NCAA Ladies
December 4, 2023
There are 16 groups left within the NCAA Division I girls’s volleyball match and so they have a mixed 75 losses.
Nearly all of them — with some notable exceptions — are to different groups on this remaining spherical of 16.
For instance, No. 1 Nebraska’s loss was to No. 3 Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s had been solely within the Massive Ten, to Nebraska, No. 11 Purdue and Penn State.
Second-ranked Stanford misplaced to Florida in August, to Nebraska in September after which solely to Arizona State within the Pac-12.
Three of these 75 losses got here on the primary day of the season, method again on August 25, when No. 4 Pittsburgh misplaced in 4 to BYU at Montana, defending national-champion No. 7 Texas misplaced in 4 at Lengthy Seashore State and No. 8 Kentucky misplaced in 4 at Colorado State.
Our headline the following day:
“Upsets — Lengthy Seashore stuns Texas — and surprises on NCAA first day like no different”
It set the tone for a season during which something may — and would — occur.
In our story that day:
“A reminder that it was the primary day of a protracted season, one that’s all the time a marathon and never a dash. The highest groups, particularly, ought to be counseled for enjoying one another and giving themselves and NCAA volleyball followers a top quality schedule to start out the season.”
With that, right here is the chronological TV lineup for Thursday’s NCAA tourney spherical of 16. A breakdown of every match follows:
NCAA tourney spherical of 16
All occasions Japanese
No. 5 Louisville (26-4) vs. No. 12 Creighton (29-4), midday, ESPN2
No. 1 Nebraska (30-1) vs. Georgia Tech (24-6), 2 p.m., ESPN2
No. 4 Pittsburgh (27-4) vs. No. 13 Washington State (26-7), 2:30 p.m., ESPNU
No. 8 Kentucky (21-7) vs. No. 9 Arkansas (27-5), 4:30 p.m., ESPNU
No. 3 Wisconsin (28-3) vs. Penn State (23-8), 7 p.m., ESPN2
No. 7 Texas (24-4) vs. No. 10 Tennessee (26-4), 9 p.m., ESPN2
No. 6 Oregon (28-5) vs. No. 11 Purdue (23-8), 9:30 p.m., ESPNU
No. 2 Stanford (28-3) vs. Arizona State (28-6), 11:30 p.m., ESPNU
Saturday’s regional finals
The 4 regional finals shall be proven on ESPNU, all in a row, beginning with the Pittsburgh regional at 4 p.m.. Then comes the Nebraska regional at 6 p.m., the Wisconsin regional at 8 p.m. and Stanford regional at 10 p.m.
There isn’t a method, in fact, that matches will end in lower than the 2 hours alloted — one can solely marvel why the matches couldn’t begin just a few hours earlier to keep away from overlap — so be ready to have a second TV/system helpful to observe on an alternate ESPN community and/or an ESPN streaming outlet.
Pittsburgh regional
No. 5 Louisville (26-4) vs. No. 12 Creighton (29-4): Louisville, which performed within the 2021 nationwide semifinals after which misplaced in final yr’s NCAA title match to Texas, hit the bottom working in August. The primary weekend the Cardinals served discover as they swept Washington State and beat eventual Horizon League-champion Wright State in 4. Earlier than September ended they beat Missouri and Dayton, swept Penn State and Kentucky and closed out pre-conference play with a five-set loss to visiting Stanford. Louisville, which was 16-1 at dwelling, went 10-3 on the highway. Louisville was using excessive earlier than a shocking, four-set loss at NC State on October 1. Its different two ACC losses had been in 4 at Georgia Tech after which in 5 at Pitt after it gained the primary two units earlier than falling 19-25, 24-26, 26-24, 25-21, 17-15. Louisville led 14-13 within the fifth. When on, Louisville’s beginning seven are pretty much as good as anybody’s, together with outsides Anna DeBeer and Charitie Luper, setter Elle Glock and libero Elena Scott.
There are two Creightons. The one with Norah Sis and the one with out. With the 6-foot-1 junior exterior hitter on the court docket, the Bluejays are 21-1. With out her, 8-3, which incorporates one in all Creigton’s two Massive East losses, a five-setter at Xavier in late September. There are loads good items on this crew, particularly Kendra Wait, who’s an amazing setter. Creighton, which has been snake-bit the previous two NCAA Tournaments with robust accidents, is wholesome and using a 17-match profitable streak, shedding only one set throughout that run. Its different three losses had been in 5 to Duke at Purdue in August, in 4 at Nebraska on September 6, and at Marquette, its Massive East rival, on October 6.
No. 4 Pittsburgh (27-4) vs. No. 13 Washington State (26-7): Pittsburgh bounced again from that aforementioned season-opening loss with six wins in a row, together with back-to-back wins over Kentucky and a sweep of Marquette earlier than shedding to Oregon in 5. The Panthers’ different two losses had been at Louisville, a sweep in mid-October, and in 5 — 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 16-14 — at Florida State a month in the past. Pitt has an unbelievable mixture of youth and expertise, together with two freshmen in 6-5 proper facet Olivia Babcock and out of doors Torrey Stafford. Babcock leads the crew in kills and aces and is second and blocks, and Stafford is second in kills and third in digs.
