I think I read the first games would be easier but the competition gets better as time goes on.
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Cook on the spring — and summer, and fall — including Brazil
- Thread starter weaver75
- Start date
The Brazil National U21 team was pretty good. The Huskers swept the first three sets with a lineup generally of Beason, Allick, Jackson, Murray, Batenhorst, Reilly and Lexi. The fourth and fifth sets had Krause and Kubick in for Batenhorst and Murray, and Jurevicius for Beason, Orr for Reilly, and Mendelson in one of MB spots. Laney played as a DS sub throughout. The last two sets were not streamed, but it was reported that Nebraska won the 4th set 27-25 and lost the 5th set 14-16. One doesn't know the opposition, but it seems like the Huskers looked pretty good for early June -- with a team that has six players essentially of high school graduation age.
The Brazilian Women's Vball team has made the finals of the olympics 3 times since 1984. So I would imagine their U21 team is pretty high class play,
This same team played the Brazilian Military team and lost in 5 sets. We play the Military team in our next match.
I thought that Brazil team looked pretty good. They gave NU all they could handle. Krause started out on the floor in the first set, but she struggled with several bad balls. She got yanked about halfway through the first set and didn't come back until Cook decided to play the rest of the bench in the 4th and 5th sets.
I could be completely wrong about this, but the starting lineup of Krause, Beason, Allick, Jackson, Murray, Reilly, and Rodriguez looks like it may be our starting lineup for the Fall. Murray started out in the back row, which was interesting. They seem to like to set her for back row attacks, which she is pretty good at, IMO. This is interesting because NU hardly did any back row attacks last year, though I think that may have been due to problems with the setters and not a lack of ability of the attackers.
I don't think it is 100% certain if the starting setter will be Reilly (I think it will be Reilly), and I suspect Krause and Batenhorst are still neck and neck for the starting OH slot. I wouldn't be surprised if the starting lineup changes quite a bit during the first couple games. And, just like last year, I expect all the girls will get playing time in those first few games.
After yesterday, I would give Batenhorst a slight advantage, but any two of her, Krause and Murray will be fine. I get the sense Reilly and Murray have worked together a lot on national teams as she really knows where Murray wants the set. Mendelson may be the best blocker at middle, so any two of her, Bekka and Andi won’t have a drop-off either.
But as you suggest, August is a long way off, and conference play even longer after that, so there may be some surprises in store as the team develops.
I agree with Mendelson being the better blocker. She is so big and strong, and her basketball experience probably plays a factor there as well. This is important because with the 5-1 offense the setter spends time in the front row. Neither of our setters are particularly good blockers, so our blocking will not be as good this year as it was last year when we ran the 6-2. That is why I think Mendelson may get more playing time this year...either that or Jackson will need to develop her blocking skills quickly.
After watching Reilly in those last two matches in Brazil, I feel even more strongly that she is the better setter and will likely be the starter this Fall. Maybe I'm wrong, but that comment from Cook sounds like what a coach would say who is trying to keep his #2 setter happy and prevent her from giving up.
Think about it from Orr's perspective. She was the #1 setter in her recruiting class, and now as a junior she is looking at getting beat out of her spot by a freshman (who in my opinion is clearly better). That has got to be a bit demoralizing.
Or maybe I am wrong and they really are neck and neck. That wouldn't be a bad thing. They might both push each other to be better.
Nor has he weighed in on the Murray/Batenhorse/KrAuse competition, nor the Mendolson/Allick/Jackson competition. As you say, that is probably as it should be.
