Thanks to the BON'er community from a very grateful PHF
by patienthornsfan on Dec 20, 2009 2:43 AM CST
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The Gazelles made me proud tonight, battling the best team in NCAA volleyball history to what amounted to a draw, trading punches until the very end of a remarkable 5-set championship match. Think Federer vs. Nadal at Wimbledon two years ago. Two superb teams, two remarkable sets of athletes going toe to toe, no one giving an inch. Give credit to the Nittany Lions for not hitting the panic button after going down 0-2 for the first time during their remarkable 102-match win streak. It's a cliche to say, but it was certainly a shame for one of the teams to have to lose. My thanks to the Gazelles and Coach Elliot for the most spectacular season I've lived through since I became a fan of the sport.
But I have to add to this my thanks to the entire BON'er community for the outpouring of support last night. It's not often we have 1000-comment posts for any sport, but this was by far the most comments, the best contribution for any volleyball event since BON began. I couldn't be more proud! Thanks to all of you for rooting the team on, for your positive comments, for giving my favorite sport a chance. I hope a whole new set of volleyball fans was born tonight.
So someone did have to lose, and despite the strong start, the Gazelles fell in 5, 22-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13. Fan favorite Destinee Hooker was named the Most Oustanding Player of the tournament after logging a match-high 34 kils on the night. Great way for this, the best recruiting class of Coach Elliot's short career, to finish up, but damn I would have loved to see them hoist that trophy!
Yes, the Gazelles are in an all too familar position today.
For the Texas Longhorns, the feeling -- and the scoreboard -- were all too familiar: The two-set lead in a women's volleyball tournament environs; the one-set-away-from-victory mentality; and the reminder that, like their loss to Stanford last year in an NCAA tournament semifinal, even an early lead doesn't guarantee a win.
They also lost to Penn State in Gregory Gym in 2006 after leading 2-0.
ESPN recap and video highlights here. You can watch a replay of the entire match on espn360.com if you're a member.
It was one of the smallest people on the court who turned the momentum.
Junior libero Alyssa D'Errico, too, saved many Hooker shots from another marker in the kill column.
"I think D'Errico doesn't get a lot of credit," Texas coach Jerritt Elliott said. "The kid's a fighter, She has a tremendous amount of passion and she kind of willed them to get on the road to competing."
Texassports.com has their version here.
Penn State sports site celebrates the title here.
Tempest has been in Tampa all weekend, so I hope he will chip in with his comments on the atmosphere, and on the championship game himself. I'm sure there must have been a pivotal point in the match where it slipped away from the Gazelles. But this indeed was a special season with a special team. I will miss Ashley and Heather and most especially Destinee, who deserves to have her jersey retired. Truly one of the most special athletes to ever grace the 40 Acres. A hat tip to these amazing seniors, and another to the entire BON community. What a great day to be a Horn!
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I don't really know a lot about volleyball as a sport,
but what is eminantly clear to me after watching parts of this season and especially today’s game is that Destinee Hooker is far better than anyone else on the court. From her line drive serves to her ability to basically put the ball wherever she wanted today, she was dominant. Retire.
The swine flu takes a Will Muschamp shot every September.
by pleaseplaykindle on Dec 20, 2009 2:52 AM CST reply actions
Penn State proved they are the best NCCA Woman's Volleyball team ever.
They clawed their way back into the game and found away to win.
I count myself lucky to see a game with so much talent. Some of the volleys in the 5 set were mind boggling long. The reason Penn State won is they found a way to return enough Destinee Hooker spikes in the last set to stay ahead.
The Gazelles played the best team in the History of Woman’s Volleyball and came within 2 points of wining. In any other year, against any other team they would have been the National Champion.
Even though this is the same result as last year against Stanford the difference is Texas lost last year because they didn’t play as well the last three sets and this year I didn’t really see any drop off in play, the difference was Penn State just started playing better in the last 3 sets and Texas couldn’t hold them back.
