Payback Sunday - VCU

[BeckysTXA]

It's about an hour before first serve. The Flyers still hold the title of A10 Tourney Champs. I expect UD to still hold that title 3 hours from now.

I think the MBs are a wash. Ours have better hitting percentages. Theirs are better blockers.

Our Libero are a wash. Theirs finished the year averaging a slightly higher per set number. Ours played against tougher competition this year and won the head to head match up. Ours has TWO LOY awards. Theirs has one.

Both teams have very good OHs. They attack from the Rightside more often and better than we do. We attack from the backrow better. But as a group, I like our hitters slightly better, although this is probably a wash.

I think it comes down to the setters. Our tandem of Jane and Bridget are better than their two setters, but we have to show up and play very focused and have great placement and timing to win.

Payback time. Just bring everything you've got and play fearless. Our best volleyball is still ahead of us. Go Flyers!

[UDVBFan]

Rhode Island played such a slow offense yesterday (think balloons instead of volleyballs being set), I think our speed will be a problem initially for VCU. They will recover and then we need to respond to VCU’s more aggressive serving and solid blocking. If we can maintain a decent passing %, we will keep the offensive pressure on and we will wear them down. Lastly, we have to stay sharp with our focus and interest. It’s hard to keep that going every set but it’s needed against a very good VCU team with the COY. They are no slouch. Fortunately there seems to be a little bad blood between these 2 teams. That will help us with focus.

I predict a good match, no blowout, but UD in 4, maybe 5. Go Flyers!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[CE80]

What is the video situation for the match?

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by CE80 What is the video situation for the match?

Free out on a10 network. Coverage was very good for the semis. Good announcers. They sometimes get the players wrong once or twice a match, but they know the game.

[BeckysTXA]

Weaver, Bruns and Sloan all hit from the left OH as well as the Rightside. Bruns blocking stats are the best at .63 per set, but depending on how many rotations she's been right or left versus the other two might be deceptive. Assuming everything is even, we need our best OH blocker on the left side to slow down their Rightside attacks. It makes me wonder if Pla has practiced at the left OH if we are having problems with that block??? I know Westbeld has hit from the left at times, but primarily from the right. We will need a left side block, so could come into play.

[CE80]

Originally Posted by BeckysTXA Free out on a10 network. Coverage was very good for the semis. Good announcers. They sometimes get the players wrong once or twice a match, but they know the game.

Need to pay to watch? i cant find a free link?

[UDVBFan]

VCU passing very well. Setting their offense up well. Need to serve a tad harder/more precise.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by CE80 Need to pay to watch? i cant find a free link?

I do have a sub, but I thought all championship video was free?..??
Maybe someone else can help us

[CE80]

Originally Posted by BeckysTXA I do have a sub, but I thought all championship video was free?..?? Maybe someone else can help us

I couldn't get it on my laptop on using either IE or Chrome but I got it on my iPad.

[Figgie123]

Originally Posted by CE80 Need to pay to watch? i cant find a free link?

Off A10 site, finds live events, then choose play and not the link to its right which says click for video.

[Figgie123]

UD loses first set, 25-23.

[BeckysTXA]

Would have loved to see a replay of the block out of bounds play sine the refs had to have a meeting to make the final call, but no tv replay.

Need to take it up one more notch to bounce back.

[UDVBFan]

VCU also covering well. That said, I haven’t seen 1 close call not go against UD. The line judges seem a tad challenged. I know blaming the refs is a loser’s lament but in a tight set it sways things.
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[BeckysTXA]

We need to clean up our play and it starts with FOCUS.

[UDVBFan]

Letting VCU pass far too easily. Need more serving pressure.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BeckysTXA]

We go down by 4 and called a TO. Sloan comes back in and takes over to get us back to even and up 1. Then our team starts to control the net offensively and defensively with a couple blocks. U d up 17-13

[redbengal]

Way to close out set 2 after being down early! Tough to see anyone lose a set on a service error but we were up 3 when it happened. Let's keep it rolling!

[Figgie123]

Win set 2, 25-21.

[BeckysTXA]

We fixed our block the set. 1st set we were just a second late on the block so our hand were not getting penetrated over the net and blocked balls were dropping between our hand and the net on our side.

This set we came up with 5 big blocks vs the team who leads the nation in blocks -- and they got ZERO that set. So we raised our play blocking and raised out setting to keep the ball away from the block. That was the difference, even with about 3 bad ref calls or no calls on top of the questionable block out call at the end of set 1.

Keep it rolling.

[BeckysTXA]

2X LOY Margo 7 digs. 1X LOY Stange 3 digs.

