Huskers in China Day 12: Climbing the Great WallHuskers in China Day 12: Climbing the Great Wall
Volleyball

Huskers in China Day 12: Climbing the Great Wall

Day 12: Climbing the Great Wall of China
Today's challenge was the Great Wall of China.  There are about five sections of the Wall that have been rebuilt and opened to the public.  The coaches chose the steepest section, called the JuYong Pass, about two miles of short and tall steps to the highest watch tower.  Though the Wall never met its intended purpose of stopping invaders from the north, these steps along the top of the thick Wall were also used extensively as an elevated highway, transporting goods and people.  Many estimate the Wall to be 5,000 kilometers long; our guide told us that it once was 50,000 kilometers long, the difference having collapsed over two millennia.  Each player made it to the top, high-fiving or exhaling a war-whoop upon arrival.

Many other tourists clogged the steps to the initial watch tower or sentry point, but the steps emptied about half-way up - this is a strenuous two-mile climb.  The temperature Sunday was a comfortable 75 degrees with clear views until a thunderstorm cloud moved through.  During their descent, the players watched the lightning and rain from the protection of one of the watch towers. Megan Pendergast, Brooke Delano, Gina Mancuso, Hayley Thramer, and Brigette Root all mentioned later at dinner that the Wall, the Shanghai Acrobats and the Silk Street Market have been the high points of the trip.  My guess is that the other ten players would agree. I'd add the two wins over pro teams as well.

The Huskers are 5-1 on the trip, 2-0 versus pro teams. We were scheduled to play another university team today, but that team canceled.  I think the word about Nebraska's size and physicality is out.  Thankfully tomorrow, Tuesday, begins a three-day stretch filled with four matches versus pro teams.  Since the NCAA for now only allows an off-season foreign trip once every four years, Coach Cook will probably schedule the 2014 Huskers almost exclusively against pro teams, should he bring them to China.  At the end of the trip, we'll try to post the stats versus Pro teams and University teams separately; in the four matches against university opponents the Huskers are hitting about .500.

Nebraska has run a 6-2 offense in all its matches except the four sets when Brigette Root was the lone setter.  No final decision has been made on this fall's offense, but a 5-1 would force either Morgan Broekhuis or Lindsey Licht to watch.  This would perhaps allow one of them plus one of the setters to redshirt potentially.  However, there is always the risk that you'll eventually need a player that you intended to redshirt, such as Angie Oxley midway through 1997. Further, this team's passing proficiency is not yet proven.  When in the front row, the lone setter in a 5-1 system needs to receive the pass perfectly so she has at least two options up front to set.  The defensive block can double-team the outside hitter after an average pass when she is just one of two attackers up front because the ball is going to her on the left wing, unless you have a formidable back row attacker.  This is why Nebraska has always worked hard to develop a back row attack and why elite teams always have a monster outside hitter or two to overwhelm even a double-block.

Historically, Nebraska has rarely had Destinee Hooker, Kim Willoughby or Alix Klineman types, but the Huskers have countered with big lefties on the right side (or Jordan Larson in 2008) - players who can also hit and dig in the back row, giving our setters multiple options even after a poor pass.  One reason Gina Mancuso subbed in the back row in 2009 was to give Nebraska some more back row attack potential.  Early in the 2009 season, the Huskers kept setting and developing the back row attack, but opponents never had to worry as much about the Husker back row hitters in 2009 as they had in previous years.

The two-setter offense always has three attackers in the front row.  A back row attack is gravy because the setter always has two attack options already - three options if the pass is perfect.  The setter can dish the ball to the left or right side, even on an average pass, keeping the opposing middle blocker guessing.  With a right side hitter always to her right, Brooke Delano won't be able to run her slide behind the setter as often, but the 6-2 seems to fit this team because it has two great right side hitters, two great setters, and as yet occasionally inconsistent passing.  I'm confident that Coach Cook will go with the two-setter approach in our final four matches here, but no final decisions for the season will probably be made until fall camp in August.

Tomorrow begins our final stretch of four matches versus pro teams before flying home Friday.

I'm John Baylor, describing what I see.  Feel free to fire off questions and comments to John@JohnBaylorTestPrep.com.