S16: Match Thread - PSU vs. MU: Fri Dec 13, 2024 ~3:30 pm ET

The regionals will be on ESPN next week. Hopefully you can catch it live. 

No KL, I can't get any ESPN live games at all. I can access ESPN and ESPN+ sites with US VPN, but can't subscribe due to the requirement for a US based debit card or a US based PayPal a/c.  Very frustrating but at least the YouTube replays are pretty comprehensive.  I was today able to access every 2nd round game, either extended highlights or full game.  Some terrific matches.

I've regrettably been to more Marquette matches than Penn State matches over the years. Solid roster of local kids from WI and IL (but the good ones from IL have gone to Penn State!).  They play hard and clean, no drama or shenanigans.  Anchante is a good setter, but not nearly the athlete that Starck is. Hamilton is solid OH1 with size and power, but would be a reserve on Penn State. Both MBs Carlson and Bray are effective, but not as good as Mendelson & Trammell. DS & L are ok. RS is undersized.  They win a lot of matches in a relatively less competitive Big East. This should be a good match, but I can't imagine Penn State losing. They are better than Marquette at every position. To my eyes, I think UNC had better talent. The winner of Texas/Creighton will be the bigger fight.

Some thoughts from the match against UNC as prep for this match:

I've gone from wildly optimistic (watching the Louisville blowout) to wildly pessimistic (watching PSU on the other side of blowouts by Pitt and Wisconsin) to more evenly optimistic (watching CJ beat up on Nebraska in what feels like forever since PSU really took it to Nebraska).

The UNC match gave me more reason for optimism. Even though there were more errors in that match than I think will be ok in a final four or finals match, they still looked like a team that is prepared for the tournament. What really stood out to me was an early kill by Jess in set 1. She hit the ball harder than I think I have seen her hit a swing in months. She seems focused and dialed in for this tournament. The whole team also blocked UNC really well, and the backrow defense looked like they were in perfect spots against all of the UNC hitters. Shaffmaster played really well for UNC, but the team really looked to be able to keep just about everyone else from scoring, leaving Shaffmaster to have to do almost all of the scoring herself. I love watching Izzy run the offense. She spreads the ball so well, and she looked like she was keeping UNC off balance on a lot of attacks. I think it may have been on the other board where folks were critical in a recent match where the D ball to Jess and Cam wasn't working, but that wasn't the case against UNC, and they got some key kills from that spot. It was fun to watch PSU play super tough defense on long rallies and keep reloading and finally winning tough points. All in all, I thought the UNC match has me optimistic for a fun tournament run.

I'm excited to see the team play Marquette, and I'm trying to keep that James Franklin 1-0 mentality looking forward to this weekend.

The game on the 15th--hopefully featuring PSU--has necessitated moving the Penn State-Wyoming wrestling dual meet to the BJC. Wrestling ticket-holders aren't happy, but seem to be understanding.