VCU Oct 5 match

UDVBFan · #1 10-05-2014, 01:27 PM

Nice first set as the Dayton ladies took it at 18. Digging well, passing well, serving very well, setting well, and defending the OH well (lots of touch blocks to slow down the ball). VCU's suspect middle defense wasn't tested and VCU went to the RS with effectiveness. Will be interesting if that continues in the 2nd set and going forward but nice opening set for Horsmon's team.

UDVBFan · #2 10-05-2014, 01:52 PM

23-25 VCU takes the 2nd. Too much VCU blocking and too many Dayton hitting errors (outside the court, not just being blocked) were the difference. Dayton seemed to be missing the timing on their own blocking but give VCU credit for playing a tough set. They jumped out to big leads (7-2, 13-8) and despite Dayton going ahead 22-21, they kept their composure and took the set after being tied at 23. We had our chances (did we ever) but the 2nd set bugaboo reared its ugly head again and so the match is tied at 1 set apiece. Could be a tight one all the way to 5 and that's what you'd expect with 2 of the top teams in the A10 going at it. Should be fun - go Dayton!

Avid Flyer · #3 10-05-2014, 01:56 PM

VCU hitting .290 UD .026 pretty much sums it up. UD came from down 7-2 to tie it and it was nip and tuck from their on. UD was their own worse enemy. We'll see if they can correct their errors.

But it was UD's typical 2nd set.

UDBrian · #4 10-05-2014, 01:59 PM

Ud is passing the ball better than earlier in the year based only on visual and not on numbers. Need good serving to slow the offense down their setter gets away with carries but she is slick with it

UDVBFan · #5 10-05-2014, 02:07 PM

"Time Out Turner" strikes again. Great serving stretch to get Dayton back on top after they trailed 5-1!

UDVBFan · #6 10-05-2014, 02:25 PM

Nice 3rd set for Alaina. What an athlete she is. Solo blocks, 3 aces in a 5-point service run, and nice swinging. What you want from your Captain, and she delivered. Dayton takes the 3rd set at 20. Need to keep the momentum going and close out dangerous VCU in 4.

UDVBFan · #7 10-05-2014, 02:42 PM

Man, can Alaina serve. Dayton up 17-14 in the 4th and Alaina's just had 2 more aces before another forced VCU timeout on her serve. (Note: no relation to Turner here - just an admirer. ; )

UDVBFan · #8 10-05-2014, 02:54 PM

Huge win for the Flyers. VCU took out SLU in 4, and we did the same to them. The team seems to be coming of age maybe a little quicker than expected. Their serve-receive (a crucial skill) seems to be getting stronger, and they had a good foundation to start from anyway, so that's huge. Jane seems to be overcoming the understandable acclimation time expected with a completely new bunch of hitters to set to. I still hate to see so many unforced hitting errors, but this game starts with your ability to serve and to pass the opponents' serves effectively, and we are doing exactly that.

Way to send a nice message to the rest of the Conference! Go Flyers!

Avid Flyer · #9 10-05-2014, 02:56 PM

VCU did not look like the lightning fast team that beat SLU on Friday. They obviously did something to take them out of system. Brian can expand on what they did, but to the untrained eye they were not the same team that beat SLU.

Turner needs to go buy a lotto ticket....its her day.

Great win and UD with 8 straight and 4 in the A-10 is back. Still lots of work to do but they hopefully will peak at tourney time.

ud69 · #10 10-05-2014, 02:58 PM

Wow - Turner serving the snot out of it.

13 aces for Dayton, 1 for VCU - That's point, set, and match

Figgie123 · #11 10-05-2014, 03:24 PM

Career Game High - Alaina Turner - 8 Aces. (only 24 more (she has 41) to tie for 10th most in a seaon (65-Richards/Moffitt))

Figgie123 · #12 10-05-2014, 03:33 PM

Very good match to watch. VCU's #12 is very strong. She can slam the ball down very well.

I watched the Friday game online, and was intrigued watching Jendryk on the left, with Loiars on the right. They both have some serious power in their shots. I also enjoy the setter to middle shots we get, because they just are beauty to watch. (I know, it's usually because it's a "3" pass, but dang, but Z and Amber can terminate that one really well.)

