Another busy week is over and we have paid the price to the fullest.
The week started with our 2 Danish outsides, Charlotte and My calling in sick and they ended up missing all week from practice. Sanna(rightside) is still suffering from her ankle injury so she has been limited in practice and Bix(rightside) is still not available due to a back and neck injury.
A small roster played the match on Thursday against Lyngby, but as I always say "it is better to bring 5 Lions than 500 Sheep" and the 8 girls available for the match started out great bringing us to a 19-10 lead in the 1st set. Having that big a lead we started trying out different things in offense, but as some of those things failed and we added to that a streek of serving errors, Lyngby found their way back in the set stealing a 23-25 win completely stunning the home crowd.
2nd set continued with the bad finish to the 1st and we quickly fell back 5 points. However, after a time-out and a series of points from Noelle at the net we found our way back and grabbed the set win by 25-21
From then on our ways was set and we blew Lyngby off the court in the 3rd set with great serves, minimal amount of errors and great offense. 25-8 win in the 3rd, and eventhough Lyngby put up a fight in the 4th we showed great resilience to pull off a 3-1 win with 25-21 in the last set.
Another injury and then a loss..
Thursdays game was over and we had practice Friday before our long trip to Aarhus on Saturday to play AarhusVolley. 1 hour before Friday's practice Jeanette(libero) called in with a sprained ankle after a school tournament and suddently we were down to 7 players available for the match Saturday. We managed to get My(Outside hitter) up and running Saturday morning and inspite her influenza she showed up to help out the team by filling in on libero.
We started the match against Aarhus like the group of hurting and sick we actually were. With the score tied at 4-4 Aarhus pulled away 12-4 after we struggled greatly in passing, and when we finally got the set up there we managed to make an error in hitting or touching the net in blocking. 25-19 to Aarhus.
In the 2nd set we pulled ourselves together bringing us to a 2-8 lead early in the set. Fighting to keep that lead for the rest of the set we again found ourselves struggling in the same rotation as in the 1st set. Aarhus grabbed the set win 25-22.
With our back against the wall we started the 3rd set with more determination, but we were still making the errors that has been with us since Thursday match at home, but with a solid streek of points from Noelle at the end of the set, we managed to take the set 22-25 bring a small hope back that we could actually still win this one.
4th set and we are now in the lead.. We struggle in all parts of the game still but the girls fight hard to bring it back. At 17-19 in our favor the same serve that has caused us problems all game long again strikes holes in our passing line, and added to that we tip 2 ball into the net handing Aarhus the setwin at 25-20 and thereby the match 3-1.
A tough loss leaving us trailing the other 2 top teams.. Aarhus played as we expected them to, but we had no chance to resist in a game where we failed to meet our own level and our own expectations, and we will spend the rest of the weekend doing some soulsearching and recovering mentally as well as physically.
Season is long still and there is always a new battle to win. This coming Friday we play Gentofte at home and we need to find our game before then. 4 matches left before Christmas, 3 of which is against top4 teams including a semifinal in the Cup tournament against the only undefeated team in Denmark - HolteIF.
Michael
"We win and we lose together... that is what makes us a team.."
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Up and running once again..
Ok so it has been a while since I wrote anything last on this blog.. However, I have decided to pick it up once again and still bring some of my own thoughts about volleyball in general, my team(Vordingborg VK) and the competitions we are part of.
As I said I am now coaching Vordingborg VK’s elite women’s team in the Danish top league – “Volleyligaen”. I live in Præstø which is about 20min. from where we practice and play our home games, and I live here with my girlfriend, Ingrid who also plays on the team.
Where are we at...
Season is already 1/3 of the way and we have started out 6-1 in the league putting us in 2nd place at the moment, and we have qualified for the ½ final in the Danish Cup tournament. All in all a good start on the season, and we are working hard on getting the team settled after having a few players joining us just recently.
