Wisky WVB

[daleko]

On to Tampa. The Badgers’ effort and grit were enough to beat the Ducks in four sets to advance to the Final Four. For a fourth time in five seasons, the Wisconsin Badgers are Final Four bound after beating the Oregon Ducks 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 25-27, 25-18) in a thrilling battle. Really high quality VB and a battle of two heavyweights in NCAA WVB. 

Next up Texas.

ON WISCONSIN

[Walter]

Dec 10, 2023 13:12:10 GMT -5 daleko said:

On to Tampa. The Badgers’ effort and grit were enough to beat the Ducks in four sets to advance to the Final Four. For a fourth time in five seasons, the Wisconsin Badgers are Final Four bound after beating the Oregon Ducks 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 25-27, 25-18) in a thrilling battle. Really high quality VB and a battle of two heavyweights in NCAA WVB. 

Next up Texas.

ON WISCONSIN

That was a lot of fun to watch.
Two really great teams playing outstanding ball.
Wisky made a few really unbelievable plays on the ball.

[daleko]

Dec 10, 2023 14:12:32 GMT -5 Walter said:

Dec 10, 2023 13:12:10 GMT -5 daleko said:

On to Tampa. The Badgers’ effort and grit were enough to beat the Ducks in four sets to advance to the Final Four. For a fourth time in five seasons, the Wisconsin Badgers are Final Four bound after beating the Oregon Ducks 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 25-27, 25-18) in a thrilling battle. Really high quality VB and a battle of two heavyweights in NCAA WVB. 

Next up Texas.

ON WISCONSIN

That was a lot of fun to watch.
Two really great teams playing outstanding ball.
Wisky made a few really unbelievable plays on the ball.

beuycek can speak to it better than I but the game has dynamically grown, become more complex, the talent has dramatically improved and the athletes in general are just much better and fitter today.

[beuycek]

Dec 10, 2023 14:32:42 GMT -5 daleko said:

Dec 10, 2023 14:12:32 GMT -5 Walter said:

That was a lot of fun to watch.
Two really great teams playing outstanding ball.
Wisky made a few really unbelievable plays on the ball.

beuycek can speak to it better than I but the game has dynamically grown, become more complex, the talent has dramatically improved and the athletes in general are just much better and fitter today.

All of this.

[beuycek]

I just scored a ticket to tonight's Semifinals. Can't wait!

[daleko]

Dec 14, 2023 12:04:16 GMT -5 beuycek said:

I just scored a ticket to tonight's Semifinals. Can't wait!

You can wear TOSU Scarlet, most Cheeseheads won't know the difference. They'll just guess you do your own laundry. Enjoy the event, it'll be a gooden. I'll expect a review that has, as a WVB Coach, your most accurate opinion. 

On Wisconsin.

[daleko]

UW just announced the opening tourney next year is at Fiserv forum in Milwaukee. UW and MN always do a round robin with two other teams. Next year it will be broadcast on FOX and will feature UW, MN, Texas and Stanford. BTW Wisky is -310 for tonight's game.

[beuycek]

Quick analysis of match 1 is Nebraska is good. No surprise but they handled Pitt pretty easily. Their block was incredible in the first set (believe they had 15 total in the match) then they got the slide working in the 2nd. They kept Pitt out of system most of the match and their poor setter was running all over.

Babcock for Pitt is a special player but the Huskers shut everyone else down. Allick in the middle had a huge game on the block for the Huskers.

As good as Harper Murray was up front, she was better in the back row. Absolute crazy that she is playing at that level as a freshman. Beason didn't have a great match offensively but her serve was lethal down the line.

Huskers fans showed up big, too. Loud the entire match.

This next match should be a good one.

On Wisconsin!

[beuycek]

I am stunned. Not that Texas won because they are a solid team and I knew going into the tournament, they would be the one team that could give the Badgers trouble but I am shocked at how poorly Wisconsin played. Other than the 2nd set when Skinner disappeared for Texas, the Badgers were completely outclassed. Getting beat on setter dumps, not spreading the ball around to the right side enough (gotta set Thomas-Alaira more) and playing absolutely terrible in serve receive. In that 3rd set, Sheffield had to makes an adjustment and he never did. Probably the worst set of volleyball they have played all season, killing any momentum they had built in the 2nd. Then the Longhorns cruised in the 4th to win it.

Star of the match, to me, was Emma Halter. Especially in the 3rd set when Franklin was cranking the ball cross court, Halter had an answer time and time again. She was outstanding all night.

As for Skinner, she bounced back after a bad 2nd set with some huge kills from the back row and two or three aces. Not that it mattered much because the Badgers were so bad in serve receive but she was big when they needed her to be. As was O'Neal, who came alive in the 2nd and 3rd sets on offense and defense. She ended up hitting a ridiculous. 688 for the match. That's insane! Would have thought she would have had more than the 4 blocks they credited her with, too.

Just an overall solid thumping by the Longhorns. Very surprising.

[daleko]

Dec 15, 2023 0:07:55 GMT -5 beuycek said:

I am stunned. Not that Texas won because they are a solid team and I knew going into the tournament, they would be the one team that could give the Badgers trouble but I am shocked at how poorly Wisconsin played. Other than the 2nd set when Skinner disappeared for Texas, the Badgers were completely outclassed. Getting beat on setter dumps, not spreading the ball around to the right side enough (gotta set Thomas-Alaira more) and playing absolutely terrible in serve receive. In that 3rd set, Sheffield had to makes an adjustment and he never did. Probably the worst set of volleyball they have played all season, killing any momentum they had built in the 2nd. Then the Longhorns cruised in the 4th to win it.

Star of the match, to me, was Emma Halter. Especially in the 3rd set when Franklin was cranking the ball cross court, Halter had an answer time and time again. She was outstanding all night.

As for Skinner, she bounced back after a bad 2nd set with some huge kills from the back row and two or three aces. Not that it mattered much because the Badgers were so bad in serve receive but she was big when they needed her to be. As was O'Neal, who came alive in the 2nd and 3rd sets on offense and defense. She ended up hitting a ridiculous. 688 for the match. That's insane! Would have thought she would have had more than the 4 blocks they credited her with, too.

Just an overall solid thumping by the Longhorns. Very surprising.

Thanks, it was profoundly disappointing. I couldn't technically, like you, evaluate the reasons but I was reminded of a quote by Jazz great Miles Davis who reportedly said White folks couldn't play his music well because because they are always a half beat slow. Wisky looked a half beat slow. Moving, reacting, playing. They just appeared to be "chasing the puck" all night.

[Walter]

I am no VBall expert, but I was just in awe of all the teams.
It has been an great tournament.
The only team I thought had no shot was Pitt. Other than them, to my untrained eye any of the final 8 teams looked good enough to win it all.

[beuycek]

Dec 15, 2023 18:12:50 GMT -5 Walter said:

I am no VBall expert, but I was just in awe of all the teams.
It has been an great tournament.
The only team I thought had no shot was Pitt. Other than them, to my untrained eye any of the final 8 teams looked good enough to win it all.

Pitt is a very good team. Them not playing well the other night had more to do with with Nebraska being better than it did Pitt being bad.

If you are going to watch the Final tomorrow, watch these four closely: Madisen Skinner and Emma Halter for Texas and Harper Murray and Lexi Rodriguez for the Huskers.

All four are easily in the top 3 or 4 at their position in the entire country. Game changers.