Washington State is the thriller crew. The Cougars are loaded with expertise and expertise, however have some rotations they will’t get out of. However when it’s all going nicely, Washington State, the United Nations crew of school volleyball, is pretty much as good as anybody. It misplaced solely to Louisville within the pre-conference season, which it punctuated with a four-set win at Texas. The Cougars had been 17-2 total, 7-1 within the Pac-12 when issues went South. A five-set loss at USC on October 22 began a stretch during which they misplaced 5 of seven, together with a five-set defeat to visiting UCLA. Two days later, with the season actually on the brink and down 2-0, they rallied for a five-set victory that gave new life. They completed the common season with 4 Pac-12 wins, together with in 5 over Arizona State. Don’t be shocked if Washington State will get swept by Pittsburgh or advances to the nationwide semifinals or something in between.
Nebraska regional
No. 1 Nebraska (30-1) vs. Georgia Tech (24-6): The nation is aware of the Huskers, the crew that performed earlier than 92,000 in its soccer stadium and have become a touring highway present this season as opponent after opponent broke dwelling attendance information when Nebraska got here to city. Nebraska completed the pre-conference season 9-0, shedding just one set every to Creighton, Stanford and Kentucky. Then the highly effective Huskers, beginning 4 freshmen, sliced and diced their technique to an 18-0 Massive Ten report. The unbeaten season got here to an finish at Wisconsin, however many observers are betting that these two groups will meet once more within the nationwide title match.
Georgia Tech is one other a type of what-are-you-going-to-get groups and as worldwide as Washington State. The Yellow Jackets went 13-5 within the ACC, which included two losses every to Pitt and Miami (each sweeps) and one to Louisville, which it additionally beat on November 3. The primary loss to Pitt was in 5. Tamara Otene, a 6-foot exterior from New Zealand, can single-handedly carry her crew, however two different foreigners — Argentian junior exterior Bianca Bertolino and Brazilian freshman exterior Larissa Mendes — even have greater than 300 kills.
No. 8 Kentucky (21-7) vs. No. 9 Arkansas (27-5): You could possibly argue that Kentucky, on an 18-match profitable streak, is taking part in higher than anybody within the subject. The Wildcats completed the SEC season, one during which they went 17-1, with sweeps of Arkansas and Florida after which swept Wofford and Baylor within the first rounds. However again on September 17, when Kentucky misplaced in 4 at Nebraska, its report was 2-6. It was preseason during which UK additionally misplaced twice to Pitt and to Purdue and Louisville. Its solely SEC loss was a sweep by Tennessee, however the Wildcats swept the Vols within the rematch. Being wholesome issues, in fact, and Kentucky is, lastly. It additionally has all of the items, together with two of the perfect within the nation in setter Emma Grome and libero Eleanor Bevin, gamers whose names don’t come up in these discussions however ought to. Kentucky is large and powerful — suppose Reagan Rutherford, Azhani Tealer, Brooklyn DeLeye and Elise Goetzinger — and nobody ought to be shocked if the Wildcats win this regional.
Arkansas is the darling of the sector. The undersized Razorbacks play fierce protection — they led the SEC in opponent hitting proportion regardless of being ninth in blocks — and assault with abandon, particularly 5-7 Jillian Gillen and 5-10 Taylor Head. Logic tells you that Arkansas is simply too brief to go any farther — the Razorbacks misplaced in 5 at Kentucky on October 22 after which received swept by the Wildcats at dwelling two weeks in the past — however this crew has an power that may’t be imagined. Arkansas misplaced back-to-back matches to visiting Wisconsin the final two days of August and its different loss was at Georgia on November 1.
Wisconsin regional
No. 3 Wisconsin (28-3) vs. Penn State (23-8): Wisconsin has simply three losses, in 5 at Nebraska on October 21 and in 4 at Penn State on November 11 and in 5 the following day at Purdue. However these final two include a caveat, as a result of Wisconsin was with out 6-9 Anna Smrek. Within the 5 matches since she returned from concussion protocol, all sweeps, the lanky Canadian has 56 kills with12 errors in 101 assaults (.455) and 21 blocks. Wisconsin boasts the Massive Ten participant of the yr in exterior Sarah Franklin, a crew with an unparalled mixture of peak and athleticism, and Julia Orzol, the skin who moved to libero and who has turn into among the many nation’s elite at that place.
Penn State went 6-3 within the pre-conference season with losses to Florida, Georgia Tech and Louisville. The Nittany Lions had a house match during which they beat three future NCAA tourney groups in Western Kentucky, Colgate and James Madison. They went 7-0 to start out the B1G. Since then, nonetheless, they went 8-5 within the convention and that included two losses every to Nebraska and Purdue and hard five-set defeat to Michigan State. They upset Kansas within the second spherical, and, as any Penn State opponent can inform you, exterior Jess Mruzik (fourth within the B1G in kills) can carry the Nittany Lions.
