Gopher Volleyball 2018

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Gophers_4life said:
Won't ESPN at least have NFL talk shows going? Maybe ESPN2, but might also have some other sport and college football recap talk shows.
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One of the networks usually have volleyball at noon.


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Ski U Mah Gopher said:
ESPN article on SSS
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I like this part:

Minnesota (11-2) ranks fifth nationally in hitting percentage behind Seliger-Swenson, the engine for the fourth straight year. She touts her teammates for making the job easy, but really, said coach Hugh McCutcheon, it's a two-way street.

"She's just really good at giving the hitter the set that they need," he said.

Samedy hits fast. Hart likes a high ball. The details don't spin in Seliger-Swenson's head. She knows them backward and forward.

"We spend a lot of time breaking down the timing," the 5-foot-11 Seliger-Swenson said. "Each hitter is supposed to be on a certain step when I have the ball. There are times where the transition is superquick or they're not on the right step, so it's my job as a setter to see if they're early, see if they're late, give them the ball they need."

"She does a nice job of keeping people in rhythm," McCutcheon said.
 

Hell of a win tonight ladies. They almost swept, but pulled it out 3-1, including a great 25-14 win in set #3.


25 23 25 25-----Gophers
20 25 14 21-----Nebraska


Nebraska .194 52-21-160

Minnesota .280 66-19-168
 

Big time win!

The ladies down Nebraska 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21) in Lincoln and remain unbeaten in conference play.

Defense was really good tonight. The Huskers had all kinds of problems putting the ball down against the Gophers in all four sets. But I was most happy with the level of overall play they managed in one of the most-hostile environments in college volleyball. Never felt like Nebraska was on the front foot in the match while the ladies seemed to dictate to the Huskers on their own court.

Suffice it to say the team has it rolling now. Need to come home and keep on rolling.
 


Take some power volleyball mix with serious D and you get a 3-1 Gopher win in Nebraska 25-20, 23-25, 25-14 and 25-21. Rollins with 17 kills was a handful for the Huskers; but there were plenty of stars tonight. Seliger-Swenson was seriously wonderful and it was fitting she got the game ending kill. Samedys 10 point serving run in the 3rd took the starch out of Nebraska. Minnesota hit .280 while holding Nebraska to .194. It was fun to watch. 6-0 in the B1G!
 

Maybe Adonna Rollins is better than Lexi Sun?
 

Here’s a tidbit for this year: the Gophers have failed to score at least 23 points in a set only one time this season. They have scored 28, 23, 23, 23, 23, 17, 23, and 23 in their dropped sets.


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http://www.huskers.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&id=6292344&KEY=

John Cook post match presser:

"Tonight we got punched...Their middles had 22 kills; ours had 11. There's the game right there."

"Minnesota played really well and they have a great senior setter that makes them look really good and takes bad passes and makes them really good. They never feel like they're under stress over there. I felt like we were under stress the whole night."
 



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Did not foresee the Gophs playing this well into Big Ten play. They looked like a half rate junior college against Oregon and Stanford. Curious what happened.
 

Daize said:
Did not foresee the Gophs playing this well into Big Ten play. They looked like a half rate junior college against Oregon and Stanford. Curious what happened.
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Rollins wasn't playing where she is now and Hart was hurt. Rotations weren't as set.
 

Daize said:
Did not foresee the Gophs playing this well into Big Ten play. They looked like a half rate junior college against Oregon and Stanford. Curious what happened.
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Earlier in the season you wanted to get rid of Seliger-Swenson, thought Hugh couldn't coach college ball, thought Minnesota had a middle problem and were unimpressed with Rollins. I'd start there.
 



Ignatius L Hoops said:
Earlier in the season you wanted to get rid of Seliger-Swenson, thought Hugh couldn't coach college ball, thought Minnesota had a middle problem and were unimpressed with Rollins. I'd start there.
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Sounds like you're an Olympic coach yourself.
 

Tucker said:
IDK-lots of half rate junior college teams take a set off of Stanford....:rolleyes:
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After 35 years of teaching, I know undergraduate students perform inconsistently in the classroom, even at snooty, top-flight places like Stanford --- A+ one day and C- the next. It's easy to forget that college athletes can be equally inconsistent. After all, many of them are only freshmen or sophomores. It's surprising there aren't more upsets at the college level than there are.
 

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Watched the match on delay last night. McGraw was awesome. Floor D is so much better this year.
 

Sparlimb said:
Rollins wasn't playing where she is now and Hart was hurt. Rotations weren't as set.
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As a VB novice, I'd like to know how Rollins is playing at a different position from before and how the rotations are now set. Can you explain that? Thx.
 

beavergopher said:
Watched the match on delay last night. McGraw was awesome. Floor D is so much better this year.
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She is very fun to watch. No drop-off (might be better?) at that position from last year, which is saying something because of how good Rosado was.
 

Also, SSS is unbelievable. Setters don't get enough credit for what they do. She is such a special player. Really excited to see her setting for the national team some day. She belongs at that level.
 


I think the Gophers show the Illini where they really stand in the conference. I'd be surprised if they don't win in 3. The match is soldout, its a Friday night and the contenders become pretenders when they show up to The Pav.
 