Not sure if this is normal, can't say I've specifically seen it before, but they are protecting Emmenecker in serve receive, at least right after she loses her serve. Loiars is in front of her, and they back Loiars up to serve receive while Emmenecker runs to the front. Again, not sure if this is normal, as I suspect you want that to get your setter ready to go, but it was just something I noticed.

VCU seemed to aim for Turner when she was in the back left. Not sure if that is a good scouting report, or just based on how VCU serves.

And Turner was amazing serving. Again, I only slept at Holiday Inn last night, but I wonder how much game-planning goes in to determine the serve order, and placement of players, compared to the opponent, as when Turner served, they placed only 2 back row players, so she had the chance to aim for corners and run their receive players back on their heels. Then, follow it up with a bloop over the net. Interesting to examine that dynamic.

I talked to the Keith, the audio guy, and asked about the Friday night match. I was barely paying attention to the post-game coach interview with 2 students, and he announced one of them as Kaitlyn Kraus. (no "e", note that) I asked him about that and said that I saw she was at Hofstra, and he said amazing as it is, there are 2 Kaitlyn Kraus(e?)' in the world, and currently at UD is a student without the "e" in their last name. Amazing how the world turns.

First place in the A10!

udisit19 · #13 10-05-2014, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Avid Flyer

VCU did not look like the lightning fast team that beat SLU on Friday. They obviously did something to take them out of system. Brian can expand on what they did, but to the untrained eye they were not the same team that beat SLU.

I didn't watch the VCU vs. SLU match, but I did watch most of this one. I thought the pace was very fast in the first and second sets but that it did seem slower in the 3rd and 4th. The pace felt very slow in the second half of the 4th. A big part of the pace has got to be serving. Serve tough and kept your opponent out of rhythm. Then you get some aces and your opponent goes even longer without being in rhythm. Alaina was definitely the best performer in this game and the Flyers needed her.

Give credit to Dayton for hanging in there while the pace was fast. The pace was fast in the first and Dayton held large leads most of the set and held on to win it. Then despite the fast pace again in the second, Dayton fought back and almost won it. Big boost to UD's confidence and a big blow to VCU's. The Rams were controlling the tempo but were not outplaying the Flyers.

VCU won set 1 against SLU by a lot and then pulled away late in the second for a five point lead and a 2-0 lead in the match. Someone else mentioned that VCU has played and won a lot of close games. SLU took to long to get in the game. By the time SLU was competing, VCU could already see the end of match. Dayton took control of the game early.

UACFlyer · #14 10-05-2014, 03:37 PM

Pretty good weekend for the Flyers....5-0!

Avid Flyer · #15 10-05-2014, 03:46 PM

Tough weekend for Davidson, welcome to the A-10. First losing to Dayton in vball. Then losing a heart breaker to Dayton in football in 5 OT, then losing to Dayton again last night mens soccer game as UD shut out the #19 team in the country.

Davidson 0-3 so far and losing to SLU in vball.

udisit19 · #16 10-05-2014, 03:46 PM

SLU is currently in set 4 against Davidson with Davidson leading 15-14. SLU leads the match 2-1.(25-21 25-9 20-25)

Maybe, it wasn't a different VCU team? Maybe Saint Louis is a little below VCU and UD?

udisit19 · #17 10-05-2014, 03:56 PM

Davidson just took set 4 against SLU 25-23. SLU and Davidson are going to a 5th set.

UDBrian · #18 10-05-2014, 04:04 PM

I agree with UDISIT that vcu played faster in sets 1 and 2. I really think that the serving helped slow VCU down. When you are only setting the ball 2' - 3' above the net you need good passing to execute.

I thought it was a great match to watch, glad I made the 30 mile drive!

The VCU coach must be shaking her head that Alaina had 8 aces in four sets and two of those hit the tape. Those aren't only eight free points but they really provided a lot of momentum for UD. In addition Jessica had three aces with one each for Rachel and Maggie.

I thought that UD started with mediocre passing at the beginning of set 4 but after that they were lights out and showed that they too can have a difficult offense to stop.

