Womens’ Volleyball 2018

[Topper]

They did not play well at all ... passing was off and I think Eppoch was off too (and she's been great most of the season ... I think she's been playing like a top 5 setter this year ... not as good as Minnesota's setter but quite good).

Not many teams to challenge them in conference. I haven't seen Nebraska or Minnesota play but this team has a lot of good play when it's on. Last night, after the first set, the team just went through the motions. Gneiting had some good moments though. Did they sit RJP most of the time or was she just unusually quiet?

[pelagius]

My statistical model rankings as of today:

The top 50: I still have BYU as the #1 team, but the ratings of BYU and Stanford got much closer.

                     team  rating  win  loss
1                     BYU   24.36   18     0
2                Stanford   24.28   16     1
3               Minnesota   23.27   14     2
4                Nebraska   22.86   15     3
5               Wisconsin   22.28   12     4
6                Illinois   22.26   16     3
7              Pittsburgh   21.69   20     0
8                Penn St.   21.40   15     3
9                Kentucky   21.33   12     4
10               Michigan   20.92   17     2
11                  Texas   20.83   11     4
12    Southern California   20.83   14     5
13                 Oregon   20.51   12     6
14         Washington St.   20.44   13     5
15              Creighton   20.32   16     4
16               Cal Poly   20.10   17     1
17                Florida   20.08   17     3
18              Marquette   19.56   17     4
19             Pepperdine   19.33   13     5
20             Washington   19.31   13     5
21             Louisville   19.28   14     4
22            Florida St.   19.25   11     7
23                 Purdue   18.95   15     4
24                    UNI   18.85   15     6
25           Illinois St.   18.76   15     5
26               Missouri   18.61   16     4
27                   Utah   18.58   11     8
28               Colorado   18.57   11     8
29                   UCLA   18.55   10     5
30                Arizona   18.48   14     6
31         South Carolina   18.33   14     3
32           Colorado St.   18.28   14     6
33                Georgia   18.20   12     7
34             Notre Dame   18.17   11     7
35                 Baylor   18.17   12     6
36                 Kansas   18.15   13     4
37             Cincinnati   18.14   16     4
38              Tennessee   18.13   14     5
39               Iowa St.   18.12   10    10
40                Indiana   18.01   12     7
41                   Iowa   18.00   12     7
42       Loyola Marymount   17.98   15     4
43              Texas A&M   17.90   12     7
44               Portland   17.89   15     5
45                   Rice   17.79   16     4
46             Texas Tech   17.72   15     6
47              San Diego   17.64    9     9
48                    TCU   17.57   11     7
49               Oklahoma   17.54   11     8
50               Ohio St.   17.53   12     8

[pelagius]

Breakdown of the ratings for the WCC and for BYU opponents:

WCC:

                  team  rating  win  loss
1                  BYU   24.36   18     0
19          Pepperdine   19.33   13     5
42    Loyola Marymount   17.98   15     4
44            Portland   17.89   15     5
47           San Diego   17.64    9     9
72   Saint Mary's (CA)   16.55   13     5
98             Pacific   15.35    7    12
101            Gonzaga   15.18    6    13
144      San Francisco   13.96    8    11
169        Santa Clara   13.24    5    15

BYU opponents to date:

                    team  rating  win  loss
1                    BYU   24.36   18     0
2               Stanford   24.28   16     1
12   Southern California   20.83   14     5
18             Marquette   19.56   17     4
19            Pepperdine   19.33   13     5
27                  Utah   18.58   11     8
44              Portland   17.89   15     5
47             San Diego   17.64    9     9
56              Syracuse   17.38   10     6
59                  Duke   17.31    9     8
71           Wichita St.   16.58    9     9
72     Saint Mary's (CA)   16.55   13     5
98               Pacific   15.35    7    12
101              Gonzaga   15.18    6    13
122        West Virginia   14.60    9    10
125            Weber St.   14.56   11     6
144        San Francisco   13.96    8    11
169          Santa Clara   13.24    5    15

[smokymountainrain]

i'll be at the pepperdine game this saturday. didn't realize they were so good. pleasant surprise.

