I was going to write about this sometime in the next couple weeks, but
Chris R posted a note in the forum that it appeared Dayton didn’t start OH Alli Papesh, the 2018 A10 ROY, for the Pittsburgh match, so I’ll address the terminology now.
Technically only 6 players plus the Libero are considered the “starters”. It’s deceptive. It’s not every player who you plan to use in your rotation for the match. The best analogy would be your starting 11 offensive players in football and your starting 11 defensive players. You can’t have 22 players “start” - on the field at kickoff – and being the daughter of a football coach, I realize there are also special teams. (Work with me on this.) All 22 players are considered “starters” they are defined as the starting outside linebacker, the starting quarterback, etc.
The following is a diagram of how positions in volleyball are “opposite” each other in the rotation. This might not be the exact alignment that Dayton started with for Pitt, but as you rotate counter-clockwise the positions always stay opposite as shown. For example, the two L-OH (Left Outside Hitter) positions in the line up are always opposite each other as you rotate. The initials below each position are first the player who fills that slot when it’s in the front row. The second initial is the player who fills that slot when the position is in the back row. So the first slot listed is L-OH1 and Jamie Peterson plays all 6 rotation slots – both front row and back row. The second is MB1(S)/L. In the front row plus for half a rotation in the back row to serve, AM (Amanda Moore) is in that slot and then MC (Maura Collins) plays the slot in the back row for 2.5 rotations.
---------NET HERE--------------------
L-OH1 MB1(S)/L R-OH/S
JP/JP AM/MC SP/BD
OPP/S MB2/L L-OH2/DS
BW/BW OD/MC AP/MVL
----------SERVING LINE HERE----------
When I posted this – the slots bunched up together. Here is a listing so you know where positions separate.
L-OH1
JP/JP
MB1(S)/L
AM/MC
R-OH/S
SP/BD
OPP/S
BW/BW
MB2/L
OD/MC
L-OH2/DS
AP/MVL
MC is listed twice because the Libero can come in and out of the rotation without counting towards the limit of 15 substitution. Most teams have the Libero sub in 5.5 rotations with the two MBs (Middle Blockers). It’s not the full 6 rotations because the Libero only serves once and one of the MBs has to play back row for half a rotation when they serve. Then the Libero comes right in for them. A full rotation is your team serves and the other team serves and then the rotation moves one slot counter-clockwise.
So looking at the L-OH2 position you see AP/MVL (Alli Papesh when in the front row/Mikaylah VanLanen in the back row). If that position starts anywhere in the back, Alli technically doesn’t “start”. It’s why I don’t like to use the term “starting rotation”. It’s deceptive. It’s referee paperwork because if you get out of rotation you lose a point. It’s what each coach turns in on their lineup card. And, I understand why twitter feeds list the “starters” so fans know who is on the court. But in my opinion it’s not your “starters". If the same use of the word starters applied in football, if your team doesn't receive the kickoff, you have no starting quarterback. I prefer to just use the term “rotation” to identify the players who are going to consistently be on the floor at least three consecutive rotations as the match progresses. These are your true “starters”.
Additionally, teams might use defensive specialists (DS) and serving specialists (which have no official designation). If a DS is paired up with a hitter in the rotation, I consider them a “starter”. That’s the case for MVL above. On the roster MVL is listed as an OH, but in this lineup she is playing a DS – meaning her back row skills beat out others on the roster, so Horsmon has her in the rotation as a DS playing back row only.
Figgie123 posted during the match that for one set MVL did play all 6 rotations. I think it’s safe to say VanLanen is currently third on the depth chart at the L-OH position behind Peterson and Papesh. And, she may yet knock Papesh out of her 3 front row rotation, especially since she can play all 6 rotations. But, for the Pitt match, they share the L-OH2 slot. This also might come into play during a set or two this year if both teams are siding-out at a high percentage. Coaches will run out of substitutions when that happens. The rotations move faster because there are no long service runs. If subs are running low, Horsmon might leave VanLanen in to play all six rotation to save the two or three subs he has left so he can bring in Bridget Dorherty versus having Sierra Plan have to play the back row. One year 5’2” DS Rachael Broerman ended up playing the front row at the end of a set because we were out of subs.
Finally, look at the OPP/S position. This is Opposite/Setter. The term Opposite is sometimes used instead of right side outside hitter (RS). And sometimes the term Middle Hitter is used instead of Middle Blocker. I don’t think there is any reason other than a coach’s preference, but I could be wrong. There might be some historical reason, but in the woman’s college game today you mostly see MB listed on rosters and occasionally MH. You see an equal amount of OPP and RS.
And, that’s my two-cents on the term “starting rotation”. i prefer to go rouge and use "rotation" when referencing the starters.
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