I attended this afternoon’s scrimmage vs NDSU at Lakeville North. I didn’t recognize any GOPHERVBALLROCKS readers (other than Maureen), but it was crowded, almost sold out (an empty seat here and there). If you were there, share your thoughts with our readers.
The Gophers swept 4 sets, 25-6, 17-16, 25-13, & 25-21. Although the scores of the 2nd, 3rd & 4th sets were similar to last week sweep of South Dakota, the 1st set (25-17 last week), when both players were playing their starters, were radically different. The Bison were a lot less competitive than the Coyotes had been.
Certainly NDSU has a roster full of talented athletes, but they didn’t have the height to challenge the Gophs. I was there in time for the warm-ups; the Bison were pounding the ball down on the 28 ft line; the taller Gophers, especially Landfair, Wenaas, Booth and others, were were pounding the ball down on the 8 ft line.
I focused my attention on what I considered the two open questions: 1) Who will be this year’s two Middles? And 2) Who will be this year’s Opposite?
- I think I know the answer to #1. At least based on what I saw this afternoon, senior Ellie Husemann and freshman Carter Booth will be our starting Middles. Both dominated the (admittedly shorter) Bison when they were on the floor. Husemann appears to have become better every year. Big, strong Carter Booth dominated the net more than any Gopher Middle in years. She also has a nasty serve, but serving implies playing back row, at least briefly, and I’m uncertain how much we will see her in the back row until her passing gets a lot better.
Sophomore Anna Wolfe started today’s 1st set and played okay; but nothing like Husemann and Booth. Sophomore Arcia Davis played the 2nd and 4th set and looked very good, but still not as dominant as Husemann and Booth. BTW, Davis is listed as 5-11, but when she stands next to the 6-3 Husemann or the 6-4 Wolfe, Davis seems only slightly shorter.
- Lauren Crowl remains the favorite for Opposite. She’s tall (6-4), she’s left handed, she started today’s 1st set, and she’s the only “Opposite” listed on the roster. And she played okay. But 6-1 freshman Outside Hitter Julia Hanson played better, today, than Crowl. So in my mind, the jury is still out.
Miscellaneous Notes from today’s scrimmage:
- “Kill” is common V-Ball slang for scoring on a spike, but Taylor Landfair almost-literally killed some unfortunate Bison back-row player, the crowd gasping and wondering if she would get up.
- Natalie Glenn is a terrific athlete, and demonstrated strong digging skills again today. But given that only two left-side hitters can play in the same set, and given that Glenn is not one of our top 3 left-side hitters (and not obviously even better than Hanson) I don’t see her getting a lot of playing time at her preferred position.
UP NEXT: Thursday, 7:30, St. Thomas, at the Pav.