Gopher Volleyball 2018

Donate To GopherHole
Oh yes, it should worry you. I don’t want to imply that we should ignore it.

But also think it’s wrong to say that Gophs lost them, rather than other team took them (by their own skill and strategy). Some of both, but I’m leaning more toward latter.
 

Minnesota swept Green Bay 18, 15, 22. The third set was a come from behind win. Hugh did some experimenting during the match. Swider played the third set posting a couple of kills and some blocks. Samedy played the first two sets hitting .500 with 7 kills. Martin came in late in the first set; but like Rollins, struggled hitting during the match. (Martin hit .067 and Rollins .038). Hart led the Gophers with 13 kills hitting .440.

The heat in the PAV must have affected the stats scoreboard which didn't begin operating until the break. Even the intro video lacked sound.

As previously noted, Pittman and Seliger-Swenson continue to connect on the slide.
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
Minnesota swept Green Bay 18, 15, 22. The third set was a come from behind win. Hugh did some experimenting during the match. Swider played the third set posting a couple of kills and some blocks. Samedy played the first two sets hitting .500 with 7 kills. Martin came in late in the first set; but like Rollins, struggled hitting during the match. (Martin hit .067 and Rollins .038). Hart led the Gophers with 13 kills hitting .440.

The heat in the PAV must have affected the stats scoreboard which didn't begin operating until the break. Even the intro video lacked sound.

As previously noted, Pittman and Seliger-Swenson continue to connect on the slide.
Click to expand...

On VT, saw someone or a couple people saying that Rollins was getting OOS sets and had to tip/push the ball over a lot, hence her low numbers. She clearly has/had beaten Martin out for H2 front-court rotations, on the west coast trip.
 

Gophers_4life said:
On VT, saw someone or a couple people saying that Rollins was getting OOS sets and had to tip/push the ball over a lot, hence her low numbers. She clearly has/had beaten Martin out for H2 front-court rotations, on the west coast trip.
Click to expand...

Yes, Rollins was doing some clean-up ball striking. Someone's gotta do it.
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
Yes, Rollins was doing some clean-up ball striking. Someone's gotta do it.
Click to expand...

Do those strikes and OOS tips count against her? Seems to me those things should be seen as pluses if she's covering up for others' mistakes.
 


Hrothgar said:
Do those strikes and OOS tips count against her? Seems to me those things should be seen as pluses if she's covering up for others' mistakes.
Click to expand...

I agree, if the set is obviously not a good one it shouldn't count against the hitter.

Similarly (though reversed in a sense), I always feel like drops/tips/touches by a receiver in football shouldn't count as an incompletion for the QB.
 

Wise choice to cancel tonight's match. The A/C can't come soon enough. Just getting water to the Bank was apparently an overwhelming challenge.
 

https://gophersports.com/news/2018/9/15/volleyball-match-vs-kansas-state-cancelled.aspx

After considering a number of options to reschedule the volleyball match between the University of Minnesota and Kansas State, it has been determined that this match will be cancelled and will not be rescheduled. It was originally announced that this match was postponed, but now it has been cancelled.

Fans with tickets for tonight's match will be able to exchange their tickets for another regular season home match in 2018, subject to availability.
 

Brutal temps in there I heard.

Absolutely stupid that the place never had A/C before. Title IX lawsuit worthy ...
 



Gophers_4life said:
Brutal temps in there I heard.

Absolutely stupid that the place never had A/C before. Title IX lawsuit worthy ...
Click to expand...

Actually, Williams doesn't have A/C either. The Lynx put in temporary A/C for the WNBA playoffs last year. Of course, no teams are in there in the summer anymore.
 

Ski U Mah Gopher said:
Actually, Williams doesn't have A/C either. The Lynx put in temporary A/C for the WNBA playoffs last year. Of course, no teams are in there in the summer anymore.
Click to expand...

The on campus option would be Mariucci which is air conditioned. But we'd still have all the court set up. Plus I think they were putting the ice in last week (if I remember the Motzko first practice article correctly).
 

Ski U Mah Gopher said:
Actually, Williams doesn't have A/C either. The Lynx put in temporary A/C for the WNBA playoffs last year. Of course, no teams are in there in the summer anymore.
Click to expand...

Well, let's be honest, no one was going to file a lawsuit (would've been done long ago). But it wouldn't simply be a case of looking at Williams to make a conclusion. You'd look at all the facilities to all teams, see how much money is spent on TCF, on the athletes villiage ... and they won't even put in AC for the gals top ranked vball team? Awful
 

MRJ said:
That's what happens when you get a lot of media love, have a bunch of highly rated national level recruits and openly talk about how cool it would be to make a Final Four in your backyard.

They haven't turned the necessary corner, not even close. Faded badly down the stretch last year and haven't improved from there so far this season.

