They lost their mojo on the Florida trip, 1st to Miami in 5
by Domerduck (2024-10-21 13:47:40)
Edited on 2024-10-21 13:54:34

In reply to: Volleyball not trending the right direction - lost 4 in row  posted by NDoggie78

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set loss that we talked about below. Then the 4 setter at FSU. The two home loss sweeps to NC State and Wake were really deflating. For the 1st time Rockwell started to dink with the lineup and rotation by not starting senior Palozzola during the 3rd set of FSU after they had tied that match 1-1. She put Dockery in to start instead of Sydney who had started every one of the 55 sets for ND all season when ND's set record was 34-22. They have lost all 8 sets since where Sydney has started just half of those 8 sets. Not sure if something is off for her (injury, health) but it sure seems to have made a difference, at least in results.

I know Shrader, Bjork, and Gaerta are critical to the team/rotation but something changed when Sydney didn't start. The two shutouts are the only losses that they haven't even got a set and it was to weaker opponents than some of their earlier losses. Plus it was at home which should be an advantage. I watched replays of both and NC State they really never got close. Wake the 1st two sets were both in extra points where Wake won by just 2 but they really gave up in the last set to lose 25-12. Being swept like that to unranked foes, especially at home, is really unacceptable.

This weekend they go to Dallas then Pittsburgh and unless something changes drastically they are certainly going to get swept again. #1 Pitt has swept every team they played at home including Sunday when they shutout #5 Stanford. They have lost only 4 other sets all year despite playing 7 nationally ranked teams, 1 to BC in Boston in their 3-1 win and their only match loss was in Dallas, 3-2 to SMU. #12 SMU will be just as tough as they have beaten #2 Nebraska and #1 Pitt by giving each of them their only losses all season. ND will have their hands full to try to avoid having a losing record after this weekend.

In case you missed it and are interested, I did do a 1st hand early season analysis on Pitt when they swept the 11th ranked Ducks in Eugene (link).



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