I will give a presentation of the team player by player in my next article, but to round this little teaser off in a good way, I will give you my views on the competition in the league this year;
There are 8 teams in the top league out of which 7 teams has at least 3 pro foreign players. All teams play each other 3 times in regular season before the start of playoffs.
The teams..
The current number 1 seed is HolteIF
Holte has started the season 7-0 and they will be our opponent in the ½ final in the cup tournament. The teams holds several Danish national team players and they have added 2 Canadian girls(setter and middle) as well as an Australian middle and an Icelandic National team outside to the mix.
Holte is expected to make the playoffs as well as a final as they always are, but this could be the year where they will face the toughest competition ever, as many teams have made a move for the playoffs. However, Holte is undefeated so far and they play a very consistent level with great block/defense.
My guess is that Holte will finish regular season in 3rd place.
The current number 2 seed is VordingborgVK
My own team is in 2nd place right now. We have had some player changes right as regular season was about to start, but we managed to come out of it with 6 wins and only 1 loss so far. We have 5 American girls on the team, 4 local Danish girls and 3 Danish imports from Copenhagen and Odense. Our goal is to play an aggressive and opportunistic offense, while being very disciplined in block/defense.
My guess is that we will finish regular season in 2nd place.
The current number 3 seed is BrøndbyVK
Brøndby is in my eyes the strongest team in the league this far. They have 4 pro American girls, 1 pro Scottish player as well as last year’s league MVP(their Danish setter) and 5 other Danish national team players. The team has currently a 5-1 record and they are in the ½ final in the cup tournament.
Brøndby have big blockers on all positions and they have a very strong passing line. This makes them capable of running a very fast offense as well as giving them great chance to play transition with their big blockers making it hard for the other team to make points.
My guess is that Brøndby will finish regular season in 1st place
The current number 4 seed is FrederiksbergVK
This team has 4 pro foreign players on the team, 3 American girls and recently added a Canadian middle. They also have our national team backup setter. They have a 3-4 record at the moment.
We have played this team 3 times already and won all 3 times(one of them in the cup tournament). They struggle a lot in their passing line with 2 very young liberos and I see that as their biggest weakness. They are in 4th place right now and that is why I am guessing them to finish 4th in regular season, but if their passing does not get better then I see other teams as a potential threat to that 4th place and the last spot in the playoffs.
The current number 5 seed is Fortuna-Odense Volley
Fortuna has a tradition of making the finals the past many years, both in the championship and in the cup tournament. So far they are in the ½ finals in the cup where they play Brøndby, and they are in 5th place in the league after a very slow start on the season leading them to a 2-4 record.
Fortuna lost in their season opener to the only team without pro players, and that loss is currently what is keeping them out of the playoff picture. Furthermore they have lost to Frederiksberg who is the team they need to pass to get in to the playoffs.
This team has an American coach and it has been inspiring to watch what he is trying to do with the girls. They have their own unique style of passing and blocking especially. However, this is also the smallest roster in the league with only 8/9 players, but they have 2 pro American girls as well as an Estonian pro outside hitter. Also on the team is the Danish national team captain.
My guess is that Fortuna will finish regular season in 5th place, but I am not ready to cut them out of the race for 4th just yet.. A lot of answers will be given over the next 3 weeks.
The current 6th seed is AarhusVolley
Aarhus is the only team in our league who has a team with only Danish players. They started the season with a big win 3-2 against Fortuna which was an upset to most people. Since then they lost 4 of their past 5 matches taking them to a 2-4 record. The only other team they have beaten is the bottom team, and I have a hard time seeing Aarhus playing more tricks on any of the top teams.
They have big roster, but many of their players are former national team girls who is no longer practicing a whole lot, and that shows in their matches. They have a top level which allows them to compete in a set or two each match, but keeping the level is where they struggle.
My guess is that Aarhus will finish regular season in 8th place.
The current 7th seed is LyngbyVolley
Lyngby is a team of 3 pro players(2 Americans and 1 Brasilian), then they have 4 very young and very talented players at the ages of 15/16 and to that mix they have added 4 girls who have all had their prime some years ago, but who can still contribute with experience and consistency.