Of course it's early and they still could get there. But they have shown a lot of the same problems they had last year. I would love to be wrong. And if they can discover the magic formula, I'll be more than happy to admit I'm wrong.

But based on the end of last year and what I'm seeing early this year, they're not on that level. At least not yet.

Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Though I don't know much about VB, I've watched every game the past 2 years. Compared with 2015 & 2016, the 2017 & 2018 teams are missing something vital. I don't know what's missing, but I desperately hope they find it soon. Lots of very tough opponents coming up.
 



Hrothgar said:
Though I don't know much about VB, I've watched every game the past 2 years. Compared with 2015 & 2016, the 2017 & 2018 teams are missing something vital. I don't know what's missing, but I desperately hope they find it soon. Lots of very tough opponents coming up.
Click to expand...
That makes two of us.

Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk
 

Can't say that until we get more data points.

We were #1 until a very difficult, very long, very arduous road trip. Road trips, long distance, against top teams, are tough! If we had the K-State datapoint, that'd be one thing.

Penn St will be a heck of a datapoint!
 

Gophers_4life said:
Can't say that until we get more data points.

We were #1 until a very difficult, very long, very arduous road trip. Road trips, long distance, against top teams, are tough! If we had the K-State datapoint, that'd be one thing.

Penn St will be a heck of a datapoint!
Click to expand...

You may be right. We all hope you are. But I think they should have beaten both Oregon and Stanford. The West Coast trip wasn't like a 15-day road trip; they're young & energetic, weren't burdened with classwork, and should be able to adjust. They've had leads in several matches in 2018, and real winners have a certain killer instinct to put an opponent away with emphasis when they get the opponents down. Of course, beating Penn State would be great. However, I'm not talking really about match final scores, but about the drive to put matches away when it really counts.
 

http://www.startribune.com/taylor-m...ball-after-getting-chance-to-start/493666451/

The Strib's Rachel Blount on Taylor Morgan:

Gophers volleyball player Taylor Morgan last week at Maturi Pavilion. In her fourth year on campus, Morgan has taken advantage of her opportunity to play.

It should come as no surprise that Taylor Morgan wound up with the Gophers. She practically grew up on campus, tagging along with her dad, Gophers women’s track and field coach Matt Bingle, and hanging out with the athletes she idolized.

When she was being recruited to play Division I volleyball, though, Bingle urged her to consider all her options. Being a dutiful daughter, she did — for about five minutes.

“I just thought, ‘Why would I want to look anywhere else?’ ” Morgan said. “I told my parents I’d think about it. But when I got home after my unofficial visit, I told them, ‘We need to call [coach Hugh McCutcheon] now.’ ”

Morgan’s time as an athlete at her beloved school hasn’t been easy, with multiple knee surgeries and a platoon of talented upperclassmen forcing her to be patient. As the seventh-ranked Gophers open the Big Ten season Wednesday against No. 4 Penn State, she is finally getting the chance to put her devotion into regular action. Through the first eight matches, the redshirt junior ranks 10th in the nation in blocks per set (1.52) and is fourth on the team in points per set (2.96).

...

With the Final Four at Target Center in December — and with her knee feeling good after a fourth surgery early this year — Morgan has grand ambitions. She loves playing in front of her parents, and little sisters Allie and Grace, at Maturi Pavilion.

Matt Bingle, in his 16th year at the U, said it’s been rewarding to experience Gophers sports as a father and fan. That has only added to the fun for a daughter determined to stay right where she grew up.

“Wearing Minnesota on my back is just a dream come true,’’ she said. “And after going through all the knee surgeries, to be able to play with the girls I love is truly a blessing. This is the only place I ever wanted to be.’’
 

Hrothgar said:
You may be right. We all hope you are. But I think they should have beaten both Oregon and Stanford. The West Coast trip wasn't like a 15-day road trip; they're young & energetic, weren't burdened with classwork, and should be able to adjust. They've had leads in several matches in 2018, and real winners have a certain killer instinct to put an opponent away with emphasis when they get the opponents down. Of course, beating Penn State would be great. However, I'm not talking really about match final scores, but about the drive to put matches away when it really counts.
Click to expand...

It would've been great to beat both, remain undefeated, and would've remained #1. But to me that almost is like acting that it's solely the Gophs choice to decide to win or lose those two matches. They both had very, very good players who had great games. Stone for Oregon, KP for Stanford, both played awesome against us. Very tough players. They have gals on scholarship too! Oregon turned around and got blasted by Penn St. While Stanford took care of Penn St in the first match.

So getting to play Penn St now, in the Pav, will be interesting. With this much time to analyze, correct, and potentially rest up, anything could happen. Could be 5 sets, or anything on either side of the spectrum.
 

As was already noted, tonight was going to be a data point, one way or the other.

Thankfully, it turned out very positive.

Definitely the best and most consistent performance of the year, which is where most of my concerns were/are. A big step in the right direction.

