HITTERS – Even. Texas has the better outside hitters in Juliann and Amber vs two freshman OH’s for PSU. Deja McClendon is their stud but the other OH spot is a possible weakness. PSU has the better opposite in All-American senior Blair Brown, she will be their go-to. Middle blockers even to slight edge to Texas. Arielle Wilson is probably the best middle blocker but the tandem of Rachael & Jen Doris is better than PSU’s tandem.

SETTER – Edge Texas. Texas will start Kocher who will be setting her third final four. That is the equivalent of having a quarterback returning for his 3rd National Championship game. PSU has a sophomore setter who rarely saw the court last year due to the departed Glass. She’s 5’6". Either Juliann or Amber will be hitting into, make that over, a 5’6" player’s block. One of them should put up incredible numbers.

DEFENSE/LIBERO – Edge PSU. D’Errico is excellent and is the reason Texas isn’t the defending national champion. We have a freshman libero anchoring our attack.

INTANGIBLES – Edge Texas. This PSU team is no juggernaut. Everytime they faced a Sweet 16 team from this year’s tourney on the road or on a neutral site they lost – Stanford, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue; with the one exception being Florida who they beat in Gainesville. Florida simply put was not all that. PSU is 0-3 this year in 5 set matches. Their road to the Final Four did not include a single team from the AVCA Top 25. We’ve played 3 out of 4 against the AVCA Top 25 in our draw. In addition, our matches against really good defensive teams like UCLA, Illinois and Purdue set us up nicely to be prepared to go to war. PSU has not been pushed and their setter hasn’t been in an NCAA tournament game where they’ve been behind and facing elimination.

This match is very winnable for Texas but they need good passing and a very good defensive effort from Sarah Palmer.

Losing one third of our team to injury and after the 0-3 loss to A&M, it is amazing that we are here talking about Texas in the Final Four. Any wins from here on are just gravy to a great season. I want to win bad and in this wide open year it is entirely possible for Texas to win it all. But if they don’t, no bitching and whining about what a bad year this is for all things Texas. These girls overachieved and we should be proud no matter what happens in Kansas City.