[BeckysTXA]

Time to get Mackenzie and Amber going offensively. Everyone else is killing it. I'm sure they are game planning Amber, and if they continue to do that we will continue go to our other hitters and let Amber keep blocking the crap out of it. She has 5 blocks so far. Pick your poison.

Go Flyers.

[BeckysTXA]

Terrible start to 3rd. Down 7-1 and we haven't been in system yet. Clean it up

[BeckysTXA]

12-2 VCU. 2nd UD to. Havent been insystem yet.. just relax and FOCUS.

[UDVBFan]

Originally Posted by UDVBFan Rhode Island played such a slow offense yesterday (think balloons instead of volleyballs being set), I think our speed will be a problem initially for VCU. They will recover and then we need to respond to VCU’s more aggressive serving and solid blocking. If we can maintain a decent passing %, we will keep the offensive pressure on and we will wear them down. Lastly, we have to stay sharp with our focus and interest. It’s hard to keep that going every set but it’s needed against a very good VCU team with the COY. They are no slouch. Fortunately there seems to be a little bad blood between these 2 teams. That will help us with focus. I predict a good match, no blowout, but UD in 4, maybe 5. Go Flyers!!! Guess it’ll have to be 5 then. Posted via Mobile Device

Posted via Mobile Device

[redbengal]

Lost 25-20. Dug a big 3rd-set hole. Too big. Cut it to a 4-point deficit late but a big VCU block thwarted the last ditch effort. Gonna have to win out.

[BeckysTXA]

We have to let that set go. Here's the positive take away. We were down 12-2. We lost by 5. 25-20. We outplayed them the last 31 points. We can win this thing. Time to take it back up a notch. Go Flyers.

Also we were only in system 20 sets that set. We scored on 10 of them. Gotta get a good pass.

[UDVBFan]

Tips and dunks won’t win this match. VCU covers too well. Need clean, fast play with solid attacks.
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[UDVBFan]

Wolf 1x LOY, right? Janna before her.
Posted via Mobile Device

[redbengal]

Here we go! 15 points to the NCAA Tourney. Go get it, Flyers!!

[BeckysTXA]

Going to 5. UD 25-17.

It should be noted UD was up 20-14 just like set 2 the first match, but they did not let it get away thus time.

We have outplayed them by 13 points in the last 73 points scored. This is our championship. Go get it ladies!

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by UDVBFan Wolf 1x LOY, right? Janna before her. Posted via Mobile Device

Now that you mention it, I think you are right. Wolf played DS her freshman year.

[redbengal]

2 service errors in set 5. Can't afford that.

[redbengal]

Bad set (IMO) turns into a perfect tip over the blockers for an 8-7 Flyer lead.

[redbengal]

HUGE block lands on the line!! Needed that. 12-12.

[redbengal]

Then a huge SOLO block to put the Flyers up 13-12 headed to the TO. WOW!!

[redbengal]

VCU turns the tables with a block that finds the floor on Dayton's side. 14-13 Rams.

[BeckysTXA]

VCU wins 15-13.

[redbengal]

Clean kill that just found a spot inside the line for the VCU win, 15-13. Dayton couldn't get clean looks at kills in those final 3 points. Give VCU credit. Give both teams credit. Can't get much more evenly matched than these 2.

Hang in there, Flyers. You've still got post-season volleyball ahead of you!

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by redbengal Clean kill that just found a spot inside the line for the VCU win, 15-13. Dayton couldn't get clean looks at kills in those final 3 points. Give VCU credit. Give both teams credit. Can't get much more evenly matched than these 2. Hang in there, Flyers. You've still got post-season volleyball ahead of you!

Unfortunately, with an rpi around 50, we won't make the dance. We needed one more quality win, but with injuries this year it didn't happen.

[Figgie123]

We will get into the second postseason tournament. And it is all at campus sites so it wouldn't surprise me if UD gets a home game.

[BeckysTXA]

Kendyll, Lauren and Jess made all-Tourney team. Congrats.

VCU game planned to shut Amber down. She still put up 11 blocks. That might be a record for the tourney??? It's a huge number.

Another note about Amber...she could very well be the first A10 POY that was NOT a Top 250 recruit. Horsmon left MD and came back to UD and late that spring Amber signed. It was a very late recruiting find. And right or wrong, here is how it works, coaches tend to vote for players that were highly recruited as prep players. There is a reputation that follows you thru college. So for a player to break thru that tradition is amazing. Congrats to Amber.

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by Figgie123 We will get into the second postseason tournament. And it is all at campus sites so it wouldn't surprise me if UD gets a home game.

I forgot all about this second tournament. It will be interesting to see how well this is supported. It will be nice for the seniors to play at Frerricks one more time and I hope the students come out in support.

[redbengal]

Originally Posted by Figgie123 We will get into the second postseason tournament. And it is all at campus sites so it wouldn't surprise me if UD gets a home game.