Hrothgar said:
As a VB novice, I'd like to know how Rollins is playing at a different position from before and how the rotations are now set. Can you explain that? Thx.
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I'm no Volleyball expert, but my understanding is she was playing the back row to start the season and only starting playing the front when we started Big Ten play. Maybe someone else can explain better. I finally understand how hitting percentage works, but I still can't figure out how they rotate and who is next to serve. Although it's really hard to know on tv...
 

http://www.mndaily.com/article/2018/09/s-freshman-adanna-rollins-makes-quick-impression

Daily article on Rollins from a couple of weeks ago: (I don't think it was posted here):

After joining the No. 7 Minnesota volleyball team in January, freshman outside hitter Adanna Rollins has looked like a serious threat to opponents.

This season, Rollins has had 17 points off 16 kills against Stanford on Sept. 9, twelve digs against Oregon on Sept. 7 and has played in every set for the Gophers.

She has led the team in points twice this year: first against Georgia Southern and again against Stanford.

“I wasn’t expecting to be an impact player,” Rollins said. “I just wanted to do my part.”

Since moving to Minneapolis a semester early, the Texas native said the transition to a new home was easier than the transition to playing at the Division 1 level.

“Volleyball was a little harder because this is college and the girls know more than me,” Rollins said. “Weather-wise, it was different because it was cold.”

Rollins came to the University a semester early, which head coach Hugh McCutcheon said gave her time to learn how to become a student-athlete.

Sophomore opposite hitter Stephanie Samedy said the more time she gets in her position, the better she will get.

“Anytime you can get reps to help develop yourself as a player is always a positive,” Samedy said.

...

“Just to play under [McCutcheon] was like a dream for me,” Rollins said. “I feel like he can help me get to the next level if I want to play after college.”

Rollins had to become more fundamentally sound with her game and coach McCutcheon said she has worked hard to do that.

“To her credit, she’s really tried to make some technical changes, which has allowed her to put more pop on the ball consistently,” McCutcheon said.

During the team’s workouts during the winter and before the season, Rollins said she had a few bad habits to eliminate.

“My footwork was all over the place. It worked in high school but not here,” Rollins said. “I just listened to what the coaches were telling me to do, and I think I’ve really improved.”

Although she didn’t have much confidence coming into the year, Rollins said gaining confidence has helped her team. Rollins credits those around her like Samedy and junior Alexis Hart, along with the coaching staff for her growth.

“Now that I know what I’m capable of, it changed my perspective a little,” Rollins said. “It makes me want to help the team more because I can have such a big impact.”
 


I think this is how the rotation worked versus Nebraska.

Minnesota's normal serving rotation is SSS, Barnes (who subs in for Hart), CC (taking Morgan's spot in the rotation), Samedy, Rollins, and then Pittman.

The starters versus Nebraska were with SSS serving: SSS, CC, Rollins in the back row and Hart, Morgan, Samedy in the the front.

The next rotation: Back Row: Barnes (replacing Hart), SSS, CC. Front: Morgan, Samedy, Rollins.

Next: Back: CC (taking Morgan's spot), Barnes, SSS. Front: Samedy, Rollins, Pittman (taking CC's spot).

Next: Back: Samedy, CC, Barnes. Front: Rollins, Pittman, SSS.

Next, Back: Rollins, Samedy, CC. Front: Pittman, SSS, Hart (replacing Barnes).

Next: Back: Pittman, Rollins, Samedy. Front: SSS, Hart, Morgan (replacing CC).
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
I think this is how the rotation worked versus Nebraska.

Minnesota's normal serving rotation is SSS, Barnes (who subs in for Hart), CC (taking Morgan's spot in the rotation), Samedy, Rollins, and then Pittman.

The starters versus Nebraska were with SSS serving: SSS, CC, Rollins in the back row and Hart, Morgan, Samedy in the the front.

The next rotation: Back Row: Barnes (replacing Hart), SSS, CC. Front: Morgan, Samedy, Rollins.

Next: Back: CC (taking Morgan's spot), Barnes, SSS. Front: Samedy, Rollins, Pittman (taking CC's spot).

Next: Back: Samedy, CC, Barnes. Front: Rollins, Pittman, SSS.

Next, Back: Rollins, Samedy, CC. Front: Pittman, SSS, Hart (replacing Barnes).

Next: Back: Pittman, Rollins, Samedy. Front: SSS, Hart, Morgan (replacing CC).
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This is all very helpful and interesting. Thanks!!! However, there's a lot for a beginner like me to internalize. I see why I understand baseball/softball so much better, instinctively if you will. Most of it's learned in childhood and carried with a person through life.
 

The only way to follow volleyball is to watch a ton of volleyball.

I had the luxury of watching my sister and sister in law play A LOT of matches. Obviously a much lower level but the rotations and everything remain the same.
 

https://gophersports.com/news/2018/10/9/volleyball-gopher-spotlight-alexis-hart.aspx

Gopher Spotlight: Alexis Hart

You spent most of your summer in Minnesota, what did you do with your time?
I intend to graduate early, so I took a lot of classes. I had both May term and summer school classes. I trained a lot and got in the gym a few extra times just to get better.

How did the extra time in the gym this summer help get your ready for this season?
Since I'm a junior, it's time to step up and be an upperclassmen and be a good role model for the freshman. It just helped me become more experienced with passing and having a good IQ of volleyball.

What are some skills you have been working to improve on?
I've really been working on my defense, especially on passing because I need to pass more. One thing I want to get better at is blocking because I feel like it is something that hasn't always been my strength, but I'm trying to make it one.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I have a dog so I love taking her on walks. She has a best friend and I'm close friends with the owner so we go walking a lot with our dogs. Her name is Dia*mond and I got her when she was seven weeks old. She is a year old now and is big! She weighs almost 70 pounds.
 

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