First off, lets acknowledge that the rotation was different with M. Campbell taking her ACT's. Things were not normal. However, is that out-of-whack rotation enough to account for a 1-3 day? In my opinion - no. Now lets factor in that the competition was the best played all year. Okay, maybe. So, why did our 18's team, maybe our flagship team, struggle so badly? If you are a hitter, better not read much more. You may not like the picture.
HITTING: (at the Spring Fling) (Season Total)
G. Filbrun: 7-0/15= .466 17-6/65= .169
J. Goodspeed: 11-10/57= .017 56-44/196= .061
M. Herr: 29-13/116= .137 121-43/337= .231
M. McMains: 6-4/24= .083 26-16/87= .114
M. Campbell: 14-6/53= .150 47-21/179= .145
M. Moore: 14-7/43= .162 55-19/131= .274
The good news is that M2, M. Moore, is carrying her fair share of water. Mia is our leading hitter at .274 for the club season, which is 106 points better than she hit during the high school season and was our best "hitter" yesterday at .162. Oh, there is the problem. When your best hitter is .162 against good competition, you are going to struggle.
Done with the good news. The neutral news is that M. Campbell is hitting near her high school percent, .158, even as a slightly undersized left side hitter.
Done with the neutral news. The bad news is our offense is letting us down. We pass well. We serve well enough. However, our opposite is 60 under her high school hitting percent. In her defense, she is hitting opposite and not middle as she did in high school. Still, she is not carry her share of scoring. J. Goodspeed is not carrying her share of water either as a left side hitter. Jenna is 161 points off her high school season. In her defense, we have really stressed a change to her approach, but hitting .061 does not get it done. Lastly is M1, who this team is built around offensively, is hitting 77 points below her high school season. She is not hitting in a different position or using a different approach. She benefits from a great passing team and hitting off the high school setter that helped her hit .307 for the year, yet she is not close to carrying the load. When you play good teams and your "best" hitter only goes .137 on a 116 swings, a team is going to struggle. Oh, we struggled for sure!
We have been winning, but matches I think CIViC 18's should dominate are not dominated. When we do play good teams, they beat us. Badly sometimes. This team passes too well to get dominated. And dominated to the point where they have lost two sets this season where they did not even score ten points. After Saturday's failings, the coaches seem much more open to some changes that I have suggested for a while. They are coming.
G. Filbrun: 7-0/15= .466 17-6/65= .169
J. Goodspeed: 11-10/57= .017 56-44/196= .061
M. Herr: 29-13/116= .137 121-43/337= .231
M. McMains: 6-4/24= .083 26-16/87= .114
M. Campbell: 14-6/53= .150 47-21/179= .145
M. Moore: 14-7/43= .162 55-19/131= .274
The good news is that M2, M. Moore, is carrying her fair share of water. Mia is our leading hitter at .274 for the club season, which is 106 points better than she hit during the high school season and was our best "hitter" yesterday at .162. Oh, there is the problem. When your best hitter is .162 against good competition, you are going to struggle.
Done with the good news. The neutral news is that M. Campbell is hitting near her high school percent, .158, even as a slightly undersized left side hitter.
Done with the neutral news. The bad news is our offense is letting us down. We pass well. We serve well enough. However, our opposite is 60 under her high school hitting percent. In her defense, she is hitting opposite and not middle as she did in high school. Still, she is not carry her share of scoring. J. Goodspeed is not carrying her share of water either as a left side hitter. Jenna is 161 points off her high school season. In her defense, we have really stressed a change to her approach, but hitting .061 does not get it done. Lastly is M1, who this team is built around offensively, is hitting 77 points below her high school season. She is not hitting in a different position or using a different approach. She benefits from a great passing team and hitting off the high school setter that helped her hit .307 for the year, yet she is not close to carrying the load. When you play good teams and your "best" hitter only goes .137 on a 116 swings, a team is going to struggle. Oh, we struggled for sure!
We have been winning, but matches I think CIViC 18's should dominate are not dominated. When we do play good teams, they beat us. Badly sometimes. This team passes too well to get dominated. And dominated to the point where they have lost two sets this season where they did not even score ten points. After Saturday's failings, the coaches seem much more open to some changes that I have suggested for a while. They are coming.