Yep. That's what I meant. I didn't realize they had an NIT but the color analyst coach pointed that out during the broadcast.

[UDSpud]

We lost the match, but won the statistics.

Due to our strong game four win, the "team comparison" says we won all the stats except digs (VCU had one more).

Hope Jamie will be back at her prior year end (2017) level as VCU does not lose much to graduation (it looks like less than we do). If she isn't, we may be second again and out of the NCAA tournament again in 2018. Give TH credit, we should have experience at all six positions.

All things considered, a fairly good year. Hope TH can find the next great (tall) OH.

[BeckysTXA]

We said this last year, but it true again this year, next year's team will be the most decorated team ever at UD, even with the graduation of a large senior class and three all-conference players. It will also be the tallest Flyer team ever.

We will have 3 Top 100 recruits. We've had two before, but never 3. Freshman OH Alli Papesh, Brooke and Jamie.

We will have 8 Top 250 recruits. The three above plus Margo, Sierra, and freshmen Amelia Moore, Molly Asmus and Maura Collins. We could technically have an entire starting line up/rotation of Top 250s. We won't because we will also have returning 1st Team A10 Kendyll Brown and Lauren Bruns. Plus we have Mackenzie Weaver and Bridget Dorherty who both played very well this season.

And how about Jordan Albarran coming in today and contributing. Plus Olivia Dubay and two more freshmen Mikaylah VanLanen and Elizabeth House.

I also like we will have two vocal leaders in Margo and Lauren.

Our height line up includes:

6'5"
6'4"
6'4"
6'3"
6'2"
5 @ 6'1"

I think our days of having a hitter under 6'0" are over. It would have to be an extremely athletic player.

[BeckysTXA]

Originally Posted by UDVBFan Tips and dunks won’t win this match. VCU covers too well. Need clean, fast play with solid attacks. Posted via Mobile Device

I think this played out to be the case. Our passing broke down in the last 3 sets. Then it looked like our hitters couldn't unload. It's a combination of a lot of things, but I felt they kept coming hard on attacks and we couldn't get it cranked up.

[udisit19]

That was a tough loss. Dayton and VCU fought the whole way each taking 2 sets before a neck and neck 5th set. Dayton had a short lived lead before VCU closed the match out. VCU was the better team in conference not losing sets to the teams other than Dayton. VCU was consistently better, and better when it mattered against UD.

It was a tough season for UD with some injuries keeping this team from reaching their full potential, but despite this team still had an RPI right around 50. You really need to be impressed at how these Flyers found a way to get to a ranking that high despite so many tough moments. This team had a huge comeback against High Point, got a difficult road win at Miami OH, destroyed a tough Seton Hall team after the tough loss to Illinois State. I think the great players almost turned a difficult situation into an A-10 championship and they deserve a lot of credit.

I think we just saw parts 2 and 3 of the next great A-10 rivalry. Dayton got a 5 set win against the VCU Rams in the 2016 A-10 Tournament and VCU got a couple wins this year. With both teams returning a lot of talented players next year, this rivalry should continue. This should be good for the A-10. The volleyball world will start 2018 and see two A-10 programs that can challenge for an NCAA tourney spot, and that's a very good thing for this conference.

Good luck to VCU in the NCAA tourney! It has taken some time, but they built a pretty good team.

[Figgie123]

Originally Posted by udisit19 I think we just saw parts 2 and 3 of the next great A-10 rivalry. Dayton got a 5 set win against the VCU Rams in the 2016 A-10 Tournament and VCU got a couple wins this year. With both teams returning a lot of talented players next year, this rivalry should continue. This should be good for the A-10. The volleyball world will start 2018 and see two A-10 programs that can challenge for an NCAA tourney spot, and that's a very good thing for this conference.

I was thinking along similar lines. I feel sad for the ladies of the Dayton volleyball team, after a tough championship match. But, I feel happy for the A10 because it is no longer just Dayton, we now have VCU in the fold, and Saint Louis might be here as well. 3 (or more) good volleyball teams is very good for the A10.

[ud69]

I thought I saw where D'Errico got a red and Horsmon a yellow against VCU. Was that true? If so, then there was a lot of tension between the refs and the coaching staff.

I mention this because we were down 10-12 in the 5th set. Took the lead at 13-12. At that point Doherty was called for a "handling error". That was a monster call. We win that point and we are up 14-12 and we have 2 championship points to play. Anybody see that play? Was it a legit call?

[UDVBFan]

I was there and it was legit. They should have called VCU for the same thing several other times, including match point btw, but the up ref ignored them. But the Doherty call wasn’t a bad one or payback.
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[CE80]

2 service errors in the 5th set didn't help.