I really think this was a great group of girls. So what happened. Was it as simple as youth, because we are a young team, or was there more to it. I am interested in everyone's perspective on this. I do feel badly for the team, as no one will be more disappointed than they are.
So what went wrong this year?
- Thread starter psyclone51
- Start date
things really went downhill about a month ago when we stopped getting the production from Capezio. I think we just simply had too many holes to overcome. New setter + new passers + losing a top player......I think there just too many key areas that we had to rebuild on. IIRC, 2010 was Allison's first year as setter and we got bounced 1st round there too.
Couldn't tell you - CJL was always optimistic about the team (at least publicly) all the way to the bitter end. Tonight it was a case of no one on ISU's team to counter CU's Simpson. She dominated the match. Also, we get away with winning often, while playing poorly, in the Big 12. ISU tied for 3rd at 11-5, and got beat soundly by a team that finished seventh in the Pac 12, and had a losing conference record. Wow. If this team had played in the Big Ten or Pac 12, they wouldn't even have made the tourney. Don't know the exact formula for determining a team's volleyball RPI, but our current #23 ranking is mystifying...
we didn't have any bad losses, so that saved us. Our worst loss, St. Mary's, was the top team left out of the tourney.......and many felt that they should have made it. All of our losses were to ranked or RV teams.
Maybe it is just me, but I think our opposition saw something in our offense, and began to counter us. I think it began before this match. I think it had to do with our outside hitters. Colorado nearly took away our outside game with their blocking. I think I saw something similar in some other matches. I think we need to look at the offense and figure out what we are doing that is so predictable.
I am not the best in expertise in volleyball. A person would have to look at lots of film to study this, see what defenses are doing to counter our attack and figure out if there is any similarity.
I am not the best in expertise in volleyball. A person would have to look at lots of film to study this, see what defenses are doing to counter our attack and figure out if there is any similarity.
the outsides get blocked or have to tip, a LOT. I think it all comes back to the passing. Jenelle gets a poor pass, it limits what she can do/leads to a poorly timed hit (tip)........so we become predictable.
We can point fingers at specific players, but somehow, this team was missing something. I am not sure what it was; it may have been because of the youth, or it may have been due to personalities. Whatever it was, I am optimistic that CJL will get it done and we have a great year next year. We have a great base to start with and some exciting new talent. My biggest concern is libero; how do you replace a KH - I guess the simple answer is you don't!
not an expert, or even a huge VB fan, but in the games that I watched this team just had no killer instinct. There were a lot of games that ISU was ahead by several point and they just couldn't close it out. As the game got closer they would tighten up and play conservative.
we really had no "go-to" player to just terminate when needed. Bigz could do it sometimes, but not enough.
This year reminds me so much of 2010, where we made the tourney but went on the road and lost a first round game to Creighton. A lot of parallels to that team such as:
We had a highly-rated group of sophomores - led by Landwehr and Straube, this year Bigbee, Hudson, and Nolan;
We had to replace an AA setter in Mann w/an inexperienced Landwehr, this year it was replacing Landwehr w/an inexperienced Hudson;
We lost a key all-around player at an inopportune time - Hockaday to injury then Malloy with an August transfer this year;
We had a returning senior AA libero who we expected to be a team leader, Maas in 2010 an Hahn this year. While each was in their own way, they didn't get much help.
Both times the talent was there, but it was mostly young, and they took a key loss of a player. The freshman class was relatively small. Matlock was a pleasant surprise as a freshman then as was Capezio this year, but the season wore on them. Wilms was highly regarded in that class as was Hahn, but the former took a redshirt while the latter played sparingly with Maas and Mahoney ahead of her on the back row. This year's other two freshman, at least one was redshirted, maybe both.
CJL and the team responded from a down year in 2010 by coming within a fifth set of making the Final Four the next. That year we recruited three in Hurtt, Knuth, and Goetz, next year we have the likes of Conoway, Harris, and Berta coming in. Knuth was highly ranked as is Conoway, although Tory was redshirted because we were three deep with Staube, Matlock, and Stadick in the middle. Still, Hurtt played a key role as a freshman and I suspect at least one the incoming frosh will as well.
Point being, good developing programs respond from a bad year. In fact it may be a blessing and a learning tool for those coming back to take their game to another level. I believe they did that in 2011, we'll have to wait to see what 2014 brings.
We had a highly-rated group of sophomores - led by Landwehr and Straube, this year Bigbee, Hudson, and Nolan;
We had to replace an AA setter in Mann w/an inexperienced Landwehr, this year it was replacing Landwehr w/an inexperienced Hudson;
We lost a key all-around player at an inopportune time - Hockaday to injury then Malloy with an August transfer this year;
We had a returning senior AA libero who we expected to be a team leader, Maas in 2010 an Hahn this year. While each was in their own way, they didn't get much help.
Both times the talent was there, but it was mostly young, and they took a key loss of a player. The freshman class was relatively small. Matlock was a pleasant surprise as a freshman then as was Capezio this year, but the season wore on them. Wilms was highly regarded in that class as was Hahn, but the former took a redshirt while the latter played sparingly with Maas and Mahoney ahead of her on the back row. This year's other two freshman, at least one was redshirted, maybe both.
CJL and the team responded from a down year in 2010 by coming within a fifth set of making the Final Four the next. That year we recruited three in Hurtt, Knuth, and Goetz, next year we have the likes of Conoway, Harris, and Berta coming in. Knuth was highly ranked as is Conoway, although Tory was redshirted because we were three deep with Staube, Matlock, and Stadick in the middle. Still, Hurtt played a key role as a freshman and I suspect at least one the incoming frosh will as well.
Point being, good developing programs respond from a bad year. In fact it may be a blessing and a learning tool for those coming back to take their game to another level. I believe they did that in 2011, we'll have to wait to see what 2014 brings.
I disagree with the comments that ISU wasn't good this year, or was bad. True, they did not finish the season strong and played badly in several matches including vs. CU. However, they qualified for the tourney, they beat teams that made it into the tourney, and they took sets from San Diego and the #1 team in the country Texas.
This is still a very high level of volleyball. As CJL said in the CU post-game, it's very disappointing because the bar is higher, more is expected.
As fans, and rightly so, we now cringe when they play like they did vs. CU. But that is because the team has shown us what high quality volleyball should look like.
This is still a very high level of volleyball. As CJL said in the CU post-game, it's very disappointing because the bar is higher, more is expected.
As fans, and rightly so, we now cringe when they play like they did vs. CU. But that is because the team has shown us what high quality volleyball should look like.
The parallels are striking. Also as TCG says, if the team can come back with more fortitude in 2014 as it did from 2010 to 2011, there is optimism for next year.
Unlike that transition, however, there may be a few more unknowns and more player development may be needed. Good luck to the coaches and players to make the most of the off-season!
when you start listing it out, Royal, it's pretty crazy how similar the years are! I remembered Mass/Landwehr, but I forgot all about how we lost Rachel, unexpectedly right at the beginning of the year. (plus the other things you listed). Hopefully that means we will come back next year more experienced and ready to kick butt!
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
This sums it up, I think. CJL and the team have raised the bar, so a season like this looks like a major disappointment.
It was a poor performance yesterday, and we all expect more now. At least we know that CJL will get things running again.
If I were boiling the season down to one thing, it likely is losing Andie Malloy. I'm not an expert, but losing her was a pretty major loss that's tough to overcome right away.