Lyngby started season with their American outside hitter who is also coaching the team breaking her ankle, and she has not yet played a match for the team. They are at a 1-5 record and they struggle trying to run the fast tempo offense that half the team can master, but the rest can’t.
This team also has problems with the fundamentals of the game, but with 4 young girls working hard to get better I have a small hope that Lyngby will surprise a few as they also will get their coach/outside back on court soon.
My guess is that Lyngby will finish regular season in 6th place. They still have a small chance making playoffs as they are only 2 wins away from 4th spot and those wins may very well come as they get their full team back, but until we have seen what difference the American coach/outside can make I have them in 6th place.
The current 8th seed is Gentofte Volley
Gentofte aimed high from the start of the season hiring coach of the year 3 years ago and former men’s National team setter, Søren Hansen, but the results have not gone their way this year.
Gentofte has 3 pro Polish girls on the team, but one of them is yet to play her first match sitting out with an injury, and the players around the remaining 2 Polish girls are just not performing consistent enough to win matches. Gentofte has lost 2 times 2-3 and has also played some close games against Holte and Brøndby, but each time they fall on inconsistency.
Gentofte has a lot of young players who all have good ball control, but the lack of experience is hurting them a lot it seems, and to top that off their passing line is in my eyes the worst in the league.
I do however see them getting things right later in season and with just 2 or 3 wins they can find themselves in 6th place quickly, but I guess them to finish regular season in 7th place.
Those were my thoughts on each team in the top league this year.. Soon I will give a presentation on each player we have on the team in Vordingborg, but for now this was all.. I am excited though, to start up the blog again and I hope people are still following it..
Michael
As I said I am now coaching Vordingborg VK’s elite women’s team in the Danish top league – “Volleyligaen”. I live in Præstø which is about 20min. from where we practice and play our home games, and I live here with my girlfriend, Ingrid who also plays on the team.
Where are we at...
Season is already 1/3 of the way and we have started out 6-1 in the league putting us in 2nd place at the moment, and we have qualified for the ½ final in the Danish Cup tournament. All in all a good start on the season, and we are working hard on getting the team settled after having a few players joining us just recently.
I will give a presentation of the team player by player in my next article, but to round this little teaser off in a good way, I will give you my views on the competition in the league this year;
There are 8 teams in the top league out of which 7 teams has at least 3 pro foreign players. All teams play each other 3 times in regular season before the start of playoffs.
The teams..
The current number 1 seed is HolteIF
Holte has started the season 7-0 and they will be our opponent in the ½ final in the cup tournament. The teams holds several Danish national team players and they have added 2 Canadian girls(setter and middle) as well as an Australian middle and an Icelandic National team outside to the mix.
Holte is expected to make the playoffs as well as a final as they always are, but this could be the year where they will face the toughest competition ever, as many teams have made a move for the playoffs. However, Holte is undefeated so far and they play a very consistent level with great block/defense.
My guess is that Holte will finish regular season in 3rd place.
The current number 2 seed is VordingborgVK
My own team is in 2nd place right now. We have had some player changes right as regular season was about to start, but we managed to come out of it with 6 wins and only 1 loss so far. We have 5 American girls on the team, 4 local Danish girls and 3 Danish imports from Copenhagen and Odense. Our goal is to play an aggressive and opportunistic offense, while being very disciplined in block/defense.
My guess is that we will finish regular season in 2nd place.
The current number 3 seed is BrøndbyVK
Brøndby is in my eyes the strongest team in the league this far. They have 4 pro American girls, 1 pro Scottish player as well as last year’s league MVP(their Danish setter) and 5 other Danish national team players. The team has currently a 5-1 record and they are in the ½ final in the cup tournament.
Brøndby have big blockers on all positions and they have a very strong passing line. This makes them capable of running a very fast offense as well as giving them great chance to play transition with their big blockers making it hard for the other team to make points.