Kudos to the staff and players, this team has greatly improved since their first matches of the year.

udisit19 · #19 10-05-2014, 04:26 PM

Davidson beats SLU in 5. 18-16

UDBrian · #20 10-05-2014, 04:32 PM

Alaina really put on a serving clinic today and Jessica wasn't far behind her. Both of them hit the ball low, with good pace and a nice drop toward the end. Unless you hit that serve directly to the returner it is tough. And I thought the team as a whole served very well.

If a team is only using two people to return serve it is because those are people they completely trust to return serve

udisit19 · #21 10-05-2014, 07:41 PM

For some perspective, the last time a Flyer had 7 service aces was Allyson Morey on 10/18/11 against Wright State. VCU was a much better team than that Wright State team was making Alaina's accomplishment all the more impressive. Dayton hit 0.451 in that match compared to 0.225 against VCU.

Avid Flyer · #22 10-05-2014, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by udisit19

Davidson beats SLU in 5. 18-16

Davidson wins in 5 but that don't tell the whole story. SLU won set one 25-21, and destroyed Davidson in set two 25-9. At that point it looked like all SLU had to do was put a fork in them.

Leading 2-0 at the break and whipping them 25-9 it was a forgone conclusion SLU would get a sweep. Not so says Davidson.

Davidson then swept the next three sets 25-20, 25-23 and 18-16 as noted above. Losing 3 straight at home and losing to VCU in convincing fashion also at home is kinda mind boggling to say the least. Now SLU is down the list with 2 losses.

So two heavyweights (preseason) are on the wrong side of the ledger.

Avid Flyer · #23 10-05-2014, 09:53 PM

End of week two in A-10 UD and GW both sit at the top undefeated in A-10 action. The two meet Saturday Oct 11th in Washington D.C., then there will only be one undefeated team. Assuming Dayton beats George Mason and GW beats SLU (tall order) on Friday Oct. 10th.

ud69 · #24 10-05-2014, 10:53 PM

In looking at the UD record book - which does not have individual game records - most of the records for aces were quite old. Would the 8 aces be a record since rally scoring was instituted?

BeckysTXA · #25 10-06-2014, 08:40 AM

Was on a beach for a long weekend, so didn't see any vball. Just wanted to point out one thing -- remember earlier in the year we had all those service errors -- which fans hate. Practicing tough serves is very hard to duplicate in a practice gym. Just not the same as in a game. Hard to duplicate the pressure and intensity. But coaches have to keep telling their team to serve aggressive in games even if the errors are adding up. Don't back off or you will never learn to serve tough and in today's game you have to serve tough to keep the good teams out of system.

We hate the errors as fans, and we seem to have this conversation a lot every 2-3 years when new players come in and have to learn how to amp up the their serving. The learning curve is tough especially during matches at key times.

But we are seeing the positive results of good coaching and staying with something. The team is getting much better at keeping their serves in during matches. And the intensity of the serving is resulting in more aces. As UDBrian said above, this team is way better than just a month ago. I think Jane is getting much better (based on seeing her play last weekend.) And if Jill played a lot on the right this past weekend, I like it. I've always thought she was more suited to the right side, but understand I don't see practices or many matches. I thought if she could improve her blocking, the right was a very good fit for her. And the times I've seen her hit from the right side this year, she's terminating at a high rate. But also note, both Jenna and Jill play both right and left every week, so Figgie's comments might have just been the one rotation Jill hits from the right. We'll watch it closer this week. But so far, the coaching staff and team are doing a great job managing the A-10 schedule. Not many teams have finished the conference season undefeated. Our schedule sets up well in that we have one tough match per week. We can't overlook the weaker team or we will end up like SLU who should NOT have lost to Davidson. I think this coaching staff will manage every match and not overlook anyone. It's all about peaking in Nov-Dec and right now we are on track to do that if we keep working hard.

Also - is Jenna serving yet? She has not so far this year (maybe once or twice if we were out of subs). She has a great serve too (maybe the best on the team when she is healthy), but due to the injury and recovery it's not been in the lineup this year. (She also plays pretty well in the back row.) I don't want her back there if she is not 100% healed, but it might be a possibility come tourney time. If that plays out, we then can use a serving specialist for both MBs. There are a lot of teams that have 1-2 excellent servers. We could have 3-4 and that is tough to beat.