Plus, always nice to sweep Penn State!

On another note, both Samedy and Rollins were excellent tonight.

Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk
 

It was one cool-ass win at the PAV tonight. Minnesota dominated crunch time at the net (blocking and hitting). Rollins was terrific hitting high and low and Morgan's kills were absolute rockets from the middle. Late in the first set Hart made a crucial, spectacular block firing up the crowd. Samedy was the best player on the court.

The slide to Pittman got off to a slow start but worked well as the match progressed. It was a pretty tight rotation tonight with Martin remaining on the bench. Early in the match, before the Gophers adjusted, Penn State was digging the Gopher cross court shots. I expected to be getting out of there after 11:00; but the Gophers got us out at 10:00.
 

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A Taylor Morgan KILL!!
 

Dominant performance last night. Won at the net and far fewer serving and receiving issues.

Only complaint is the volume of the PA announcer. It hurts my ears when he talks and I feel like I’m being yelled at
 

Pittman was a non factor with several service errors and we still swept them. PSU is loaded with frosh and did not have the couple dominant closers that they always seem to have. Glad we caught them early. PAV was still really warm. Rollins is really going to be something. The floor D was better and we did not get victimized by the dink shots over the blockers.
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
It was one cool-ass win at the PAV tonight. Minnesota dominated crunch time at the net (blocking and hitting). Rollins was terrific hitting high and low and Morgan's kills were absolute rockets from the middle. Late in the first set Hart made a crucial, spectacular block firing up the crowd. Samedy was the best player on the court.

The slide to Pittman got off to a slow start but worked well as the match progressed. It was a pretty tight rotation tonight with Martin remaining on the bench. Early in the match, before the Gophers adjusted, Penn State was digging the Gopher cross court shots. I expected to be getting out of there after 11:00; but the Gophers got us out at 10:00.
Click to expand...

I know there were/are people who were excited for and expecting big things from Martin, and it's still early in the season so something can change, but barring catastrophe I don't see Martin, Sheehan, or Zieman getting on the floor unless it's a less competitive match.

Our top lineup is locked in at this point: SSS/Samedy, Pittman/Morgan/CC, Hart/Barnes/Rollins.

And they CRUSHED IT last night! Get behind these ladies! We can still get a regional this year!
 

beavergopher said:
Pittman was a non factor with several service errors and we still swept them. PSU is loaded with frosh and did not have the couple dominant closers that they always seem to have. Glad we caught them early. PAV was still really warm. Rollins is really going to be something. The floor D was better and we did not get victimized by the dink shots over the blockers.
Click to expand...

Can Morgan serve and slide?? Maybe they should try switching M1/M2 ?
 

Gophers_4life said:
Can Morgan serve and slide?? Maybe they should try switching M1/M2 ?
Click to expand...
That would likely depend upon how explosively she can attack on the move. I think they use Pittman on slides because of her size. Plus, Morgan is 6-0 while Regan is 6-5. Also, with Rubright coming next year, they could be using Pittman on the slide for this year only. I know, I'm getting WAY ahead of myself with that thought, but from what I've seen of Morgan, she's very explosive when stationery. Don't know about on the move.

Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk
 

Gophers_4life said:
I know there were/are people who were excited for and expecting big things from Martin, and it's still early in the season so something can change, but barring catastrophe I don't see Martin, Sheehan, or Zieman getting on the floor unless it's a less competitive match.

Our top lineup is locked in at this point: SSS/Samedy, Pittman/Morgan/CC, Hart/Barnes/Rollins.

And they CRUSHED IT last night! Get behind these ladies! We can still get a regional this year!
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think Martin or Sheehan could back up Hart, but unless Lexi is struggling or injured, I can't see either seeing much time.

Adanna has already established herself as a top option and Samedy, as we all knew, is a stud.

Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk
 

Stephanie Samedy is going to be a national player of the year before her time in college ball is over.
 

I'd say that Pittman and Morgan were both solid contributors last night. The numbers are pretty similar. Pittman had the two service errors; but also the service ace. They both had the same number of blocks (4) and the same number of digs (2). Pittman had 7 kills, 3 errors in 15 attempts while Morgan was 6, 2 and 11. Pittman even lofted a nice set for a kill (out of system they seem comfortable going to Regan). Pittman and Morgan presented different problems for PSU's defense.
 

Ignatius L Hoops said:
I'd say that Pittman and Morgan were both solid contributors last night. The numbers are pretty similar. Pittman had the two service errors; but also the service ace. They both had the same number of blocks (4) and the same number of digs (2). Pittman had 7 kills, 3 errors in 15 attempts while Morgan was 6, 2 and 11. Pittman even lofted a nice set for a kill (out of system they seem comfortable going to Regan). Pittman and Morgan presented different problems for PSU's defense.
Click to expand...

Defenses are going to have a problem with Morgan, in that her spikes break forearms in half.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom