Weekly Review #3: Time Out

#6 posting 9.7.2008
your daily dose of girls volleyball news & information

Weekly Review #3: Brief Action; Time Outs
Labor Day shortened the week somewhat, and with my teams schedule, I was only able to do the Out & Abouts two days this week. Saturday my team was involved in the Columbia Heights tournament which prevented my getting out & about. Friday I was able to get two for one at the Apple Valley tournament.
This week will be more of the same with Henry playing on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. That means my Saturday should be open and at Bethel next weekend 12 class A teams from every A section in the state will hold a mini state tournament. There are three top 10 teams involved in the event: #3 BBE; #8 SW Christian (Chaska) and #10 Meadow Creek. Also the Gophers will be home for the first time this weekend.

TEAM OF THE WEEK
Apple Valley won their Aerie Challenge over Stewartville on Saturday. I caught the Eagles in their win over DGF. The held a big advantage in game one vs the Rebels. In game two the Eagles pulled ahead late to wrap up the win. For the game their FBSO % was .591 and they allowed an average of 8 points a game on their own errors.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ellen Senf of St. Paul Central was strong at the net and the serving line in the win over Harding on Wednesday. Senf had 10 aces and 7 kills, plus a hand in a block for 17.5 points in a three game sweep over the Knights.

MH Ellen Senf, St. Paul Central
OH Julie Rainey, Stewartville
RH Bentley Mancini, Apple Valley
MH Melissa Racz, Apple Valley
OH Elly Braaten, Hastings
S Rachel O'Brien, St. Paul Central

TIME OUTS
When watching the myriad of games I sometimes squirm in my seat thinking "team A" needs to take a time out. I also scratch my head when "team A" takes a time out at 24-15. At that point the game is basically over. One more side out will finish the game. Maybe that time out could have been utilized earlier.
Since teams only get two for each "set" (or game) they need to be used at the right time.
Most of the times you want to stop the other team when they start a run. Checking with the matches from last week here are the results
Average Margin when time out was taken: 7 points
Average first time out margin: 5.3 points
Average second time out margin: 8.6 points
usually teams wait for the second run against them to take the first time out. That might be too late.
I have been tracking the Time out % at matches this year. That measures the success of the time out. Here is how this week's teams handled the time out%
Apple Valley 1.000 2/2
Hastings .667 2/3
DGF .333 1/3
St. Paul Harding .200 1/5
Central and Stewartville didn't take time out.

Which leads to my team. I have been forced this week to take time outs to avoid either overlaps or mis-substitutions. I had to burn one at the tournament this weekend when we got the ball back. Obviously I was not happy about that.

next up: tomorrow morning