Also 2 - Figgie and UDBrian are correct on "hiding" your setter in serve receive. Most teams do this because you want your setter taking the second touch (taking the ball from the pass off the serve and setting a hitter) -- not the first tough (meaning handling the serve). So teams will hide the setter back in a corner of the back row and drop an OH back from the front row to serve receive.

Also 3 - VCUs setter is very good. She got injured last year late in the year and they never recovered. Otherwise they would have won the A-10 a year ago.

UDBrian · #26 10-06-2014, 09:47 AM

Their setter was very good you know when a setter gets away with obvious carries that they are good ud did get away with one really bad set too. I thought that Jane's placement was pretty good with only a few sets really tight to the net

Jenna did not serve in this match but I thought her limp was less noticeable. I wonder if she will switch to a jump floater

There were more disagreements with the refs than normal. There was one spike where the ball hit off y he block and no touch was called. Tim was not happy

udisit19 · #27 10-06-2014, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Avid Flyer

Davidson wins in 5 but that don't tell the whole story.

I took a very quick look at the play by play in this match and SLU more than let this match slip away. SLU had leads of 13-11, 14-13, 15-14, and 16-15. All points for Davidson in this stretch were from SLU errors. That is 7 SLU errors, 2 of them davidson blocks, and 5 of them unforced errors. I hate to take credit away from Davidson, but it sure looks like SLU lost this one.
Posted via Mobile Device

Figgie123 · #28 10-06-2014, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by ud69

In looking at the UD record book - which does not have individual game records - most of the records for aces were quite old. Would the 8 aces be a record since rally scoring was instituted?

I've got box scores back to 2007, and Alaina's is the most. Of course, somewhere in this time frame, they were going to 30 points sets, but I don't know off-hand exactly which years.

Code:


       player       |                    game                    | aces 
--------------------+--------------------------------------------+------
 Alaina Turner      | 05-Oct-2014 vs. VCU (W 3-1)                |    8
 Allyson Morey      | 18-Oct-2011 vs. Wright State (W 3-0)       |    7
 Jamie-Lee Richards | 03-Nov-2007 at Youngstown State (W 3-0)    |    7
 Tiffany Gaerke     | 05-Sep-2009 vsN. Wake Forest (W 3-1)       |    6
 Erin Schroeder     | 25-Aug-2007 vs. Bowling Green (W 3-1)      |    5
 Jamie-Lee Richards | 24-Aug-2007 vs. IPFW (W 3-0)               |    5
 Nicole Bateman     | 26-Sep-2008 vsN. Long Island (W 3-0)       |    5
 Allyson Morey      | 19-Sep-2010 at Notre Dame (W 3-0)          |    5
 Megan Campbell     | 08-Nov-2013 vs. La Salle (W 3-0)           |    5
 Alaina Turner      | 16-Sep-2014 vs. Xavier (W 3-2)             |    5
 Shayne Brown       | 20-Sep-2013 vs. Western Kentucky (L 1-3)   |    4
 Kacie Hausfeld     | 29-Aug-2009 vsN. Ball State (W 3-0)        |    4
 Allyson Morey      | 19-Nov-2011 vs. Duquesne (W 3-0)           |    4
 Jamie-Lee Richards | 25-Aug-2007 vs. Illinois (W 3-2)           |    4
 Mandy Robbe        | 05-Dec-2008 vs. Western Michigan (L 1-3)   |    4
 Chelsy Christoff   | 19-Sep-2008 vs. Purdue (L 2-3)             |    4
 Paige Vargas       | 02-Sep-2011 vsN. Houston (W 3-0)           |    4
 Samantha Selsky    | 25-Aug-2012 vs. Pepperdine (W 3-1)         |    4
 Rachel Krabacher   | 17-Sep-2011 vsN. Syracuse (W 3-0)          |    4
 Chelsy Christoff   | 22-Nov-2008 vsN. George Washington (W 3-0) |    4

(Also, Adrienne Green had 5 on 08/25/2006 and Jamie-Lee Richards had 6 on 11/22/2006 in the 2006 season. I have the box scores for 2006, just not parsed yet.)

