khsVball

In my 13+ years being around volleyball, I have never heard a team captain being benched for three straight matches for no reason. Unless she did something pretty bad, but I find that very hard to believe.

In district 33, Cooper looked like they were firing on all cylinders, while Ryle struggled against Boone County. Cooper was passing well out of serve receive, even though Conner stayed away from the libero on the serve. Setting at times for Cooper wasn't great but the hitting was awesome. Cooper did a great job setting the ball to the pins and allowing the OH's to hit on the outside of the block and back into the middle of the floor. Katie Smith was blasting balls out of the middle back position for kills. All around great performance by Cooper. Ryle seemed to struggle all night. The scores might not reflect it, but Boone's serve receive is what got them in trouble not Ryle's front line hitters. Ryle did switch to a 5-1 with Bush setting. You can tell a difference in the ability of attack without her hitting the ball. The only real threat was Ryle's big middle. She was going either right over top or around Boone's smaller middles. If Ryle doesn't use a more effective, reliable and diversified attack then Cooper will eat them alive at the net and on defense. My gut tells me Cooper is 3, but I will say Cooper in 4 sets. But you never know, that's why they play the games.

That is true. As long as a player gets the release from both AD and head coach of departing school.

Other states have divisions, split private versus public, and seed their tournaments.

If other state athletic associations came and watched our state tournament, they would laugh and say we were idiots. It's not a good perception for anyone, especially the state.

Also include one of the Oldham County schools. This makes me sick to my stomach. I feel so bad for the teams that bust their butts for almost 4 months to see a state tournament pretty much decided by the semi's of the tournament. While the opposite side of the bracket plays to get their butts kicked in the finals. I know I am going to catch flack for the last sentence but it is the truth. Dumbest thing I have seen in the numerous years I have been around and involved with this sport!

Here are the pools for the tournament. Played at Assumption High School and OVVC on Friday and moving to OVVC, Saturday, for bracket play. Any predictions? POOL 1 POOL 2 POOL 3 POOL 4 Ryle Beechwood Owesboro Catholic Apollo Green County Collins Elizabethtown Highlands Logan County South Oldham Lexington Catholic Christian County POOL 5 POOL 6 POOL 7 POOL 8 Male Eastern Conner Oldham County McCracken County Bullit East Ballard Central Hardin Whitfield Academy PRP Fern Creek Valley

I understand that you don't win games through your middle game. But if you do not have solid, consistent middle game then your OHs are consistently going against double blocks and defenses can defend against OH and OPP much easier. With no middle game, then a defense can go to a commit blocking scheme and eat OHs alive. Ryle will figure something out. They always do. Cooper knew exactly where and who that ball was going to and Ryle didn't answer.

I agree totally with your Ryle lineup comment. Not sure why they haven't made changes. Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again even if it isn't working. I also agree with your comment on the big MH for Ryle. Every ball she hit or was set during the match was in the middle third of the net. Put her on the pins, run some X's, slides and/or tandems, something to get her out of the direct middle or to get blockers to move around. Ryle set three types of balls last night high outside, middle of net, and opposite to the outside of the pole. No real tempo or mixing it up. They were offensively stagnant and the ball control was not that awful last night.

Set 1: Cooper took a 6 point early lead and never looked back. Played very well. Ryle's libero let two balls fall in between her and another player in serve receive. Very unusual. Set 2: Ryle held lead most of set forcing Cooper to take both time outs. Cooper storms back late to take lead and finish with 2 point win. From what I remember Ryle was up at one time 19-15 in this set. Set 3: After letting set 2 get away Ryle never really recovered. As long as Cooper served away from Ryle's libero, then they were getting diggable balls and scoring out of transition. Cooper earned a lead and held it. Ryle's libero again let a couple balls drop in this set. Very un-Ryle like errors during the set. Overall, IMO and observation over the past couple weeks, Cooper has gotten better, Ryle has declined a bit. Ryle's sets were out past the poles for their outsides, and the middles constantly hit through the middle of the court making easy blocks and digs. Ryle's big middle only had a few kills with none of them really being shining hits. She was blocked or had hits blocked up and playable on most swings. Timing seemed off on most middle attacks. Again something that shouldn't be happening this late in the year. Coopers setters struggled at times due to BHE and bad setting decisions. Katie Smith and Ruepel(sp?) played outstanding. Ruepel's defense was surpurb. Bush for Ryle struggled and was inconsistent. Only saw one of her jump serves make it in the court. Bush did have one hit that I thought knocked out Cooper's setter there for a few seconds. Scary moment. Again, IMO and observation from last night and what Conner did to Cooper a couple weeks ago, the 33rd district is up for grabs. Anyone on any night in this district can win. Let's not rule out Boone County on this either. They could catch fire and make a run, especially with their setter.

Yes. She is currently playing Libero. Good little player. Has lots of potential.

Conner took third game 31-29 with no subs left. Conner ended up finishing third after a losses to Oldham Co in pool play and Boone during bracket play. Not a bad showing for the Lady Cougars.

Conner took the third game 31-29 with no subs left.