B1g match 14: Gophers host Nebraska 11-8-25

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I hope the Gophers find something positive in this match and can use it to improve.
 

I hope they can all sit down comfortably in class on Monday after the butt kicking they're likely to receive.
 

I think Nebraska has swept like 10-11 matches in a row this season. If the gophers win a set they will be lucky
 

Sitting at the Pav among a sea of red. Trying to get mentally prepared for an ass whoopin. The red crowd will be all sorts of obnoxious. This is my version of hell.
 


Hoolio said:
I hope they can all sit down comfortably in class on Monday after the butt kicking they're likely to receive.
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At least they reached 20 points in two sets. Better than a lot of other teams. I know it’s not much, but it’s something.
Six matches left, reasonable outcome would be 3-3, but with a little luck 13-7 is still a possibility.
 
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I was unable to watch this match. I was reading elsewhere that there was a lot of tipping by Hanson. If that is true, then Stella was inconsistent with her setting. IMO Julia is not afraid to go off on the opponent, if the opportunity is there. Someone can certainly let me know, if my analogy is on or off.
 

JCook started this NOW upper class of players at Nebraska, when they were Freshman. He stayed with that choice......not necessarily because they were the #1 ranked recruiting class that year, but he could see the potential these players had in their future. Well their future is here now and what a smart decision on his part. This Nebraska team is more or less playing all this parity in the BIG with mostly Freshman-Sophomore led teams. You can now see what the NCAA Div1 women's volleyball is like, without all those teams with COVID led players. I've always said he was one of the top coaches for years in the BIG.
 
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Doesn't hurt when you add an Italian pro and Landfair. Nebraska isn't winning solely because he played the frosh.

Also doesn't hurt that they get the pick of the top recruits AND all the publicity (and the two things are related).

I still think this is bad for the sport. Great for Nebraska, but bad for the sport.
 



Oh, and great strategy to set Myers 5 times this match and 5 times against Wisconsin. Just brilliant.

Minnesota will never be competitive with the Huskers again. Those days are long gone. Not in this new era of pro ball and Nebraska hype.
 

I'm not indicating nor trying to that it is good for this sport. However, it is a Fact, whether any of us enjoy it or not. Women's volleyball runs through Nebraska in the US.

What I, as a volleyball fan, enjoy the most is watching a well oiled machine operate on their win to the GOLD. The best example of that was the 2020 Summer Olympics and our Women's USA Team defeating Brazil. It was close to watching "almost perfect" volleyball in motion. They were all focused and on the same mission.

What I do believe is our Gopher level of recruiting has changed here at Minnesota. Now is that because of our new HC or is it coming from above him?
 

I take a lot of positives from this match. First off Nebraska is beyond loaded. Andi Jackson and Bergen Reilly are locks for 1st team All American. Watching those 2 operate is like watching Rembrandt paint. Alick, Landfair, Choboy, Murray, and Adriano are each All Big Ten caliber players. Despite all that our Gophers did not get blown off the floor. Busboom Kelly had to call timeouts twice because the Gophs were on a roll. I don't think the Gophers were ever seriously close to winning a set but the fought their asses off and did a lot of good things. I thought Carly Gilk was really good all day. Kinney struggled at times but had a number of nice kills and she served well. Hanson didn't go off like we needed her too but they had multiple blockers in her face all afternoon. Taylor struggled a little but still had some nice moments. I think the team should go forward from this match feeling really good about themselves. If they play like that this week they'll win 2. It was nice to see Alex Acevedo on the bench today, albeit with crutches, too.
 

Hoolio said:
I take a lot of positives from this match. First off Nebraska is beyond loaded. Andi Jackson and Bergen Reilly are locks for 1st team All American. Watching those 2 operate is like watching Rembrandt paint. Alick, Landfair, Choboy, Murray, and Adriano are each All Big Ten caliber players. Despite all that our Gophers did not get blown off the floor. Busboom Kelly had to call timeouts twice because the Gophs were on a roll. I don't think the Gophers were ever seriously close to winning a set but the fought their asses off and did a lot of good things. I thought Carly Gilk was really good all day. Kinney struggled at times but had a number of nice kills and she served well. Hanson didn't go off like we needed her too but they had multiple blockers in her face all afternoon. Taylor struggled a little but still had some nice moments. I think the team should go forward from this match feeling really good about themselves. If they play like that this week they'll win 2. It was nice to see Alex Acevedo on the bench today, albeit with crutches, too.
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Was Minatee on the bench too?
 



(R)uffda! said:
Oh, and great strategy to set Myers 5 times this match and 5 times against Wisconsin. Just brilliant.

Minnesota will never be competitive with the Huskers again. Those days are long gone. Not in this new era of pro ball and Nebraska hype.
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Cook is just not that great of a coach, gophers could have and should have done better than Cook.
 

Minatee was on the bench for both matches this week. Today was the first time I'd seen Alex. Sure miss those two out on the floor.
 

I'm confused why anyone would be upset that Myers isn't being set more. Have you seen her swings. There's a 50/50 chance of an error every time and that's if she doesn't dead whiff on it. If we had a viable option she'd have been benched weeks ago. And please for the love of God don't anyone start with the Crowl at middle talk. She's had 5 years to develop into a serviceable hitter and we're still waiting. She is who she is. Seems like a nice young lady but really should be playing at Gustavus.
 

