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Men's Volleyball 2018

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  • #31
    No surprise: 3-0 versus on overmatched Barton team. Did give Olmstead an opportunity to get a lot of subs some playing time. They set Storm a lot, and played Storm and Lincoln together at OHs. At the end Olmstead did sneak in Cyrus Fa'alogo who just got eligible. I hope they give him a lot of reps tomorrow.

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    • #32
      Disappointing couple of days. Really tough loss tonight: 5 sets and 15-13 in the fifth. I think the short answer is BYU is just not as good as the last few years, and I think UCI is a top 3 team. BYU is probably a 5-6 team.

      Just a few observations:

      1. Growing pains for Garcia the last couple of nights. I think he's going to struggle against teams with really good blockers; UCI is very big. I don't think BYU can rely on him (yet ... he's still young) in the way it did with Patch (he's a better server than Patch and as good of blocker). I just don't think Garcia gets as high as Patch, and I think Patch gave his setters more margin for error.

      2. BYU is more vulnerable to big/good opposites than previous years, and UCI had one (nasty left handed one). Last year Langlois/Sanders were the down the line blockers against an opposite. This year it's Storm/Sanders. Storm just can't give you near as much as Langlois did as a blocker so it's a big drop-off for half of the rotations.

      3. Storm was BYU's best pin hitter against UCI (last points of the 5th set excepted). For the most part he was explosive and consistent both at the pin and the pipe. Storm actually the only pin hitter that's hitting above 0.300 for the season. Of course, you give up a lot in terms of blocking with Storm.

      4. I thought BYU played better with Stanley as setter (well except the very end). The tempo is just a little quicker which I think is needed against elite teams (not sure I see much difference in terms of placement between the two). I don't blame Olmstead for his hesitancy to switch to Stanley (4th set tonight) because Stanley did play poorly against Barton last week (I thought he particularly struggled to set Garcia well against Barton last week ... which is a huge problem for the BYU offense ... and I'm assuming that led to Olmstead not switching earlier).

      5. This year's UCI team reminds me a lot of 2016 BYU team. Even out of system they are dangerous because of their big pin hitters.
      Last edited by pelagius; 01-27-2018, 10:53 PM.

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      • #33
        Big week for BYU Volleyball. The boys play (8) Pepperdine on Thursday and (3) UCLA on Saturday. Pepperdine is probably under ranked. Pepperdine has been playing really well since they lost to Grand Canyon a couple weeks ago. Best home matches BYU has this season so if you plan to see any volleyball matches this year these are the ones to go to.

        Given the way the way the boys have been playing it wouldn't surprise me to see them beat both Pepperdine and UCLA or lose to both. Reasons to be optimistic:

        1. BYU is blocking much better and much more consistently. I think they are reading and reacting to stuff much better. Even when they are not blocking stuff they are affecting hitter's shots a lot.

        2. BYU's serve receive is better on average than early in the season. Still not as good as elite teams. I think in part because most of the elite teams have elite liberos and BYU doesn't. I like Sikes and I think he does some things quite well (good bump setter for example), but he overpasses hard serves more than elite bros do (e.g., Hawaii's libero).

        3. Storm is playing much better at OH2. He still has weaknesses; given his size he's a below average blocker by BYU standards. I think that's one of the reasons Olmstead is still bringing him off the bench. BYU starts with a bigger guy at OH2 (Lncoln or Eschenburg) which allows them to establish the block and change the hit selection of the opponent's pin hitters. Then they bring in Storm. Storm has played well lately. He was borderline great in the second Stanford match. He particularly looks good on the back row middle stuff (called the bic or pipe attack). For example, here is Storm creating a real world Scott Sterling out of Stanford's setter off a pipe attack:



        Storm is also serving really well. I think he's BYU best server. Fernandez has more pace, but Storm hits spots better and I think he's been a bit more consistent than Sander. For example, Storm had 5 aces in the first match against Stanford.