My guess is that Brøndby will finish regular season in 1st place
The current number 4 seed is FrederiksbergVK
This team has 4 pro foreign players on the team, 3 American girls and recently added a Canadian middle. They also have our national team backup setter. They have a 3-4 record at the moment.
We have played this team 3 times already and won all 3 times(one of them in the cup tournament). They struggle a lot in their passing line with 2 very young liberos and I see that as their biggest weakness. They are in 4th place right now and that is why I am guessing them to finish 4th in regular season, but if their passing does not get better then I see other teams as a potential threat to that 4th place and the last spot in the playoffs.
The current number 5 seed is Fortuna-Odense Volley
Fortuna has a tradition of making the finals the past many years, both in the championship and in the cup tournament. So far they are in the ½ finals in the cup where they play Brøndby, and they are in 5th place in the league after a very slow start on the season leading them to a 2-4 record.
Fortuna lost in their season opener to the only team without pro players, and that loss is currently what is keeping them out of the playoff picture. Furthermore they have lost to Frederiksberg who is the team they need to pass to get in to the playoffs.
This team has an American coach and it has been inspiring to watch what he is trying to do with the girls. They have their own unique style of passing and blocking especially. However, this is also the smallest roster in the league with only 8/9 players, but they have 2 pro American girls as well as an Estonian pro outside hitter. Also on the team is the Danish national team captain.
My guess is that Fortuna will finish regular season in 5th place, but I am not ready to cut them out of the race for 4th just yet.. A lot of answers will be given over the next 3 weeks.
The current 6th seed is AarhusVolley
Aarhus is the only team in our league who has a team with only Danish players. They started the season with a big win 3-2 against Fortuna which was an upset to most people. Since then they lost 4 of their past 5 matches taking them to a 2-4 record. The only other team they have beaten is the bottom team, and I have a hard time seeing Aarhus playing more tricks on any of the top teams.
They have big roster, but many of their players are former national team girls who is no longer practicing a whole lot, and that shows in their matches. They have a top level which allows them to compete in a set or two each match, but keeping the level is where they struggle.
My guess is that Aarhus will finish regular season in 8th place.
The current 7th seed is LyngbyVolley
Lyngby is a team of 3 pro players(2 Americans and 1 Brasilian), then they have 4 very young and very talented players at the ages of 15/16 and to that mix they have added 4 girls who have all had their prime some years ago, but who can still contribute with experience and consistency.
Lyngby started season with their American outside hitter who is also coaching the team breaking her ankle, and she has not yet played a match for the team. They are at a 1-5 record and they struggle trying to run the fast tempo offense that half the team can master, but the rest can’t.
This team also has problems with the fundamentals of the game, but with 4 young girls working hard to get better I have a small hope that Lyngby will surprise a few as they also will get their coach/outside back on court soon.
My guess is that Lyngby will finish regular season in 6th place. They still have a small chance making playoffs as they are only 2 wins away from 4th spot and those wins may very well come as they get their full team back, but until we have seen what difference the American coach/outside can make I have them in 6th place.
The current 8th seed is Gentofte Volley
Gentofte aimed high from the start of the season hiring coach of the year 3 years ago and former men’s National team setter, Søren Hansen, but the results have not gone their way this year.
Gentofte has 3 pro Polish girls on the team, but one of them is yet to play her first match sitting out with an injury, and the players around the remaining 2 Polish girls are just not performing consistent enough to win matches. Gentofte has lost 2 times 2-3 and has also played some close games against Holte and Brøndby, but each time they fall on inconsistency.
Gentofte has a lot of young players who all have good ball control, but the lack of experience is hurting them a lot it seems, and to top that off their passing line is in my eyes the worst in the league.
I do however see them getting things right later in season and with just 2 or 3 wins they can find themselves in 6th place quickly, but I guess them to finish regular season in 7th place.
Those were my thoughts on each team in the top league this year.. Soon I will give a presentation on each player we have on the team in Vordingborg, but for now this was all.. I am excited though, to start up the blog again and I hope people are still following it..
Michael
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