Month: March 2023

Our Gophers entertained NDSU this evening in their first Spring Match of 2023 played in what we used to call the “Lower 48.” And swept 4 sets, 25-15, 25-19, 25-16, 25-17, from the vertically-challenged Bison.

As one would expect, Taylor “Shock & Awe” Landfair, the #1 national recruit in the Class of 2020, and McKenna “The Wooker” Wucherer, the #1 national recruit in the Class of 2022, scored almost at will against the Packer-colored Bison. I had (there are no official stats for these Spring Matches) Landfair with 12 kills (including 3 dinks and 2 back-row kills), and Wooker with 16 kills (including 2 right-side attacks and 1 from the back-row): both in the 3 sets they played. Wooker played all 6-rotations (which she never did last year) and served strong. And I thought Shaffmaster played well.

The positive surprises included:

• Lauren Crowl looked very good hitting right-side, with 10 kills in 3 sets (including 1 from the back-row and 1 from the left-side. (There is one serve-receive position where Crowl hits left-side and Wooker hits right-side because it is too difficult to switch during the receive.) Crowl has potential competition from sophomore Julia Hanson and freshman Sydney Schnichels, but Crowl looked like the starter to me.
• Back-up setter Elise McGhie, who earned playing time as a designated server last year. McGhie continued her strong serving, and looked decent as “the other” setter in a 6-2 used in sets 3 & 4.
• Freshman Middle Calissa Minatee, who I had with 6 kills (mostly on “quicks”) and 6 blocks.
• And returning Middle Arica Davis, last years portal acquisition, who I had with 6 kills and a couple of blocks.

(Worth remembering, of course, that NDSU was under-sized, as are Minatee and Davis.)

The disappointments included:

• Sophomore Hanson and freshman Schnichels, neither of whom showed me much when on the court, and
• Skylar Gray, who handled the Libero duties.

In-Transfers not in attendance included:

• Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Libero Kylie Murr.
• Middle Phoebe Awoleye
• Opposite Lydia Grote

Maybe they aren’t allowed to participate in Spring Matches – or maybe they are still taking classes at their previous schools?

Murr will definitely be our starting Libero when she’s eligible. That drops Gray to D.S. – where she should get competition from McGhie or Hanson.

NEXT UP:  ATHLETES UNLIMITED,* April 4, 7:00 (not free)

* Athletes Unlimited is a professional team made up of former collegiate players, and Olympic candidates. The name that jumps out at me is former Champlain Park and Wis Badger setter Sydney Hilley.

With time to think about it, I could probably think of several reasons why living in Minneapolis is better than living in Fargo — but here’s one:

Tomorrow at 5:00 p.m., the Gopher volleyball team takes on NDSU in a free-admission Spring Match at the Pav. The Gophs first two Spring Matches, vs the Rainbow Wahini, in Honolulu, both went 5 sets, but tomorrow’s match should be over in time to slip to a nearby bar where, for the price of a cold beverage, one can watch the 3rd period of the Gopher men’s hockey team (also starting at 5:00 p.m., but in Fargo) vs St Cloud State. A Fargo resident who cared might be able to score a pricey ticket for the hockey game, but the volleyball match will not be televised. Count on reading about it here.

Happy to report a second, nail biting. five-set win over the very solid Rainbow Wahinis.

Gopher serving was the best I’ve seen, especially the 6 aces by Wooker and 3 by Davis. And Hanson, who contributed minimally in the front row (.061 on 33 attempts), but sealed the win in Set 5 with a match-point kill, also had 3 aces, including 2 in the decisive final set. I hate service errors, so this was pure pleasure.

Hard to confirm from stats alone, but it seemed that:

• Wooker was effective (.432 with 19 kills);
• Landfair, not so much (.188);
• Davis and Minatee were effective at Middle;
• Gray struggled again at Libero;
• And the Gophs struggled when Shaffmaster was not on the floor. (Coach Cook testing other options, perhaps.)

I’m looking forward to seeing our Gophs back at the Pav. Already got my senior ticket for Athletes Unlimited.

R.A. also reports that the

• March 25 match vs North Dakota State is at 5:00; and
• April 4 match vs Athletes Unlimited is at 7:00.

I suppose the Hawaii Trip is fun for the team (they’re missing out on our Hockey Tournament Blizzard), and maybe good for recruiting, but it’s disappointing for fans who wanted to watch — no broadcast, or even a match summary on the official website. But fortunately for GOPHERVBALLROCKS readers, Special Correspondent R.A. stayed up for the 11:00 p.m. start of the live stream of last night’s match.

R.A.’s report: The Rainbow Wahini are perennially strong, making this a good win, especially as the Gophers fought back from 1-2 after a bad Set 3 loss.  It’s not like Hawaii could claim jet lag. While only seeing live stats isn’t ideal, several things interested me about last night’s match vs Hawaii. It gradually occurred to me Coach Cook was experimenting with his personnel:

• Junior Skylar Gray (Maple Grove) played Libero, and seemed to struggle. (Reigning Big Ten Defensive Kylie Murr did not play.)
• Julia Hansen started the last three sets, got 7 kills, and seemed to get a trial as the designated server.
• Landfair only played three sets, presumably to leave court time to others, and didn’t do much with her 30 chances (.167).
• Wooker didn’t find her footing in three sets (hitting errors, serving errors, receiving errors, but came alive, to combine with Crowl, to turn things around in sets 4 & 5, and led with 15 kills.  Whew!
• Crowl was solid in limited time, with 9 kills and a .381. 
• As was Davis, 5 kills, 4 blocks, and .571.  As much as I miss Booth, it was good to see solid middle play.

Another match at 11 tonight for those willing to stay up.

ADDITIONAL SPRING MATCHES ANNOUNCED

• March 25 (time?) North Dakota State at the Pav (free)
• April 4 (presumably evening) Athletes Unlimited at the Pav (not free).
• April 22 Kansas State at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

ANOTHER MIDDLE IN THE MIX

I had previously pleaded for the Gophs to find another Middle in the Portal, especially one with a little more height, and it looks like they did, slightly. I didn’t notice the announcement, but the roster now includes 6-2 Senior Phoebe Awoleye

Awoleye played her freshman and sophomore seasons for the University of Georgia, and her junior year at Loyola Marymount. (But counting the covid-bonus, she ought to have 2 years of eligibility left.)

• Awoleye made the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2020.
• In her 2^nd season, she racked up 171 kills, (with a .309 hitting percentage), and 122 total blocks, fifth in total blocks in the SEC.
• At LMU, her 221 kills (.379) and 114.5 blocks earned her First Team All-WCC honors. 

DAUGHTER TESSA OUT-COACHED

This isn’t V-ball related, but it’s a cute story. Tessa and son Ethan both coach their 8 yr-old sons on rival Park Board basketball teams. Naturally. both claim to be the better coach. But last Saturday, though winning, Tessa was definitely out-classed. The opposing coach was Cheryl Reeve; Tessa has yet to win a single WNBA title.