[pelagius]

i'll be at the pepperdine game this saturday. didn't realize they were so good. pleasant surprise.

Yep, they have emerged as the 2nd best WCC team. They absolutely spanked LMU on Saturday. I think my model may like them a little too much, but I think they are at least a top 25 team. They should make it to the NCAA tournament. That said, BYU destroyed them in the first match at Pepperdine. Like 25-18, 25-15, 25-21.

[Topper]

Yep, they have emerged as the 2nd best WCC team. They absolutely spanked LMU on Saturday. I think my model may like them a little too much, but I think they are at least a top 25 team. They should make it to the NCAA tournament. That said, BYU destroyed them in the first match at Pepperdine. Like 25-18, 25-15, 25-21.

Too bad USD is not achieving their potential. BYU could use some ranked teams in conference.

[pelagius]

My statistical model rankings as of match data through Sunday:

The Top 50:

                     team  rating  win  loss
1                     BYU   24.41   20     0
2                Stanford   24.18   18     1
3               Minnesota   23.12   16     2
4                Nebraska   22.78   15     5
5               Wisconsin   22.39   14     4
6                Illinois   21.99   18     3
7              Pittsburgh   21.54   22     0
8                Kentucky   21.47   14     4
9                Penn St.   21.08   17     3
10               Michigan   21.08   18     3
11                  Texas   21.07   12     4
12    Southern California   20.92   15     6
13                 Oregon   20.62   13     7
14         Washington St.   20.51   15     5
15               Cal Poly   20.15   19     1
16              Creighton   20.13   18     4
17                Florida   20.05   18     4
18              Marquette   19.74   19     4
19             Louisville   19.29   16     5
20                 Purdue   19.25   17     4
21            Florida St.   19.06   13     7
22             Washington   18.98   13     7
23             Pepperdine   18.81   13     7
24               Missouri   18.76   18     4
25                   UCLA   18.75   11     6
26                Arizona   18.67   16     6
27                    UNI   18.67   16     7
28                   Utah   18.64   12     9
29           Illinois St.   18.59   18     5
30               Colorado   18.57   12     9
31              Tennessee   18.36   16     5
32           Colorado St.   18.35   16     6
33               Iowa St.   18.34   11    10
34             Notre Dame   18.27   12     8
35              San Diego   18.16   11     9
36                 Baylor   18.09   12     7
37               Portland   18.08   16     5
38         South Carolina   18.02   15     4
39                   Iowa   17.94   12     9
40             Cincinnati   17.94   18     5
41                Georgia   17.91   12     8
42                Indiana   17.85   13     8
43       Loyola Marymount   17.83   15     6
44                    UCF   17.76   18     3
45                 Kansas   17.76   13     6
46              Texas A&M   17.75   12     9
47                   Rice   17.69   17     4
48               Oklahoma   17.67   12     8
49              Texas St.   17.65   20     5
50             Kansas St.   17.57   12     7

WCC:

WCC

                  team  rating  win  loss
1                  BYU   24.41   20     0
23          Pepperdine   18.81   13     7
35           San Diego   18.16   11     9
37            Portland   18.08   16     5
43    Loyola Marymount   17.83   15     6
67   Saint Mary's (CA)   16.81   15     5
94             Pacific   15.40    8    13
104            Gonzaga   15.08    6    14
155      San Francisco   13.61    8    13
158        Santa Clara   13.50    6    16

San Diego made a big move in the rankings this week. They are playing really well. BYU v. San Diego in Provo could be a real test. I think San Diego's playing like a top 15ish team right now.


BYU opponents:

                    team  rating  win  loss
1                    BYU   24.41   20     0
2               Stanford   24.18   18     1
12   Southern California   20.92   15     6
18             Marquette   19.74   19     4
23            Pepperdine   18.81   13     7
28                  Utah   18.64   12     9
35             San Diego   18.16   11     9
37              Portland   18.08   16     5
43      Loyola Marymount   17.83   15     6
53              Syracuse   17.43   12     6
64                  Duke   16.93   11     8
67     Saint Mary's (CA)   16.81   15     5
82           Wichita St.   16.15    9    11
94               Pacific   15.40    8    13
104              Gonzaga   15.08    6    14
125        West Virginia   14.50    9    12
128            Weber St.   14.45   12     7
155        San Francisco   13.61    8    13
158          Santa Clara   13.50    6    16

[Jeff Lebowski]

Pepperdine match was fun. Close in set 1 and then they just destroyed them in sets 2&3, especially 3.

