Texas Tech, Wednesday, Oct 30th @ 8pm on ESPNU

[Tornado man]

There is also no denying what we have seen with ISU wbb/vb athletics. Wbb had a conditioning problem, and had the same coach as VB. Then, BF got a conditioning coach, and look how well that paid off through the last season for WBB. Several wins were attributed to the improved conditioning that we basically had a 6 player rotation.

I also think many VB players tend to be of a certain body type, and the sport doesn't itself provide a lot of interval cardio in practicing.

We should not be half way through the Big 12 and hear that our team is already showing signs of fatigue.

I agree that the change from Moser to Link was a great improvement in the conditioning of WBB. Don't know how involved CJL is regarding her team's off-court training and conditioning - on the court, it's very intense. Pete Link is very cardio-centered, and lives the lifestyle that he demands from his athletes. That's different than Moser (and McKnight, for that matter). When McGettigan was here for football with Mac, he was the same way as Link.

 

[BoxsterCy]

While I will concede that you know much more about volleyball than I (because if you've watched more than 3 matches in the last year, you probably do), to me, the bolded part above is crap. Seriously, big guts=poor conditioning? Hmmpf...you want to say that to an Alabama offensive lineman and then try and outrun him? And yes, volleyball is totally different than football, but if you take the bolded part out, I'd have no problem with your statements...I believe if this were not a women's sport, no one would ever call out gut size in a post. I have heard that basketball players look 'out of shape'...but usually it's called out if performance is fine.

You must miss the annual threads on conditioning and "eye test" observation made every year regarding the MBB team. "Man, he looks ripped, check out the arms" or "Jeez, he looks like he could lose 20 pounds". Or the thread this year about a leaner meaner maybe better conditioned Niang or past threads on some of our pudgier looking posts? Agree it can be a touching subject but it is certainly not like it is exclusive to the gals teams. Probably wouldn't even be a topic if it didn't look like we frequently run out of gas in matches. This is not about some stupid expectation that gals look like Barbie dolls.

 

[cydney]

Since the beginning of the season, there was a noticeable difference in the apparent conditioning and fitness of this team compared to past teams. It might not be possible to "solve" it this season. Hopefully though it can be worked around with smart strategies so that the team can reach its full potential.

On another subject, what about serving? The team continued to increase its number of aces vs Tech, and all the articles hype this being one of the best serve teams at ISU, in the Big 12, and nationally.

But... what about serve errors? Our errors have often been almost as high as the aces. I don't see NCAA stats on serve percentage, which would factor in errors in serve performance. Using that stat, wouldn't ISU's serve performance be instead relatively poor?

Against Tech, we earned one point on our service game (15 aces, 14 errors). Tech earned 4 (11 aces, 7 errors). Doesn't that mean they won the service game?

In other words, if we go for the line for serves, and we are 50-50 on aces and misses, isn't that being too high risk? We are giving the opponent as many points as we are getting.

 

[CY9008]

It's not about the ratio of aces/errors at this level of VB. CJL never wants to see an error but she knows they are serving tough. Points from serving tough don't just come from aces. The object is to pull the setter off the net for a weaker attack, or an easy over pass kill. We were serving Texas off the court in the 1 set. They made defensive adjustments in later sets which weakened their offense a bit but was deemed necessary because of our tough serving.

The conditioning issue is very apparent to those following the team for a few years. Some players are visibly out of shape (compared to years prior) and it is affecting the team. I'm not sure if that is CJL's conditioning program or just personal upkeep. Something needs to be done about it though.

 

[Royalclone]

I don't think you want your setter coming up with 21 digs a game either. If she is digging, then she is not setting, and you are out of system moe likely than not when playing a 5-1.

 

[mitten1975]

The conditioning issue is very apparent to those following the team for a few years. Some players are visibly out of shape (compared to years prior) and it is affecting the team. I'm not sure if that is CJL's conditioning program or just personal upkeep. Something needs to be done about it though.

I am doubting this statement. It took me several days to be sure that I was doubting it so I kept my mouth shut. I have been watching ISU volleyball carefully for three years anyway, and though girls change, who knows what that has to do with conditioning. Coach Christy obviously saw talent and took it where she could get it. People change and struggle with certain aspects of their physical bodies, and adjust to it over time. That doesn't mean they aren't working hard. I was amazed at some of the things that happened in the program last year, but I saw the rationale. I trust this coach, she is really good.