Surprising Parallels of a Top Ten Collegiate Match vs. High School Volleyball
These women are some of the best athletes in the country. That is far from an exaggeration, but when it comes to between the lines of a volleyball court at the end of the day it still takes the same basics to win a top ten matchup as it does a high school volleyball match.
I was fortunate enough to take in the the Minnesota vs. Wisconsin volleyball match Wednesday night and as I found myself saying “Wow” time after time in regards to the high level of play and athleticism, I was able to see some parallels in this match as I have for the hundreds of sets of prep volleyball I’ve seen in the past couple years. Here is a quick breakdown of a top ten matchup between two of the best teams in the Big Ten.
Serve and Serve Receive:
What is the first way to score a point in volleyball? The serve. This wasn’t an ace fest for the Gopher volleyball team, but with aggressive and purposeful serving (not just to zones, but specific spots with the pace and type of serve) the Badgers had a tough time going from serve receive into their offense system. Often times coaches refer to in system vs. out of system. When an offense is in system they have all options available from hitters to various tempo and combo sets they can run. Out of system usually gives the setter one, maybe two options which results in a swing from high and outside or worse case scenario a free ball. With Wisconsin being out of system, this gave the Gophers plenty of in system options on offense where Samantha Seliger-Swenson was dishing to everyone. Right side, Stephanie Samedy had 8 kills on 9 attempts and only 1 error, hitting .788 in the first set alone.
Set the middle coach said… pic.twitter.com/o3U1FL8wSP
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 27, 2018
When Wisconsin did get a great pass they had solid execution with the 2017 AVCA Freshman of the Year, Dana Rettke in the middle . At 6’7 and extremely dynamic she was able to terminate on the slide, which allowed for right side, Madison Duello to come through the middle for a one on one opportunity which the Badgers had great success, however they didn’t have many opportunities to get in system.
The Gophers did have their share of aces too, but when you compare the two teams, Minnesota had 15 points just off the serve with six of their own aces and nine service errors from the Badgers.
No matter what level of volleyball is being played, the serve and serve receive game is huge! Even at 10s, 11s, and 12s, young athletes are practicing first getting the serve over the net, then hitting the right zones, and then being able to do that with different types of serves. Passing is the first skill athletes learn, and being able to serve receive is tough, it’s not easy by any means. The top teams at any level will make it a priority to win the game at the service line and being clean in serve receive.
Using The Block:
Yes, the majority of these athletes aren’t just playing above the net, but they are are playing above the rim. They are playing the game at around 10 feet which is the height of a basketball hoop (remember, they are some of the best athletes in the country). Alexis Hart, a Junior outside for Minnesota is 6’0 tall and can flat out fly, but then again she is going up against a block that’s anywhere from nine to ten feet tall. If she hits the ball straight, she is going to get it blocked right back at her every time. Wednesday night she put on a clinic of “tooling” the block hitting “high hands”, meaning she is using the block as a tool to get her to score. When an outside goes for the high hands of a block, the ball is going to do some crazy things. It might turn into an easy pass by the defense, but the great outside hitters use it to their advantage to score points. This can happen at the high school level as well. Some outside hitters may only be 5’6 or 5’7, but if they can use the block to their advantage they are still scoring points for their team.
CC McGraw, a Prior Lake and MN Select alum was a game changer for the Gophers at libero.Libero Impact:
If volleyball jersey’s were sold in stores (which, why not?), CC McGraw’s would be the hot ticket item in Minneapolis. The Freshman libero is turning into one of the best in nation. Even watching a BYU vs. Pepperdine game on ESPNU they are talking about CC McGraw, the Freshman libero at Minnesota. The Prior Lake and MN Select alum is absolutely money in serve receive. Seliger-Swenson distributes so well from passes on point. McGraw can take pace off a hard swing and is in the right position, but she anticipates so well for the second contact. One of her teammates would dig the first contact and McGraw was already running to where the ball was going. There were multiple times where her play would just ignite the crowd. Those diving and sliding plays get the glory as they should, but what puts her into an elite category is her ability to make the really difficult plays look easy.
Setter Intangibles:
Just saw @samjoswens look right through the net…then powers it for a kill on two. Such a tough skill, but setters if you can get that vision of the defense…????????????????????
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 27, 2018
A setter is somewhat of a “Mother Hen” of the five other players on the court. Sydney Hilley, a Champlin Park alum as well as MN Select, is constantly talking to every player on the court, she gives a quick touch to tell each of them something before the serve to make sure everyone is on the same page. That is something a setter can do at any level. Be a communicator, make eye contact, and keep the team together even if things aren’t necessarily going the way as planned.
Seliger-Swenson, an alum of Hopkins and Northern Lights, is just like a quarterback where she will look at the defense and then call out what sets and combos she wants her hitters to run. She knows the match ups. Another skill which is so tough to teach and even harder to do is for setters to look through the net as the pass is coming to the net. That’s routine for Seliger-Swenson, she is always looking through the net to see if the middle is cheating to certain side or if there is an opening to attack which for setters at this level they don’t need to attack often, but when they do it has to be at the right time.
At The End Of The Day, They’re Still College Kids:
Seeing these athletes on ESPN and the Big Ten Network makes it it easy to think of them as superheroes and volleyball robots. Hanging around after the game, as the crowds clear, you definitely get to witness the “human” side of these athletes, a personal side. After all they are still 18-22 year olds who are just playing a sport they love with their best friends. There is the group of middle school girls who are waiting around for autographs and pictures. You’ll see the Hilley family from Champlin Park hanging out, giving hugs not only to their daughter, but to the other players who are all like adopted kids to these parents. McGraw is talking with Hilley, former club teammates as well as Hilley’s younger sister Sami, a Junior at Champlin Park High School. Recruits are there watching their future teammates. As they say their goodbyes, they put their headphones on and are out the door more than likely for a long bus ride which will consist of some sleeping and homework. Despite the tough loss, which all athletes will feel at some point or another, it’s another day back at the gym, a day of class, and a chance to improve in the process.