        4. Sander is now the first offensive option. Early in the season Fernandez was the first option, but teams adjusted to his tendencies. BYU's adjustment was to feature Sander more. I think that was a good adjustment.

        5. UCLA's opposite CHRISTIAN HESSENAUER appears to be injured (knee). So there is a significant probability that he doesn't play. He's been their most consistent and best pin hitter.

        Reasons to be pessimistic:

        1. BYU still has bad lapses where they play really poorly. These lapses tend to be caused by really poor passing. Teams have been able to go on long scoring runs against BYU when they have these lapses.

        2. Fernandez still gets frustrated. If Fernandez has a slow start (particularly if he gets blocked a few times early), he really struggles and gets visibly frustrated. After that, we tend to see some awful swings from him.

        3. Leo's setting to Fernandez when he is in the back row. They are just not connecting. I could be wrong, but I think it's Durkin. It looks like he often sets him too far forward when Fernadez takes off behind the 3M line. Fernandez jumps up more than out ... he's not Patch). Even though it limits BYU offensively, I think they should avoid setting Fernandez out of the back row early in a match so maybe they can avoid Fernandez getting frustrated.
        Last edited by pelagius; 02-27-2018, 04:08 PM.

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        • #34
          Man, nice match tonight; completed the reverse sweep despite missing Garmin (hand is in a cast). Thought Sander was exceptional and Storm was very good. Also, Ferreira (MB) is going to be really good. He's very long and moves side to side quite well. Cyrus Fa'alogo also got some time as OH in the first set; has very good hands.

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          • #35
            Originally posted by pelagius View Post
            Man, nice match tonight; completed the reverse sweep despite missing Garmin (hand is in a cast). Thought Sander was exceptional and Storm was very good. Also, Ferreira (MB) is going to be really good. He's very long and moves side to side quite well. Cyrus Fa'alogo also got some time as OH in the first set; has very good hands.
            This may be the thing I miss most about living in Provo (of the very few things I miss). Loved attending volleyball games. I've watched a few matches on TV, and it just doesn't translate for me.

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            • #36
              Two great comebacks in a row. Interesting team this year.
              "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
              "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
              "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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              • #37
                Originally posted by swampfrog View Post
                This may be the thing I miss most about living in Provo (of the very few things I miss). Loved attending volleyball games. I've watched a few matches on TV, and it just doesn't translate for me.
                Yeah, it really is a fun environment.

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                • #38
                  What a match: 3-0, BYU. BYU played really well. That's six straight sets of great volleyball. I think hats off to the coaching staff. I thought their strategy tonight was great. The boys served a bunch of short floaters and it made it difficult for UCLA to set to their middles (Gyimah is such a great hitter from the middle for UCLA). They really limited the touches of the middles. UCLA was out of system a lot. Also, hats off to the coaches for starting Cyrus Fa'alogo instead of Storm (who has been playing great). Cyrus has great hands and passes really well which you really need against UCLA. Finally Ferreira is really impressive at middle. I think he's the boys best blocking middle since Hatch (2016). He's really emerged over the past 3 matches.

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                  • #39
                    Originally posted by pelagius View Post
                    What a match: 3-0, BYU. BYU played really well. That's six straight sets of great volleyball. I think hats off to the coaching staff. I thought their strategy tonight was great. The boys served a bunch of short floaters and it made it difficult for UCLA to set to their middles (Gyimah is such a great hitter from the middle for UCLA). They really limited the touches of the middles. UCLA was out of system a lot. Also, hats off to the coaches for starting Cyrus Fa'alogo instead of Storm (who has been playing great). Cyrus has great hands and passes really well which you really need against UCLA. Finally Ferreira is really impressive at middle. I think he's the boys best blocking middle since Hatch (2016). He's really emerged over the past 3 matches.
                    I do think Long Beach St is way out in front of everybody, but BYU is playing well and I certainly wouldn't be shocked if the make it the the national championship again. Hawaii at Hawaii next week will be interesting.

