UA takes out Temple 3-0 in Vollyball

[GreatDanes06]

What win. Lets see what we can do against America and Arizona. If we do good, this program maybe in for a rise on the national level.

[DaneFan2k3]

You're way ahead of yourself. Temple isn't even a regional power, let alone a national power. They're 2-5. Our five wins this season come against teams that were a combined 8-22 at the time that we played them.

 

The team went out to the heartland of America and found out what real volleyball was to start the season. Indiana teams don't mess around.

 

Arizona, Pac-10 ... it'll be 3-0, and I doubt we'll crack 22 points in any of the three losses.

 

Volleyball is definitely one of the sports with the haves and have-nots. The big dogs don't mess around. We're not there yet.

 

Let's start with a conference title first before talking about making noise on the regional level. We're not even there yet.

Edited September 18, 2004 by DaneFan2k3

[Dane Pound]

Arizona is #15 in the country. A win there would certainly be a monumential upset.

 

DF2K3 is right that you have to take it one step at a time. Northeastern and New Hampshire have more less dominated the AE since the CAA-4 left a couple of years ago. Those two teams generally top out in the 50-75 range nationally which isn't too shabby. For Albany to get to where UNH and NU are would be quite an accomplishment.

[UAalum72]

UA sweeps American U. in the 2nd match, 30-17, -25, -21.

 

They may not be national volleyball powers, but to the casual listener (if any media report it) it's got to sound good that we've beaten George Washington, New Mexico, Seton Hall, Temple, and American in a row.

[Dane96]

They also beat American WORSE than Arizona!

[DaneFan2k3]

Again though, you have to temper that with the fact that I'm sure Arizona called off the dogs. Top teams like that sometimes don't start their #1 setter in a game like that, preferring to get a young player some time. Etc. etc.

 

Like I said, let's beat the top AE teams before talking about how good we are.

 

We certainly didn't do it in Indiana.

[DaneFan2k3]

In fact, the more important story is the demise of Eileen Nicole Rodriguez. She didn't play against American, at least the second time this season she hasn't played at all in a match. In the last match she had 7 aces, but no attacks, leading me to believe that she was put in just to serve and then taken out (it's pretty hard to end up with zero attacks if you're out there all the time).

 

Maybe the coach can post on the board why he's not playing her, or if she's injured, etc.

[Dane96]

I think she is the Libero, so they substitute her at will, probably to serve. It is odd that she hasnt played much.

[DaneFan2k3]

You can only substitute the libero in for one specific spot in the rotation (i.e. the "3rd position", wherever on the court that happens to be or whichever player that happens to be in that spot at the time). This is the first year the libero can serve. It makes sense that is why she's not getting the kill opportunities, but that doesn't help her serve more often (just saves on straight up serving substitutions).

 

Maybe she's just not as good an attacker as she is on defense and at serving.

 

The libero for her would actually be perfect, considering that if she was rotating in with a player that was good defensively, or better than her defensively, she could replace her only to serve, then come right back out - not wasting a sub.

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I'll be the first to post, since I said earlier it wouldn't happen, that UAlbany only lost 3-1 to Arizona. The scores were 20-30, 18-30, 30-26, 28-30. I don't think it's pessimistic to say that after holding UA to 20 and 18 they probably let up a lot in Game 3 and played some other players.

 

They hit an incredible percentage for the match (.273), including .371 in game one (that's dom-in-a-tion).

 

Once again Rodriguez didn't play. Hopefully (well not really) she is hurt - because if she's just not playing due to increased talent on the team, that is a mistake - the best chance for the team's promotion on the national level would be Eileen breaking the aces record. I'm sure that the coach realizes this, and she must be hurt.

Edited September 18, 2004 by DaneFan2k3

[UAalum72]

 

I'll be the first to post, since I said earlier it wouldn't happen, that UAlbany only lost 3-1 to Arizona.  The scores were 20-30, 18-30, 30-26, 28-30.  I don't think it's pessimistic to say that after holding UA to 20 and 18 they probably let up a lot in Game 3 and played some other players. 

 

1 UofA player was in only one game, eight players were in all four Box Score so I don't think there was any 'letting up' to let the fourth game go to 30-28.

 

E-Rod didn't play in this match, either. She did play against Temple, however

[DaneFan2k3]

But that doesn't necessarily mean they played the entire game - just that they appeared. No one knows who started that third game - once it was apparant that UAlbany was going to make a run at a win they could have put their front liners in ...

 

I was more referring to a mental letup than to the lineup, though. Once you're up 2-0, both pretty handily won games ... sometimes you're prime to lose that third game.

 

A game win is a game win, though. So that's to UAlbany's credit. But it wasn't the upset that some were hoping for, that's all.

[alum73]

I was told Eileen has a sprained ankle