the pins being hand-set with better accuracy and tempo so that the hitters can take better rips on the ball...plus she has a Haley Eckerman-esque jump serve that will put a lot of pressure on the opposing team's serve-receive. 

Next year might be Texas' best serving team in a very long time.

[TexasDPT 297]

On 9/9/2019 at 10:39 AM, Js1 said:

She's a god damn beast.  She was basically the entire Tree offense.  

O'Neal had trouble reading the setter - you saw her struggle when Gray would dump on her.  Phillips/Butler would be a good MB combo, except they both play MB2. 

Asjia runs the slide better than Bri or Molly...plus she serves tough and puts teams out-of-system, so I think Jerritt is going to keep her at M1. I agree that she ha trouble reading the setter (Stanford setter-dumped on her 3 times ), but hopefully that will improve with more playing time experience. 

If Bri's blocking has improved and her connection with Gabriel is consistent, I think she will get the start over Molly once she is healed.  Bri's ability to score points from the middle should open things up for a lot of 1-on-1 opportunities for the pins. 


 

[Aleemay 304]

On 9/10/2019 at 1:23 PM, TexasDPT said:

Iosia was a setter before transitioning to a full-time libero.  She is currently setting her HS team (ranked #1 in CA) while their starting setting is with the USA YNT.

She is able to hand-set with tempo to the pins as well as to the middles from BEHIND the 10' line.  

Imagine all those balls that get bumped set to the pins being hand-set with better accuracy and tempo so that the hitters can take better rips on the ball...plus she has a Haley Eckerman-esque jump serve that will put a lot of pressure on the opposing team's serve-receive. 

Next year might be Texas' best serving team in a very long time.

I just want to temper your expectation for Iosia setting the middles in college. I know Hahn also did that while she was in high school too. Even now when she can overhand set as a DS all her sets are going to the OH.

[TexasDPT 297]

5 hours ago, Aleemay said:

I just want to temper your expectation for Iosia setting the middles in college. I know Hahn also did that while she was in high school too. Even now when she can overhand set as a DS all her sets are going to the OH.

First, Iosia is in a different league than Hahn. I only mention that Iosia is able to hand-set to the middles behind the 10' line because she currently does that with her HS/Club squads as the starting libero (since the libero cannot hand-set in front of the 10' line)...in any case, I highly doubt that will ever happen this year with the current players we have on the squad.

Second, when the setter is in the front row, the right back player (who becomes the secondary setter on the court) really has only 2 attack options to set if the setter is taken out of play...the OH or MB.  98% of the time, it's going to the left pin as an OOS swing and that's by design...Elliott prefers a high moon-ball be sent to the pin to allow the OH go to work since statistically they will have a better chance putting the ball down...as opposed to running a risky play setting to the middle or even a back-row attack since those sets require a lot of timing. 

For next year, I think Elliott will have a lot of flexibility to run a different transition system if ball control & floor defense continue to improve with Logan, Petersen, Iosia, and Parra manning the back court.