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It will come down to Eden vs Zumwinkle…. And unfortunately I don’t think Eden gets in.
Like Ohio, it's more their fans than anything else. Before their match yesterday, there were posts on the VB equivalent of this web site where there were Nebraska fans saying - only a little bit joking - if Texas A&M get to 20 points in a set, that would be a successful day for them.
I'd agree when you lose in the 5th set down to the wire, you can't say you blew it, it's the final 4 for heaven's sake. Losing in straight sets I'd call blowing it.
I was thinking similar. Not that it was a sharp turning point - where after she went down the Ladies in Red dramtically reduced quality of play. But there were a couple instances - one where Simon seems to have tipped/stumbled on here way to the dig that one needs to wonder. Not the only factor, but probably some unmeasurable factor.
Easy to say in retrospect, but there was a rule change two years ago (this is the end of the second year under the new rule?) that you can have two players designated as libero, and swap them in and out for one another 'freely'. What they could have done is starting with the next set after the injury, have Anaya Warren also suited up as a libero, then let Simon serve when that turn in the rotation came up, and otherwise have Warren play the floor the rest of the time. Over that last 6-or-8 matches, Simon was UW's most effective server - was again last night, even after the injury - so you still get her serve, but maybe marginally better floor defense with Warren.
Four freshmen coming for the 2026 season, all front row players (two lefts, one middle, one right side or middle), This incoming class is rated (take it with a grain of salt) either the #1 or #2 best incoming class in the country. The last time UW had a freshmen class that highly rated, they were the nucleus of the team that won the 2021 national championship.
It's actually 5 (so far). The 5th that you're missing in Trinity Shadd-Ceres, who has been there for two years, injured much of the time, had gotten healthy just over the last month, and had gotten on the court in some strategic defensive substitutions, making some significant impact. But she is a left side hitter, and the competition for playing time there is going to be the most "crowded". So, away she goes.
Trinity I'm going to miss the most, her athleticism got me excited whenever she was on the floor. I loved watching her jump. Silver lining about the portal losses, I now will have a good reason to pick non Badger games to watch- ala UCLA or Tennessee this year.
Last game was two weeks ago. Next game is three weeks away.
Maybe use some imagination? https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9dvOiRtnWJ/