Red & Black Scrimmage
(Photos by Jared Anderson)
Back in LNFCU Arena again for the first time, for the fans anyway, the team has been practicing in there for a couple of weeks, now, we got the first real look at what this volleyball team could do, and some jaws hit the floor.
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Sofia Maldonado Diaz is a welcome
addition to the Cards right side.
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When the smaller than expected crowd entered, the first thing they noticed was a couple of facility improvements. We posted pictures of the new Taraflex floor with the retro jumping Cardinal bird logo on it some weeks back, but what wasn't shared publicly was new padding along the railing at the end of play opposite the team benches, a safety improvement that was well received by everyone.
When game play started, however, was when the fans started noticing some of the more substantive improvements to the team. The first things fans tend to look for in this scrimmage are the new faces, including Arizona transfer Sofia Maldonado Diaz, who showed that she will definitely have an impact hitting right side. For the freshmen, Ava Utterback had some good left side swings and demonstrated her big topspin serve, Nayelis Cabello ran the offense at setter showing off her mobility and athleticism, though we had seen both of these play in the spring. Sam Untiedt (un-TEED) was new to the crowd with some solid DS play, and Payton Peterson performed well in every rotation.
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Cardinal Couple is contractually obligated (no, we're not) to include a picture of Anna DeBeer with an embarrassing facial expression in any match recap.
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Watching more of the match, though, it started to become clear that a few players had really advanced their game in the off-season. The first one that I noticed was Hannah Sherman, who was an absolute brick wall at the net blocking in the middle, she chalked up nine blocks in the four sets, along with seven kills.
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Even Nayelis Cabello's pony tail
defies gravity.
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The next big advancement I noticed was Kamden Schrand playing as libero. Her defensive and digging were amazing, to the point that I started half-jokingly asking if we had the 2nd best libero in the country, with Elena Scott obviously being the 1st. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not a great deal. The team as a whole dug and scrambled unlike I've ever seen them do before, it was quite impressive. Scott and Schrand both led the team with 17 digs, Anna DeBeer had 13, Cabello had 12, Charitie Luper picked up 10, and Elle Glock came away with seven.
The other returners performed as we know they can, DeBeer putting down 16 kills, Cara Cresse with 17, Luper with 10.
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Hannah Sherman just blocked
someone: the new normal
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All in all, there is an incredible amount of talent on this team, and most of this team could go to other D1 schools and immediately start. This is challenge that I don't envy this coaching staff, trying to pick the best of the best to select a starting lineup in that first match against Wisconsin.
My guess is that we'll see DeBeer and Luper on the left side, Cresse and PK in the middle, Scott will be the libero. As for setters and right sides, after seeing the 3rd set of the scrimmage where the players were divided in sets that mirrored this, like it was a starters vs reserves setup, but then as the rotations happened, they started swapping players across the net. It took me a minute to recognize that they were effectively running what I think was starters vs reserves, but the starters were running a 6-2 offense. So the big questions of who we will see starting at setter and right side between the two players in each role that are competing for the positions may be answered with, "Yes." I think we're going to see both in each with the 6-2, at least to start the season.
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Between Kamden Schrand (pictured
here), and Elena Scott, the Cards will
be really hard to score on.
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The overall level of play on the floor was amazing, and if this team can maintain that throughout the season, I think they will definitely be in talks for one of the top four seeds in the NCAA tournament, if not a shoe-in, meaning the whole tournament run for us could be at the KFC Yum! Center.
A quick note on rule changes for this year. There are three; first, there will be no double contacts called on sets...this is a divisive change as some love it and some hate it; second, you can dress two liberos instead of just one and switch them in and out as you please along with the pre-existing ability to switch for two other players without any of this counting against substitution totals; third, an additional call is available for challenge review...whether a player's hands crossed the plane of the net and interfered with the set.
Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Podcast
Case, Jared, Paulie and I were on the call for the CCRHP, with Volleyball, in anticipation of the Red & Black scrimmage, and Soccer recapping the Thursday win over Bellarmine, on the agenda.
A good conversation, and oh so great to be talking about actual events again! Check it out.
-- JMcA