I did watch on YouTube early last evening the entire match. Actually, I thought we didn't play all that bad. We are not on the same level as Nebraska and, for the most part, I felt our Gophers played entrely within their means...that is great for them.

If there is any scouting going on and any type of adjustments that can be made during our matches (tweeks with the players here and there) all remaining matches this season are winnable...they will not be easy.

Now, I just don't know if our coaching staff (mainly Cook) is adjusting to our opponents like he needs to or can, with all our players. Example: When it comes to KK I do believe she is dependent on the coaching staff to help her see what is across from her at the net and remind her of her options. I feel that is why you see her playing her best volleyball late in a match. Now, I could totally be full of hot air, crap or you fill it in, but that is how I am reading her game play.

Then there is Myers. She had a decent match, but I do feel her head is somewhere between the court in the Pav and the football field down a few blocks. Attitude can certainly help too.
 

Hoolio said:
I'm confused why anyone would be upset that Myers isn't being set more. Have you seen her swings. There's a 50/50 chance of an error every time and that's if she doesn't dead whiff on it. If we had a viable option she'd have been benched weeks ago. And please for the love of God don't anyone start with the Crowl at middle talk. She's had 5 years to develop into a serviceable hitter and we're still waiting. She is who she is. Seems like a nice young lady but really should be playing at Gustavus.
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I totally hear you. Whether players are recruited or not or approach a volleyball program and express interest on their own, they should be treated like any other business. Isn't it the dream of many HS players to play for the top college in their state some day?

IMO programs are in a business whether they want to admit it or not. I get upset with scholarships. I feel they should only involve a couple of years at the most.

With that said, you more than likely would not be successful in recruiting the very best of the best. So 1-2 yr scholarships should only be offered in the first place and when a player is improving and can show improvement or they want to stay, then renegotiate another 1-2 year scholarship. In the real world businesses just don't give you a raise every year UNLESS YOU ARE DOING YOUR JOB. I remember Hugh saying "there are players out there that just don't play like their rankings".

We fans get upset that we are not a top 10 team and won't be for 2-3 more years....and that is not guaranteed either. Perhaps this program has found themselves in a scholarship situation where they can't change it......again, I really don't have any knowledge, if it has. But I will continue to question "WHY" with some players on this roster.
 

Crowl was recruited because she's 6-4, reasonably athletic, and left handed. I saw her play club and she rarely took a big swing then so she is what she's always been. That said the potential was there so Hugh took a shot on her. It didn't work out. It happens. If you take the 8 who are playing now plus the injured 4 you'd have a really deep team. Nobody, except maybe Nebraska, goes 16 or 18 deep. Those good players buried on the depth chart won't stay around. Every roster has some dead weight. Realistically Cook built a pretty solid roster going into the season. The injuries were a gut punch that could not have been anticipated.
 

Our best years are behind us and that is ok. All teams have their run and then it is over. It is a great venue and we should be a power but it is just not in the cards.
 

I know how rankings work. By definition, they are relative. But it still boggles my mind that the Gophers could be convincingly to Wisconsin and Nebraska and move up two spots. Like I said, I know this means other teams did worse than that last week. I know both the Badgers and Huskers were (and are) ranked much higher than the Gophers. But, geez, this team has spent the entire season showing they are not a top 25 team and the voters just refuse to see it.
 
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I thought that too Ruffda until I watched some of the other teams in the 16-25 range. Every one of those teams has some decent wins but also some bad losses. To be harsh about it they're all dogs with fleas. Once you get past the first 10-12 teams there's not much difference in the next 20. Not sure if this fact makes anyone feel better but the 56 points the Gophers scored against Nebraska are the most by any Big 10 team this year. Maybe this Gopher team, warts and all, isn't all bad.
 

I'm going to keep saying it, THE BIG IS REALLY DOWN THIS YEAR. They graduated all those 5-6 yr COVID players and it shows.
 
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Hoolio said:
I thought that too Ruffda until I watched some of the other teams in the 16-25 range. Every one of those teams has some decent wins but also some bad losses. To be harsh about it they're all dogs with fleas. Once you get past the first 10-12 teams there's not much difference in the next 20. Not sure if this fact makes anyone feel better but the 56 points the Gophers scored against Nebraska are the most by any Big 10 team this year. Maybe this Gopher team, warts and all, isn't all bad.
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Oh, they aren't a bad team. Easily top 40 out of 300+ schools. I just don't think they are top 25.

But, yes, the B1G is down this year. And, yes, other teams are also losing (and getting upset). I'm sure it makes sense. But it doesn't stop my mind from being boggled. The Gophers have not beaten a team that I'd put in the top 25 all year long. And have lost to many teams that should not be or aren't top 25 -- Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, USC for example.

Maybe a loss the PSU will convince them? OTOH, it would not totally surprise me to say them win that match.

That said, USC at #17 and Indiana at #19 is even more bizarre. As is Purdue at #9.

Just a really weird year. I have to admit I don't know who I'd put ahead of them. Maybe PSU. There's not a lot to pick from.
 

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