No. 6 Oregon (28-5) vs. No. 11 Purdue (23-8): Oregon has quietly taken care of enterprise all season however isn’t within the national-championship dialogue. Within the pre-conference season they beat future NCAA tourney groups Hawai’i, Pepperdine, Pitt, James Madison and Marquette. Within the Pac-12 their solely losses had been twice to Stanford and as soon as every to Washington State and Arizona State. Oregon has 5 gamers with 154 or extra kills and as a crew, the Geese had been second solely to USC for whole kills within the Pac-12. Oregon additionally led the Pac-12 in blocks and was second in digs. Oregon may need the perfect mixture of pin hitters within the nation in Mimi Colyer, Gabby Gonzales and Morgan Lewis. Hannah Pukis is among the many setting elite, libero Georgia Murphy is a top-notch libero, and middles Kara McGhee and Karson Bacon are blocking machines.
Purdue beat, so as within the pre-conference, Kansas, Marquette, SMU and Kentucky, all future match groups. The Boilermakers had been up and down within the Massive Ten, shedding in 5 to Nebraska, beating Penn State and Minnesota, after which shedding to Illinois. However they beat Penn State and Minnesota and once more and on November 17 beat Wisconsin in 5. Final week they beat Fairfield after which Marquette once more. Purdue’s exterior hitters, Eva Hudson and diminuitive Chloe Chicoine, common higher than eight kills mixed per set and may destroy an opponent, as a result of each additionally hit nicely out of the again row. Raven Colvin has established herself within the center, Maddie Schermerhorn is a top-level libero and setter Taylor Anderson is as much as the duty. Purdue can beat anybody in a given match, however also can lose to anybody, which it did this to, amongst others, Loyola Chicago, Northwestern and Indiana.
Stanford regional
No. 7 Texas (24-4) vs. No. 10 Tennessee (26-4): This isn’t the identical Texas crew that gained the nationwide championship final yr. However it’s nonetheless fairly good. The Longhorns have two confounding defeats on their resume, that opener at Lengthy Seashore State during which star center Asjia O’Neal didn’t play, and a sweep at Kansas State on November 8. The opposite two defeats had been at dwelling early, to Stanford and Washington State. In any other case Texas dominated the Massive 12 as soon as once more (17-1) and Madisen Skinner, who has gained NCAA titles with Kentucky and Texas, was named convention participant of the yr. Texas has some X components. Can setter Ella Swindle and libero Emma Halter rise to the event? And can proper facet Molly Phillips, who has had an up-and-down season, be the drive she was final yr at the moment?
Tennessee hasn’t been this far since 2005 when it was a shock nationwide semifinalist earlier than shedding to eventual champion Washington. Tennessee has a strong 1-2 punch in proper facet Morgahn Fingall (433 kills) and out of doors Jenaisya Moore (381), who’s taking part in the perfect of her profession after transferring from Ohio State. She’s averaging 15 kills in Tennessee’s final 9 matches. The Vols have three high quality losses, at Wisconsin in 5 on September 3, to Kentucky and to Arkansas. However on November 25 they had been swept at South Carolina, a crew that completed eleventh within the SEC.
No. 2 Stanford (28-3) vs. Arizona State (28-6): Stanford, when wholesome, has the perfect lineup within the nation, pound for participant for participant, place by place. The very best proper facet in Pac-12 participant of the yr in Kendall Kipp, greatest setter in Kami Miner, and proper up there with the perfect in libero Elena Oglivie. Stanford’s two outsides are pretty much as good as anybody’s in Caitie Baird and Elia Rubin, the primary center is 6-5 Sami Francis, who can take over a match, and the second center, McKenna Vicini is available in underneath the radar and all she’s completed is lead the crew in blocks and is hitting .421. In her final seven matches, she has 47 kills with three errors in 92 assaults and 42 blocks. However …
The final time they performed, on October 29, Arizona State manhandled Stanford 25-16, 25-21, 25-14. ASU and first-year coach JJ Van Niel are the shock of the nation. The Solar Devils went via the non-conference season 12-0 however the one future NCAA tourney crew they beat was within the season opener over Florida Gulf Coast.
Arizona State actually received everybody’s consideration after beginning the Pac-12 season 5-1 with solely a loss to Stanford. However then the Solar Devils misplaced in 5 at Oregon State earlier than sweeping at Oregon after which getting swept at Colorado. Simply once you had been going to write down them off, they swept Cal after which blasted Stanford to enhance on the time to 21-3, 9-3, and all of us began to pay severe consideration. ASU didn’t end the common season sturdy, nonetheless, shedding to Oregon earlier than beating Oregon State, shedding to Washington Statey after which beating Arizona. However NCAA sweeps over Georgia and No. 15 BYU made all the pieces all proper. ASU has a star in Latvian Marta Levinska, second solely to USC’s Skylar Fields in kills with 520, and a crew that performs laborious and collectively.