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No. 15 Buffs Start 2018 With Trip To Wyoming To Face Oral Roberts, North Florida & Wyoming (Vball)
- Thread starter buffgal
- Start date
Buffs take their last timeout down 10-13. Critical point may be at 7-9 where the Buffs lost a point on a wyoming challenge on a touch by a Buff blocker on what was originally caused an out ball. (The announcers said they saw it, and I'm watching on my laptop, but I sure couldn't see anything.)
We knew CU VB had 2 starters to replace in MB Anna Pefferle and Opp Joslyn Hayes who both graduated. That left them with 4 returning starters, the experienced libero and DS, and some little used backups and untried talent on the bench. That was do-able.
Then, about a month ago, Frankie Shebby leaves the team and the sport due to back issues. Probably can handle it because the most experienced of the backups is OH Justine Spann who can't play at Shebby's level but has room to improve and shows it at times.
Then in the last week or so before the start of the season the Buffs lose returning senior MB Abu to injury. And they end up having to replace a 4 year starter who was selected for the PAC-12 pre-season all-conference team with an MB whose only playing time in her 2 years with the team has been in garbage time. Not much time to try to figure out a new game plan.
For a lot of the 3 matches this weekend in Laramie, CU played a 6-2 rotation. This had their 2 returning starters (OH Alexa Smith and S Brynna DiLuzio) playing along with these 6: 1 true freshman setter, 2 redshirt freshmen at Opp and MB, 1 little used redshirt sophomore at Opp, 1 little used junior MB and OH Justine Spann, That left them with very little experience on the court most of the time.
This worked against the over-matched Oral Roberts and North Florida teams but ran into trouble against a Wyoming team with a lot of returning experience. The way that match started, I was expecting to see a 3 set sweep by Wyo. But the Buffs corrected mistakes and improved as they played and fought back to take sets 3 and 4, forcing the deciding fifth set, Unfortunately in the fifth, Wyoming's experience got them a large lead over the Buffs whose nerves and newness to the situation were showing. Again the Buffs fought back but couldn't quite pull it off.
This team has a lot of work to do. Their pre-season rankings were based on the original projected team which included Shebby and Abu. If they can get Neghede back in a month or so and she can play close to how she was pre-injury they can be competitive but top 15 is not in the cards IMO. The new starters need to grow up FAST.
Then, about a month ago, Frankie Shebby leaves the team and the sport due to back issues. Probably can handle it because the most experienced of the backups is OH Justine Spann who can't play at Shebby's level but has room to improve and shows it at times.
Then in the last week or so before the start of the season the Buffs lose returning senior MB Abu to injury. And they end up having to replace a 4 year starter who was selected for the PAC-12 pre-season all-conference team with an MB whose only playing time in her 2 years with the team has been in garbage time. Not much time to try to figure out a new game plan.
For a lot of the 3 matches this weekend in Laramie, CU played a 6-2 rotation. This had their 2 returning starters (OH Alexa Smith and S Brynna DiLuzio) playing along with these 6: 1 true freshman setter, 2 redshirt freshmen at Opp and MB, 1 little used redshirt sophomore at Opp, 1 little used junior MB and OH Justine Spann, That left them with very little experience on the court most of the time.
This worked against the over-matched Oral Roberts and North Florida teams but ran into trouble against a Wyoming team with a lot of returning experience. The way that match started, I was expecting to see a 3 set sweep by Wyo. But the Buffs corrected mistakes and improved as they played and fought back to take sets 3 and 4, forcing the deciding fifth set, Unfortunately in the fifth, Wyoming's experience got them a large lead over the Buffs whose nerves and newness to the situation were showing. Again the Buffs fought back but couldn't quite pull it off.
This team has a lot of work to do. Their pre-season rankings were based on the original projected team which included Shebby and Abu. If they can get Neghede back in a month or so and she can play close to how she was pre-injury they can be competitive but top 15 is not in the cards IMO. The new starters need to grow up FAST.
Well stated, BeBe.
As I watched the live stats on Friday, I was surprised that I didn't know the names of the players and CU was only putting their first names on Twitter.
Don't know what Abu's injury is, but she is much needed on the court. All the inexperience that Coach Mahoney is faced with will give him gray hair as he pulls this team together.
Even on live stats, I didn't know the faces that were being shown aside from Alexa Smith, DeLuzio and Spann.
As I watched the live stats on Friday, I was surprised that I didn't know the names of the players and CU was only putting their first names on Twitter.
Don't know what Abu's injury is, but she is much needed on the court. All the inexperience that Coach Mahoney is faced with will give him gray hair as he pulls this team together.
Even on live stats, I didn't know the faces that were being shown aside from Alexa Smith, DeLuzio and Spann.