OT--womens volleyball tournament

[BRS24]

Hub and I watched a bit of last night's matches, and Q for all you VB experts - do you normally see that many service errors in a match? One Pitt player went 1-4 or something like that?

 

[nwhoopfan]

I didn't watch, so can't tell you if it seemed like an unusual amount of service errors. It seems like it can vary widely from match to match, just like aces. Service errors drive me crazy, but I think coaches live with it because lollipop serves are about as bad as a service error.

 

[Plebe]

Hub and I watched a bit of last night's matches, and Q for all you VB experts - do you normally see that many service errors in a match? One Pitt player went 1-4 or something like that?

I don't think the overall number of service errors was extraordinarily high. Pretty typical for teams to average 2 to 3 service errors per set, and last night's matches were in that range.

It's definitely not normal for one player to miss her serve 4 times in 2 sets, as one Pitt player did, and it's also not forgivable to miss a serve at 23-24, as another Pitt player did. In general, though, finding just the right level of aggressiveness in serving is a tricky risk/reward balance, and some percentage of errors is an acceptable price to pay for disrupting the opponent's side-out game and getting them "out of system" with tough serves on a frequent basis.

 

[bballnut90]

I don't think the overall number of service errors was extraordinarily high. Pretty typical for teams to average 2 to 3 service errors per set, and last night's matches were in that range.

It's definitely not normal for one player to miss her serve 4 times in 2 sets, as one Pitt player did, and it's also not forgivable to miss a serve at 23-24, as another Pitt player did. In general, though, finding just the right level of aggressiveness in serving is a tricky risk/reward balance, and some percentage of errors is an acceptable price to pay for disrupting the opponent's side-out game and getting them "out of system" with tough serves on a frequent basis.

The same Pitt player missed everything in the regional finals too the first few games, and then went on a huge tear which opened up the game and helped spark their comeback. Definitely a balance of risk/reward, though I'm more in favor of getting your serve in and relying on your defense opposed to having probably half of your serves end up in an ace/error situtation.

Vasquez-Gomez missing a serve at 23-24 is inexcusable though.

 

[bballnut90]

Props to Texas because they seriously balled out but man, what an awful time to lay an egg for Wisconsin. Worst showing of the season by far, just everything was off for them last night aside from their 6-9 hitter Anna Smrek having a good match. Texas was unbelievably good on defense and Skinner is playing better than anyone in the country right now.

Texas vs. Nebraska is interesting since the programs have some much drama and history between them (even down to having assistant coaches who were formerly engaged). I think Nebraska either runs away with it or it's going to be a hard fought 4 or 5 set match.

 

[Brewski]

Props to Texas because they seriously balled out but man, what an awful time to lay an egg for Wisconsin. Worst showing of the season by far, just everything was off for them last night aside from their 6-9 hitter Anna Smrek having a good match. Texas was unbelievably good on defense and Skinner is playing better than anyone in the country right now.

Texas vs. Nebraska is interesting since the programs have some much drama and history between them (even down to having assistant coaches who were formerly engaged). I think Nebraska either runs away with it or it's going to be a hard fought 4 or 5 set match.

You are spot on about the Texas defense. Their spunky little Libero Emma Halter was also awesome. I think she was born with a shovel in her hand. She kept digging out everything in that match, and Texas out-dug Wisconsin 56-44. I am rooting for the Husker-nuts in the final. Great match coming our way.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Texas with the sweep. That has to be quite unexpected. Back to back Titles for the Horns. Coach Elliott has caught some grief over the years for underachieving, but his critics are probably getting quieter these days.

Between Texas and Oklahoma those schools are gonna do wonders for the SEC in softball and women's volleyball when they officially join.

 

[Plebe]

Texas with the sweep. That has to be quite unexpected. Back to back Titles for the Horns. Coach Elliott has caught some grief over the years for underachieving, but his critics are probably getting quieter these days.

Between Texas and Oklahoma those schools are gonna do wonders for the SEC in softball and women's volleyball when they officially join.

I know that virtually no one outside my home state roots for Texas, but this win is sweet redemption and revenge against Nebraska, whose obnoxious fans have lorded it over Longhorn fans (and almost everyone else) for a very long time.

I didn't hear anyone picking Texas to win this year, and frankly I'd been saying since September that it looked like Nebraska's year. Color me surprised. It goes to show, it's all about peaking at the right time, and Texas, adjusting with a new libero and new setter this year, really brought it when it mattered.

