OT: NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament

[nwhoopfan]

I'm pretty sure there hasn't been a first time National Champ since Washington in 2005. That just changed. Kentucky beat Texas 3-1.


edit-- first ever for a SEC team as well. ESPN has been hoping for this for YEARS.

 

[Plebe]

I'm a Texas fan and they were playing great volleyball, but Kentucky was just slightly better and I'm happy to seem them break through. I generally like seeing new teams reach the top. All the pieces really came together for Kentucky. When your setter is the NPOY, it usually means you have an awesome team. Getting a career match from Stumler tonight really put Kentucky over the hump.

 

[Txhoopsalot]

I'm a Texas fan and they were playing great volleyball, but Kentucky was just slightly better and happy to seem them break through. I generally like seeing new teams reach the top. All the pieces really came together for Kentucky. When your setter is the NPOY, it usually means you have an awesome team.

Agree. This is one of the best all-around Texas teams I have seen over the past decade. That makes Kentucky's play all the more impressive.

 

[enigmatic]

Stumler was amazing for Kentucky and so were the Skinner sisters. Mary Wise of Florida must be feeling some type of way now with Kentucky being the first SEC team to win the NCAA title. I expect Texas to be preseason #1 next season with everyone except O'Brien returning.

 

[Dillon77]

I'm a Texas fan and they were playing great volleyball, but Kentucky was just slightly better and I'm happy to seem them break through. I generally like seeing new teams reach the top. All the pieces really came together for Kentucky. When your setter is the NPOY, it usually means you have an awesome team. Getting a career match from Stumler tonight really put Kentucky over the hump.

Stumler was amazing for Kentucky and so were the Skinner sisters. Mary Wise of Florida must be feeling some type of way now with Kentucky being the first SEC team to win the NCAA title. I expect Texas to be preseason #1 next season with everyone except O'Brien returning.

I agree that Stumler was on an absolute roll last night. One reason for that, of course, is Lilley was giving her the ball at exactly the right height, place and pace for Stumler to power, angle, etc. her slams. Kentucky also seems to be bringiing back most of it's players, but Lilley is not one of them. Advantage: Texas. However, whike O'Brien had a tought time serving, I liked what she did for the Longhorns in most of the other matches I saw. Someone needs to step up/be brought in, etc.

It will also be interesting to see how the B1G can do with something 'constituting" a normal schedule. While KY and Texas probably played too much, that seemed to be better than not enough.

Still, it was pulled off and that was some fine volleyball. Thought the Texas-Nebraska match was sublime.

 

[nickp91]

Kind of crazy that the SEC won its first volleyball national championship

 

[enigmatic]

I agree that Stumler was on an absolute roll last night. One reason for that, of course, is Lilley was giving her the ball at exactly the right height, place and pace for Stumler to power, angle, etc. her slams. Kentucky also seems to be bringiing back most of it's players, but Lilley is not one of them. Advantage: Texas. However, whike O'Brien had a tought time serving, I liked what she did for the Longhorns in most of the other matches I saw. Someone needs to step up/be brought in, etc.

It will also be interesting to see how the B1G can do with something 'constituting" a normal schedule. While KY and Texas probably played too much, that seemed to be better than not enough.

Still, it was pulled off and that was some fine volleyball. Thought the Texas-Nebraska match was sublime.

It'll be interesting to see how Kentucky does next season without Lilley. She is possibly the best setter in the college game I have seen in awhile. Her pace and placement of the ball to her hitters really made the Wildcat offense to me the most efficient in the nation. I was also very impressed how they handled the pressure of the moment as if they were there before. It looked as if it didn't affect them at all.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Enjoyed that match. Of the 2, I was rooting for Texas, as I often do because of relatives in the Austin area, but they are not by any means one of my favorite teams.

Not a lot of schools with natty's, loved the chart with logos they put up. My wife couldn't quite get "LB" - Long Beach, but I didn't recognize the Pacific logo, which she did.

I still think of Volleyball primarily in terms of the PAC and B1G. Texas, certainly, and Florida (even Tennessee for a while) as individual teams, sure, but to me those are the 2 strong conferences. Wonder if that will shift with the SEC gaining ground as it did in Softball. A lot of money in that conference.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I still think of Volleyball primarily in terms of the PAC and B1G. Texas, certainly, and Florida (even Tennessee for a while) as individual teams, sure, but to me those are the 2 strong conferences. Wonder if that will shift with the SEC gaining ground as it did in Softball. A lot of money in that conference.

Definitely. SEC needs to do it consistently for a while to catch up. Need more than 1 or 2 programs being contenders as well.

 

[bballnut90]

It'll be interesting to see how Kentucky does next season without Lilley. She is possibly the best setter in the college game I have seen in awhile. Her pace and placement of the ball to her hitters really made the Wildcat offense to me the most efficient in the nation. I was also very impressed how they handled the pressure of the moment as if they were there before. It looked as if it didn't affect them at all.

Is Curry coming back too? She was instrumental defensively. Lilley was something else though, absolutely a magnificent setter with her reads and consistent location. Kentucky has fantastic hitters but I'm not sure I've seen a collegiate setter just nail almost every set in perfect tempo like Lilley does, and she consistently getting her hitters one on one opportunities. Texas should be the favorite going into next year, they have almost everyone back and some excellent defensive players. Eggleston/Fields are absolute beasts on the left and their middles are phenomenal. I think next year they're the heavy favorites with Wisconsin/Minnesota/Nebraska/Kentucky all losing major pieces.

 

[enigmatic]

Is Curry coming back too? She was instrumental defensively. Lilley was something else though, absolutely a magnificent setter with her reads and consistent location. Kentucky has fantastic hitters but I'm not sure I've seen a collegiate setter just nail almost every set in perfect tempo like Lilley does, and she consistently getting her hitters one on one opportunities. Texas should be the favorite going into next year, they have almost everyone back and some excellent defensive players. Eggleston/Fields are absolute beasts on the left and their middles are phenomenal. I think next year they're the heavy favorites with Wisconsin/Minnesota/Nebraska/Kentucky all losing major pieces.

I believe Curry is a senior also and what a job she did too in the final. I hope that Lilley gets some serious consideration for the USNT. As for Texas, I wonder if they can get over the hump. I feel as if they continue to underachieve with all the talent they have but at least they made it to the final this season.

 

[dws3665]

Kind of crazy that the SEC won its first volleyball national championship

Yes, but only kind of. The sport is played at a very low level in many of the high schools throughout much of the SEC footprint compared to the PAC12 and B1G, the two dominant conferences. That's changing some now, but it's been a slow process of building for a lot of teams.

 

[bballnut90]

I believe Curry is a senior also and what a job she did too in the final. I hope that Lilley gets some serious consideration for the USNT. As for Texas, I wonder if they can get over the hump. I feel as if they continue to underachieve with all the talent they have but at least they made it to the final this season.

I think Texas will get there if they build off this season. Their defense/passing was much improved this year (and last year), and I thought despite not winning it all, they in no way underachieved this season. They are solid at libero/setting positions and elite on the outside and in the middle. I'm just glad we get to see more volleyball in 4 months.