Hope you caught the latest thriller in Gregory. If you did or you didn't, I've got the synopsis for you. Here’s the setup: the Horns took a very tight first set. Frankly, UCLA gifted us some points that helped us over the hump. Then UCLA took the 2nd set fairly comfortably, and grabbed the momentum. Coming out of the break at 1-1, which way would it go? UCLA blows out of the gate with an ace, a kill, and two blocks. They’re up 4-0 and have mo’ by the throat. What to do? Elliott makes a gutsy, gutsy call: he sends Hannah in. I’m standing there – yes, I stood most of the match, and my throat’s shot today – and all I could say was, wowww. That took courage. You could make a dozen arguments why that was a horrible idea. Michelle had set our team to 13 straight victories, including Nebraska, and hadn’t lost a match that she’d started. She’s a seasoned junior, and has played in big time matches. Hannah was just coming back from injury, and clearly wasn’t a hundred percent. She was rusty as an old gate. She’s a frosh, for pete’s sake! And we’re talking the N-C-double-A’s here! But Elliott grabbed a hold of fate, and said, I want to make my mark on the course of events. Here. Now. It went into the record: substitution, #12, Hannah Allison. Elliott had guts enough to try it; Hannah was game enough to deliver on it. We needed a spark; Hannah and team delivered a fireball. There are always momentum shifts in volleyball. We didn’t see a mere shift; we saw a land-slide stop in mid-air, change direction, go back up the mountain, over the mountain, through the valley, and over the next mountain! The box score will give you the nums on the run. I’m hear to tell you, Gregory got loud, loud, LOUD. It was exciting! When the Horns tied it 7-7, Sealy tried a TO to stem the flow, and the Bruins put up resistance a little while longer. But at 14-12, Juliann got a kill and rotated back to serve, and we got them on the run and pretty soon they looked like the French Army. Juliann aced, Amber and Sha’Dare were getting kills, and Rachael and Sha’Dare got a block. When the roaring of the crowd took a brief respite, it was 22-14. We had Hannah, and then we had the lead, and then we had the momentum. Frankly, we had the match. It was beautiful. I’m not saying it was Hannah single–handedly. Our passing got a little better. Our blockers were closing better. And the crowd helped; even Dicey admitted that. But at 2-6, Hannah put down a gutsy ball on 2. And soon the hitters were all getting amped. In less than two sets, Hannah had 24 assists, 2 kills, 8 digs and a block. I like Elliott’s word for it: she’s a gamer. There was another major factor as well. This one was also driven by our coaches – the rotation. Let’s take a closer look. There’s always two battles: girls versus girls, and coaches versus coaches. And let’s face it, with Elliott, Rockwell, and Hosfeld on our side, and Bruin coach Sealy & crew on their side, we’re talking about coaches who know a LOT about volleyball. Now, with our depleted line-up, Elliott has fewer game-time cards to play. But he used the cards he does have to powerful effect. Doyle Brunson, aka Texas Dolly, aka Big Papa, would have been proud. So what about this rotation card? Sealy explicated post-game how Elliott spun our rotation forward three spots at the beginning of the 3rd set to change the match-ups. That did indeed help, as we got two blocks that set, saw hitting errors by Kidder and Bojana, and a contribution to the afore-mentioned fire-storm. But there’s more to the story. First some background: the rules say for each set, coaches submit their line-up, and once submitted, it can’t be changed. Also, the other coach can’t see what you submit. So, as noted, Elliott did the 3rd set fast-forward with great results. Sealy wasn’t asleep at the switch; he saw what went down. Going into the 4th, he had to make a choice. And he decided to rotate his own line-up several spots ahead for the 4th, hoping to counteract Elliott’s switcheroo and get back to the original match-ups. But Elliott, sly dog, anticipated Sealy, and changed up again for the 4th! He switched the Horns line-up BACK to where it had been for the 1st & 2nd sets. So we still got favorable match-ups! Our girls had five blocks in the 4th, a major factor in the win. So on that tactic, let’s just say, point texas. We could go on and on about coaching prowess. How about Elliott’s decision to lock down another year of eligibility for Lauren? That paid off big time. How about re-shuffling positions and line-ups this year due to all the injuries. How about player development, so that a raw talent like Destinee Hooker becomes a six-rotation player and star of the national team? We always hear about our coaches’ ability to recruit. Here is what I say: they have the whole package: player development, program development, game-time tactical mastery, and strategic vision. We’re very lucky to have them. UT President Bill Powers came down to shake hands with Elliott after the win; it was well-deserved. Enough about the coaches. Hats off to our gutsy players. Rachael and Sha’Dare were just about unstoppable as usual. Jen was efficient and passionate, and had three tall-girl digs besides her kills. Amber doubled up and Juliann punched another hole in the record books. Sarah was big-time again – and oh by the way, the Horns out-dug the Bruins! Michelle and Hannah tag-teamed for 24 assists each; they’re awesome and the best in the land, as far as I’m concerned. And I really mean that about Michelle as well as Hannah. Next up is Illinois. Forget early September. Not twice in our house. Not with this team. You like excitement, courage, and drama? Come to Gregory. _______________________________________
Don’t forget that Jennifer also graduated the morning before the match & Once again another outstanding follow-up review by UTVballfan
I love your synposes. I've said this before: they really make me feel like I was there. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