I'll have to pay a visit to Volleytalk later to taste some sweet Husker tears

 

[nickp91]

Madisen Skinner is a National Champion for the 3rd time with 2 teams

 

[nwhoopfan]

I know that virtually no one outside my home state roots for Texas, but this win is sweet redemption and revenge against Nebraska, whose obnoxious fans have lorded it over Longhorn fans (and almost everyone else) for a very long time.

I didn't hear anyone picking Texas to win this year, and frankly I'd been saying since September that it looked like Nebraska's year. Color me surprised. It goes to show, it's all about peaking at the right time, and Texas, adjusting with a new libero and new setter this year, really brought it when it mattered.

I'll have to pay a visit to Volleytalk later to taste some sweet Husker tears

I might not root for Texas, but in volleyball there is nothing sweeter than Nebraska losing. Maybe their coach is kinder and gentler than he used to be, but I'll never forgive him for trying to start a fight with Coach McLaughlin after a tightly contested loss to UW in the playoffs in Seattle many years ago. That and something about trying to sweep it under the carpet when his daughter was involved in a hit and run or something like that. Cannot ever root for Coach Cook.

Has anybody lost more finals matches than Nebraska? Stanford has had quite a few of those as well. It does speak to their consistency, you can't lose in the Championship if you don't advance that far, and both have done that many, many times over the decades.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Texas was impressive in that match. I was expecting a 5 set match but it seemed like absolutely everything went Texas way.

Congrats to the Longhorns.

 

[Plebe]

I might not root for Texas, but in volleyball there is nothing sweeter than Nebraska losing. Maybe their coach is kinder and gentler than he used to be, but I'll never forgive him for trying to start a fight with Coach McLaughlin after a tightly contested loss to UW in the playoffs in Seattle many years ago. That and something about trying to sweep it under the carpet when his daughter was involved in a hit and run or something like that. Cannot ever root for Coach Cook.

He actually made a snitty comment to McLaughlin in the handshake line about a contested call ("the ball was in") and that sparked the unappreciative reaction from Jim. Definitely a signature moment in the John Cook personality test.

Has anybody lost more finals matches than Nebraska? Stanford has had quite a few of those as well. It does speak to their consistency, you can't lose in the Championship if you don't advance that far, and both have done that many, many times over the decades.

Nebraska has lost 3 of the last 6 championship games since its last title in 2017. In all, Nebraska has been champion 5 times and runner-up 6 times.

Stanford has the most titles (9), the most runner-up finishes (8), and the most semifinal appearances (23).

Texas now has 4 titles and 5 runner-up finishes.

Penn State in the late 2000s had the most dominant run in history but has since fallen back. PSU has 7 titles and 3 runner-up finishes.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Nebraska has lost 3 of the last 6 championship games since its last title in 2017. In all, Nebraska has been champion 5 times and runner-up 6 times.

Stanford has the most titles (9), the most runner-up finishes (8), and the most semifinal appearances (23).

Texas now has 4 titles and 5 runner-up finishes.

Penn State in the late 2000s had the most dominant run in history but has since fallen back. PSU has 7 titles and 3 runner-up finishes.

I would guess USC is next in the Championship/runner up count, but their history is more distant than Penn St.'s.

 

[TheFarmFan]

I know that virtually no one outside my home state roots for Texas, but this win is sweet redemption and revenge against Nebraska, whose obnoxious fans have lorded it over Longhorn fans (and almost everyone else) for a very long time.

I didn't hear anyone picking Texas to win this year, and frankly I'd been saying since September that it looked like Nebraska's year. Color me surprised. It goes to show, it's all about peaking at the right time, and Texas, adjusting with a new libero and new setter this year, really brought it when it mattered.

I'll have to pay a visit to Volleytalk later to taste some sweet Husker tears

IMHO, this is one of those instances where one finds oneself rooting for the school one usually hates over the program one hates even more. (Which is to say, a begrudging congrats!)

 

[enigmatic]

Congratulations to Texas and my Hawaii girls Keonilei Akana and Devin Kahahawai. I'll admit I did not think Texas would repeat this year especially after the early season losses but whatever adjustment they made after the Tennessee match was golden because I did not see them defeating Stanford in Maples Pavillion and then Wisconsin and Nebraska back to back. Asja O'Neal will be sorely missed. I definitely can see her as a potential Olympian.

 

[WLT1717]

I know that virtually no one outside my home state roots for Texas, but this win is sweet redemption and revenge against Nebraska, whose obnoxious fans have lorded it over Longhorn fans (and almost everyone else) for a very long time.