[smokymountainrain]

that was a fun match. it's as if they were demoralized after BYU took set point away with three straight points. well, demoralized and simply facing a better team.

i don't know the first thing about volleyball, but three things stood out to me:

1) Mary Lake dominated from her libero position - as much as one can dominate defensively. overall the team was incredible on defense.

2) it's tough to win if you can't ever score 3-4 straight points during a match. pepperdine simply couldn't go on those small runs.

3) byu seems to be incredibly well coached.

[Green Monstah]

Pepperdine was able to use a fast pass and set to keep the BYU block at bay in the first set, but the margin for error is so small for that style of play, and they couldn't keep it up.

I love Pepperdine's single digit score in the third set.

[pelagius]

Pepperdine was able to use a fast pass and set to keep the BYU block at bay in the first set, but the margin for error is so small for that style of play, and they couldn't keep it up.

I love Pepperdine's single digit score in the third set.

Yeah, LMU did this too (they were a little more successful with it overall). BYU is a little vulnerable to this style of attack. Robinson in particular has trouble getting out there in time and getting good penetration over the net for her block. I don't mean this as much of a criticism of her; she is doing a good job given her physical limitations as an opposite (overtime hopefully she can get as explosive physically as RJP and Eppich). But the best team in the country with the quick tempo offensive is Minnesota. That's why I really hope to see BYU avoid Minnesota as long as possible; would rather face Stanford before Minnesota.

[pelagius]

1) Mary Lake dominated from her libero position - as much as one can dominate defensively. overall the team was incredible on defense.

Yeah, she's great. I think Hentz, the Stanford Libero, is generally considered the best Libero in the country (although it should be noted the Mary Lake clearly outplayed her when BYU and Stanford played). I think you've got to put Lake right behind her at worst. Actually, I will only concede that Hentz can cover more territory, I'm not sure she is a better passer than Lake.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yeah, she's great. I think Hentz, the Stanford Libero, is generally considered the best Libero in the country (although it should be noted the Mary Lake clearly outplayed her when BYU and Stanford played). I think you've got to put Lake right behind her at worst. Actually, I will only concede that Hentz can cover more territory, I'm not sure she is a better passer than Lake.

This is such a fun team to watch. And nice to see the freshmen playing so well.

[pelagius]

BYU having a very nice year in terms of attendance:

                     team    mean  count
1                Nebraska 8146.57     14
2               Wisconsin 7052.00      8
3               Minnesota 5283.64     11
4                  Hawaii 5218.85     13
5                   Texas 3892.67      6
6                Penn St. 3429.33      9
7               Creighton 3412.89      9
8                 Florida 2828.92     12
9                     BYU 2695.00     10
10           Colorado St. 2654.70     10
11           Michigan St. 2633.29      7
12            Wichita St. 2570.00      4
13                   Utah 2534.22      9
14               Stanford 2448.00      8
15               Ohio St. 2347.57      7
16                    UNI 2334.78      9
17               Iowa St. 2300.00      9
18                   Iowa 2282.40      5
19               Illinois 2253.33      9
20                 Purdue 2187.50     14
21             Washington 2068.44      9
22         North Carolina 2032.25      8
23               Cal Poly 1896.29      7
24               Kentucky 1728.62      8
25               Michigan 1714.92     12
26                 Oregon 1695.10     10
27         South Carolina 1667.56      9
28               Missouri 1637.86      7
29              Texas A&M 1460.12      8
30                    TCU 1361.50     12

[Goatnapper'96]

Pepperdine match was fun. Close in set 1 and then they just destroyed them in sets 2&3, especially 3.

I went down for it and I thought that Pepperdine likely played their best set of the year in set 1 and it still wasn't good enough. After that they gave up the ghost.

Pepperdine's back up libero was fab on the air guitar until the 3rd set and even she was running out of steam.