2024 Volleyball thread

[mat1992]

Preseason favorites 

https://x.com/caasports/status/1823373961088176454?s=46&t=nScacl1TWT-KyOwj5stBaw

[TigersTigers]

Surprise surprise. The Tigers are back at it again, ready to push for a potential 5th CAA title in 6 seasons. Last season, they were heavily favored to repeat as champions yet again, but it didn't turn out that way and their golden generation exited without the exclamation point we thought they would have. Now, they return with a very different roster. It certainly won't be a complete rebuild, though; the Tigers still return plenty of firepower, including Preseason POTY Victoria Barrett on the outside. They are also very strong in the middle, with Erin Brothers and Ylenia de Mango expected to start, and Sydney Stewart will be a defensive lynchpin at libero. The question mark positions are setter and opposite. After starting for the Tigers at setter for two seasons, Sarah Jordan became the first starter to voluntarily leave the program since I started following the team in 2014. She does not yet have a clear replacement. The opposite position has been a HUGE strength of Towson's ever since Don Metil became coach, but Nina Cajic and Irbe Lazda are gone, leaving Zyare Abdul-Rahim (somehow in her 6th year) as the proverbial next-man-up. There are definitely questions to be answered, but the Tigers have made at least the conference semifinals every single season since 2015, and don't be surprised when you see them hanging around during that time of year yet again.

[mat1992]

Opens with a 3-2 win over St Francis

https://x.com/towson_vb/status/1829617903790121035?s=46&t=nScacl1TWT-KyOwj5stBaw

[mat1992]

A 3-0 sweep over Duquesne 

https://x.com/towson_vb/status/1829679808944414988?s=46&t=nScacl1TWT-KyOwj5stBaw

[TigersTigers]

An interesting opening day, to say the least. Seeing the team today made me glad that our nonconference schedule is not as hard this year, in all honesty. Not because they’ll be bad, though;  there’s still considerable talent and depth on this roster. Moreso because, as evidenced especially by the first match, Don has no idea who is going to start for him. We saw a ton of different lineups, the players who played poorly in match 1 played well in match 2, we basically have three brand new setters, and everybody was spotty. The one constant was the play of Senior Victoria Barrett, who will carry a huge load offensively this year for the Tigers. She was outstanding in both matches, and will be looked to as the unquestioned on-floor leader. One mild concern is the absence of Erin Brothers, who is expected to be a big contributor in the middle. She was not dressed for either match, obviously dealing with an injury.

[Chris Datres]

Solid comeback from down 2-1 to whack Lehigh tonight.

[mat1992]

Splits against Del State and Tenn Tech

https://x.com/Towson_VB/status/1832203447552139303

[TigersTigers]

The game of musical lineups continues. A bad and preventable loss today. Even playing at their absolute worst, Towson managed to stretch this match to 5 and only lost by two in the fifth. Even so, Tennessee Tech is a team that should not be giving the Tigers problems at all. If they don’t bounce back against Charlotte, alarm bells will be ringing.

[TuTigers2012]

1 hour ago, TigersTigers said:

The game of musical lineups continues. A bad and preventable loss today. Even playing at their absolute worst, Towson managed to stretch this match to 5 and only lost by two in the fifth. Even so, Tennessee Tech is a team that should not be giving the Tigers problems at all. If they don’t bounce back against Charlotte, alarm bells will be ringing.

No doom and gloom here! Can only be positive!

[mat1992]

Bounced back against Charlotte 

https://x.com/towson_vb/status/1832456762152108062?s=46&t=nScacl1TWT-KyOwj5stBaw