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                    • #40
                      Originally posted by pelagius View Post
                      What a match: 3-0, BYU. BYU played really well. That's six straight sets of great volleyball. I think hats off to the coaching staff. I thought their strategy tonight was great. The boys served a bunch of short floaters and it made it difficult for UCLA to set to their middles (Gyimah is such a great hitter from the middle for UCLA). They really limited the touches of the middles. UCLA was out of system a lot. Also, hats off to the coaches for starting Cyrus Fa'alogo instead of Storm (who has been playing great). Cyrus has great hands and passes really well which you really need against UCLA. Finally Ferreira is really impressive at middle. I think he's the boys best blocking middle since Hatch (2016). He's really emerged over the past 3 matches.
                      That was a great match. And what a fantastic atmosphere. Really fun time.
                      "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                      "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                      "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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                      • #41
                        Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
                        That was a great match. And what a fantastic atmosphere. Really fun time.
                        Yeah, a little over 5k tonight in attendance.

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                        • #42
                          Here a very BYU thing through the eyes of UCLA/Men's volleyball fan:

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                          • #43
                            Does it seem like BYU has a chance to make the NCAA finals?
                            "Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr Epstein."

                            Upon rejecting the Beatles, Dick Rowe told Brian Epstein of the January 1, 1962 audition for Decca, which signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes instead.

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                            • #44
                              Originally posted by Topper View Post
                              Does it seem like BYU has a chance to make the NCAA finals?
                              I think so. They are certainly capable of playing with and beating the top teams this year with the possible exception of Long Beach St. They are playing much better than early in the season, but they still can go through periods in matches where they get into a funk and pass terribly and give up long scoring runs. Sometimes Leo and Fernandez struggle to connect well particularly when Fernandez is behind the 3M line (last night was an exception ... I thought Leo set Fernandez really well ... but they were able to confine that connection to mostly in system sets).

                              To me the key is Cyrus Fa'alogo at OH2. If he gets comfortable, it makes BYU a lot better. He looked great against UCLA (his second start of the season ... his first start was against Pepperdine two days before). He is a good passer for an OH (I think he may be a better passer than brenden Sander); he's also taller than Storm and gives you more on the block and really quick hands to dig up balls. Last night he was as good of a hitter as Storm. He won't ace like Storm, but his float last night was just fithly. The question is can he do these things night in and night out? I don't know. If he can, I think BYU is a top 3 team. If he can't, I think BYU is a 4-6 team.
                              Last edited by pelagius; 03-04-2018, 08:51 PM.

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                              • #45
                                Really nice week for BYU. Beat #11 Penn State, #8 Lewis, and #2 Hawaii. Really nice match against Hawaii despite the fact that BYU was missing 3 starters:

                                Jarman (MB): finger surgery
                                Miki (MB): ankle (I think) in the Penn St. match
                                Sikes (libero): concussion in the Penn St. match

                                Really great serving by Sander, Fernandez, and Storm. I think it was 11 aces for the match. I think they exposed Hawaii a little in terms of serve receive. If Tillberg plays OH (not oppo) for Hawaii, he's a weak link in their serve receive. Other good serving teams can take advantage of that (wouldn't shock me if they go to a lineup with Tillberg at oppo to avoid that ... in fact, by the end of the match Hawaii did exactly that (we'll see if they go to that lineup more in the future)).

                                Storm had a really nice match at OH2. Really nice set of shots: hard off the BIC, tooling off the block, etc. Blocked well too.

                                Also, it was good to see Hendrickson play well for the concussed Sikes. I think he gets to more balls than Sikes but hasn't been near as consistent. At times I think it hurt BYU to play him so much early in the season (the loss to UCSB comes to mind), but clearly a nice payoff tonight. Except for a few lapses in the first set he passed well, got to a lot of balls, and even bumped set out of system pretty well.

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