Losing the first set after leading 20-17 really took the wind out of this team. They played well enough in that set to win. They couldn't seem to build any momentum after that. One wonders if the mental side of conditioning is equally problematic as the physical side right now. Maybe so, and maybe not surprising. But for some teams, youth actually helps the mental game, because they just go out there and play. They've got to find some of that freshness.
Iowa State vs Illinois @ 2:00PM
- Thread starter cyrevkah
- Start date
I could be very wrong, but I don't buy the conditioning angle, especially given how CJL was substituting. To me this weekend was all about mental preparedness; every sport requires focus, but in VB, inability to focus is plain as day. Of course, being mentally in the game is easier said than done, but CJL's teams typically are mentally tough. I'd have to say that 1) I feel sorry for the girls, because when this happens, it doesn't feel very good at all, 2) I see some great new talent coming onto the court this year, 3) I love that coach is trying all kinds of things this early in the season, because that means we will be all the more ready as we get into more and more critical games, and 4) I am not the least bit worried because CJL has proven herself to be a great coach. This will all get worked out. It has in the past and it will now too.
Rough weekend, but that is why you schedule matches like this early in the year. It will only be a problem if they don't come out of this learning what they have to improve on and fix it. Losses early in the year are not as bad as losses later in the year.
San Diego has a lot of season ahead of them, but it seems they are at the top of their game already. We will need time to build to that.
Very disappointing match today. We have a LOT of work to do in order to get better. I do recall last season losing to a REALLY bad Syracuse team and a nearly-as-bad Iowa team taking us to five sets. We were more experienced last year, but still look where we ended up (Sweet 16). It's very early and there is plenty of time to turn things around. But I'd just as soon get back on track immediately. =)
You lose that passion and enthusiasm when your not making that first pass and constantly playing out of system. While a lot of players are being used, I have a feeling hat will be shrinking as the best passers begin to emerge.
CJ has it right. Just like FH has it right. This is the time of year to give players lots of looks, see how freshmen adjust to the higher level, see how returning players have improved over the summer and get a good sense, in the field of fire, what needs attention. FH always has slow starts as he uses the pre-conference period to evaluate players and systems; by January, he - and his team - are ready to go.
It was a disservice to rank this team #11 so early in the season. They may well deserve it - or higher - at the end of the season but not yet. Both SD and UIUC had winning as their highest priority. SD could afford to do it, as they have a very senior team and are far ahead of teams like ours. UIUC coach, also with a yonger team, apparently would rather shorten his bench, play his best - or what appears to be his best - players and put development lower in his priorities. I'm with CJL; with the new talent she has brought in, an investment in development will pay big dividends later this season - and in future seasons. Fortunately, ISU has the fans that will support this approach. Go Clones.
It was a disservice to rank this team #11 so early in the season. They may well deserve it - or higher - at the end of the season but not yet. Both SD and UIUC had winning as their highest priority. SD could afford to do it, as they have a very senior team and are far ahead of teams like ours. UIUC coach, also with a yonger team, apparently would rather shorten his bench, play his best - or what appears to be his best - players and put development lower in his priorities. I'm with CJL; with the new talent she has brought in, an investment in development will pay big dividends later this season - and in future seasons. Fortunately, ISU has the fans that will support this approach. Go Clones.
I feel like some of the girls don't take conditionng seriously, either. We have some players that look heavy, and in a sport where jumping can be improved with less weight, we're not there. That's reflected in blocking, where foot speed to get in position helps, too. That was a simple eye test in the San Diego match. That may be harsh to some, but that was the thing I took away from our losses.
The other was, Vondrack didn't play until the 3rd set vs San Diego, which we won. Then played in the 4th, although we lost, but gave good energy. She didn't play against Illinois until the 3rd, again when we started to make it close. It seems like coach isn't giving her enough credit for her play, even in serve receive.
I'd walk carefully through this conditioning thing. Sometimes it's just body type and metabolism. It's easy in this sport to think that if you're not long and lean, your not in shape. That is not necessarily the case. I'll trust that the strength & conditioning coach is getting each individual player to their best performance level.