It hard to imagine even now how a team with Destinee Hooker can lose. At least a half dozen of her kills went over the Penn state block. She is definitely in the same league as Vince Young, Cat Osterman, TJ Ford or Earl Campbell they should retire her number.
She’s a Senior. One more season of Track & Field then we lose her to the Olypmics.
Still a Blaine Irby fan
by patienthornsfan on Dec 20, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions
so that was the same person
i found it hard to believe somebody would be so good at both. dang. shes an all time great.
Hey
Just saw your profile that said you’re working for IBM in London. I too work for IBM in Vancouver, Canada in IM/SWG. Just wondering what org you were in.
We should connect on Sametime (sanket.dalal@ca.ibm.com).
Anyway, just an incredible game last night. Certainly made me a Volleyball fan!
Thanks for the great post.
by LonghornForLife on Dec 20, 2009 1:34 PM CST reply actions
Wow!
Before last night I had never watched anything more than a few minutes of women’s beach volleyball before, pretty much just for the t&a. Just gotta say I was freakin’ amazed at the level of talent and the athleticism of those ladies last night. My mouth was open and it wasn’t with drool – I was truly awed . Just wish Texas could have held on for a win, but that display made me a permanent fan of the sport, they are top-notch athletes!!
hooker was a beast!
i haven’t seen as dominant a vb playa at texas since demetria sance.
hooker is definitely the most physically gifted to wear burnt orange.
i was feeling a bit dejected after the girls lost SAT night. some nice comments here have helped me regain my perspective about what a special season it’s been. we will miss the seniors next year. ashley’s leadership, selflessness, versatility and spunk will be hard to replace…as will hooker’s jawdroping athleticism. it’s been quite a fun ride!
by motherscratcher on Dec 21, 2009 12:17 AM CST reply actions
So PHF...
How are we going to look next year? Losing any underclassmen to the Pro Volleyball Draft on the Ocho come May?
In all seriousness, what kind of squad are we expecting for the next season. Do you think we could make another run without Hooker?
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
I’m working on a preview of next year’s squad as we speak. Suffice it to say we all need to temper our expectations. But with another class full of studs coming in, it’s still going to be an exciting year for Gazelles fans.
Still a Blaine Irby fan
by patienthornsfan on Dec 21, 2009 11:02 AM CST up reply actions
Next year...
I think we will be a Top 8 squad for sure and by the end of the year if things gel we could be Final Four again. We only lose 3 but I do not think we are going to be able to replace Ashley and Destinee. We will definitely have to be more balanced. I’m guessing we’ll try a 6-2 offense again next year. Juliann will move back to Outside Hitter. I’m expecting Juliann and Amber to be our Outside hitters and passers. Sydney had a great national championship match…she passed nails and was flying all over. She will battle Sara Palmer the 5’10" libero coming from Hawaii for the starting spot. I expect Michelle and Hannah Allison to be our setters and Bailey Webster to be one of our opposites. We will be very experienced at middle blocker. Which means we have to set the middle a lot more than we did in 2009. So our passing has to be great. If we do stick with a 6-2 the last opposite spot might go to Ashley Banister a 6’1" hitter from Houston. Or we could slide Jen Doris over there and let Sha’Dare in as a starting middle. We really need to get Sha’Dare’s offense on the court in 2010.
As for Tampa, I have been to 3 final fours. This one was my first to have Texas in the National Championship game. It was by far the best experience yet. The Texas fans in attendance were AMAZING…we were definitely louder and more into it than the Penn State block of fans. Even through the last 3 sets. I can honestly say our team and our fans gave it everything they had…and at the end of the day that is all you can ask. It is Monday and I am still hoarse. I was able to hug Ashley, Destinee and Heather after the match at the postgame party and thank them for all they did for Texas Volleyball.
At Texas we dont rebuild
We reload. in EVERY Sport.
Hook em!
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
I was shocked at how heartbroken I was
as I watched this game. I did not think I could get that invested in a girls volleyball game. What a team. They were absolutely incredible. Wish they could have gotten themselves a championship.
Hookem.
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
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