Figgie123 · #29 10-06-2014, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by BeckysTXA

But we are seeing the positive results of good coaching and staying with something. The team is getting much better at keeping their serves in during matches. And the intensity of the serving is resulting in more aces. As UDBrian said above, this team is way better than just a month ago. I think Jane is getting much better (based on seeing her play last weekend.) And if Jill played a lot on the right this past weekend, I like it. I've always thought she was more suited to the right side, but understand I don't see practices or many matches. I thought if she could improve her blocking, the right was a very good fit for her. And the times I've seen her hit from the right side this year, she's terminating at a high rate. But also note, both Jenna and Jill play both right and left every week, so Figgie's comments might have just been the one rotation Jill hits from the right. We'll watch it closer this week. But so far, the coaching staff and team are doing a great job managing the A-10 schedule. Not many teams have finished the conference season undefeated. Our schedule sets up well in that we have one tough match per week. We can't overlook the weaker team or we will end up like SLU who should NOT have lost to Davidson. I think this coaching staff will manage every match and not overlook anyone. It's all about peaking in Nov-Dec and right now we are on track to do that if we keep working hard.

Also - is Jenna serving yet? She has not so far this year (maybe once or twice if we were out of subs). She has a great serve too (maybe the best on the team when she is healthy), but due to the injury and recovery it's not been in the lineup this year. (She also plays pretty well in the back row.) I don't want her back there if she is not 100% healed, but it might be a possibility come tourney time. If that plays out, we then can use a serving specialist for both MBs. There are a lot of teams that have 1-2 excellent servers. We could have 3-4 and that is tough to beat.

As Brian mentioned, Jenna isn't serving. She's "across" from Emmenecker in the rotations, so when Emmenecker is serving, Jenna is left-side, with Jill right-side. I'm trying to figure it completely out. So, in the middle you have Hannan and Erhahon right now. Right side is Jenna twice, I think, with Jill once. Emmenecker then has setting duties which takes the right side away. Leftside, is Alaina 3 times in the front, with Jill twice, and Jenna once. I think that's how it went.

I also want to mention that I noticed the back-up kill positioning that BeckysTXA mentioned earlier in the year. Watching from behind the opposition, it was a bit strange to see it occur and understand what was going on, but it was there. The middle goes up, you think she's getting the kill, then from the 10ft line, the backrow hitter gets the set for the kill attempt. After recognizing what it was, it was interesting to watch when they would do it later on.

RPI isn't the end-all-be-all, but Ohio is in the mid-30s, so that might be a great match on the day after Thanksgiving. Just giving everyone a heads up.

ud69 · #30 10-06-2014, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Figgie123

Of course, somewhere in this time frame, they were going to 30 points sets, but I don't know off-hand exactly which years.

Rally scoring started in 2001, 25-point sets in 2008.

BeckysTXA · #31 10-06-2014, 05:51 PM

The two left side OHs are always opposite each other and the Setter is opposite the right side OH -- which is sometimes called the Opposite. So Jill was at left OH and Jenna at right OH -- but like I said, they both play both outside positions instead of moving to their normal position when the serve is hit. Yvonne Marten and Kray use to do the same thing.

Chris R · #32 10-06-2014, 08:12 PM

Figgie is the Jeff Sagarin of college volleyball. We have em'. Everyone else wants him.

UDBrian · #33 10-07-2014, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by ud69

Rally scoring started in 2001, 25-point sets in 2008.

I think that rally scoring not only makes the game move faster but it also increases the chance of upsets. I remember Karch Kiraly talking about their great olympic team saying that they could be way behind and win because they had the two best serve returners in the world. When you are down by five points now that is significant

Avid Flyer · #34 10-07-2014, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by UDBrian

I think that rally scoring not only makes the game move faster but it also increases the chance of upsets. I remember Karch Kiraly talking about their great olympic team saying that they could be way behind and win because they had the two best serve returners in the world. When you are down by five points now that is significant

Ok please help the ignorant; what exactly is rally scoring? First I've heard of the term.

ud69 · #35 10-07-2014, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Avid Flyer

Ok please help the ignorant; what exactly is rally scoring? First I've heard of the term.

Traditionally, we had what was called side-out scoring. One could only score on one's serve. If you served and lost the rally, no point was scored - the serve just went over to the other team. Made for very long matches.

Under the current rally scoring, a point is scored on every serve to the team winning the rally - and the serve goes to the team winning the point as it always has.