I didn't hear anyone picking Texas to win this year, and frankly I'd been saying since September that it looked like Nebraska's year. Color me surprised. It goes to show, it's all about peaking at the right time, and Texas, adjusting with a new libero and new setter this year, really brought it when it mattered.

I'll have to pay a visit to Volleytalk later to taste some sweet Husker tears

Watched each TX match throughout the tourney and grew to love this club - couldn’t be happier for how all the pieces fell into place in their tourney run. Nebraska has an outstanding team but the Lady Longhorns took them apart. Kudos!

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I know that virtually no one outside my home state roots for Texas, but this win is sweet redemption and revenge against Nebraska, whose obnoxious fans have lorded it over Longhorn fans (and almost everyone else) for a very long time.

I didn't hear anyone picking Texas to win this year, and frankly I'd been saying since September that it looked like Nebraska's year. Color me surprised. It goes to show, it's all about peaking at the right time, and Texas, adjusting with a new libero and new setter this year, really brought it when it mattered.

I'll have to pay a visit to Volleytalk later to taste some sweet Husker tears

My wife and I tend to root for Texas in the abstract, although we are not Mike White fans in Softball, couldn't stand him at Oregon.

I don't dislike Cook like so many seem to, I missed the bad issues in his past, although I know about them now. But as others have posted in the past, he apparently has a good side too. I was mostly willing to accept either team winning in this matchup, they were the 2 teams I wanted out of the 4.

 

[Plebe]

I have watched a ton of volleyball in my life, and I have never seen a team dominate a championship match from the service line the way Texas did against Nebraska. The mighty Nebraska passing and defense, which the Nebraska fans and the media has us believing was the greatest in the history of volleyball, melted into a gelatinous mess in sets 2 and 3.

I believe the scoreline of 25-22, 25-14, 25-11 is also the most one-sided NCAA final in history.

The first set became dramatic late largely thanks to two points that were wrongly awarded to Nebraska, one on a red card for the Texas coach when he correctly argued that Nebraska was out of rotation on serve-receive.

 

[Brewski]

Two words best describe the Texas massacre: "service line". Nebraska was overwhelmed by the longhorn servers. Now the question is can all those Nebraska freshmen recover and win 3 Natty's in a row .

 

[Plebe]

I don't dislike Cook like so many seem to, I missed the bad issues in his past, although I know about them now. But as others have posted in the past, he apparently has a good side too. I was mostly willing to accept either team winning in this matchup, they were the 2 teams I wanted out of the 4.

Losses reveal character more than wins do, and this isn't the first time Cook's character came up wanting. In the press conference he sneered about Texas having transfers on their team; he either forgets, or expects us to have forgotten, that (a) he has a long history of bringing in elite transfers; and (b) his best player this season is a transfer from Florida.

Speaking of transfers, I'm sure the win was particularly sweet for Texas defensive specialist Keonilei Akana, who played at Nebraska for two years but then transferred when Cook pulled her scholarship in order to snag Kaitlyn Hord from the transfer portal. So Cook got himself some roster space and an All-American hitter for one season, while Akana got herself two national titles. Nice tradeoff

 

[bballnut90]

I've been a Cook defender on other instances but the pettiness on claiming Nebraska recruits players instead of relying on transfers/5th year players is just laughable. His best player (Merritt Beason) is an upperclassman year transfer from Florida, and needed to bring her in as a developed upperclassman since his own top 5 recruits (Batenhorst/Jurevicius/Krause) weren't getting the job done. Not to mention last year he brought in Kaitlyn Hord who was unbelievably decorated and pretty much wasted her 5th year, failing to utilize her well. Not to mention he's heavily relied on other transfers in Brionna Holman, Lexi Sun, Kayla Caffey, etc. No need to make that comment, just congratulate Texas and move on.


Looking at the match, it was pretty mindboggling what Texas pulled off this weekend. Everyone was predicting a Nebraska/Wisconsin rematch and Texas came in and smoked both teams. It looked like freshman volleyball where the Horns would reel off 11 point runs and finished the matching winning 15 or the last 16 points. You just don't see that level of serving and awful passing at this level. Skinner was out of this world too, Nebraska threw up triple blocks and she effortless hit over or around them. She was almost more effective out of the backrow than the front. People also trashed their freshman setter and other outside (Wenaas) all year for not appearing up to both, and both showed up in a huge way and deserve their title. Great play from Texas and a well deserved title. At first glance it looks like Wisconsin/Texas/Nebraska/Pitt/Louisville will be the obvious title threats going into next year. Stanford/Oregon/Tennessee/Arkansas should drop off considerably.