TCU vs. Iowa State | 2024 Women's College Volleyball , Nov 01 2024

[@محمودغزال-غ1ر]

تبقى بارا نجمة اللعب رغم الضغوط

[@edumart3836]

I think that Parra got increasingly frustrated with the quality of settings that was receiving since early on in the game: always behind her, or too low and too close to the net. In comparison, all settings to Gibson were perfect. They shouldn't have struggled that much with a team that has a losing record like Iowa State. This team will not go far in the tournament championship with a setter like Nichols that has this kind of childish attitude.

[@isaidromerogavino8902]

Not going to argue with you about Nicholson, even if I think she's criticized much more than deserved. I noticed a bunch of missed sets each game, some times too many. But, I think she's improving and, on occasions, was instrumental to win hard matches (also, Young has very few appearances and looked quite nervous, understandably. So, no substitutes available). I'm just curious about the tern you used, "childish". Do you think that she's purposely doing it? I don't know much about volleyball, to the point of being oblivious to the difference in quality of sets being served to Melanie compared to Gibson, until you noticed it. I just assumed that Parra had a night off, given that she usually excels "despite" Nicholson.

[@edumart3836]

@@isaidromerogavino8902 Yes, this is a pattern that I noticed since last season when Audrey Nalls was in the team. It is as if she doesn't want Parra to shine too much. Only when the other hitters are not having a good game, and they run the risk of losing, that's when she starts serving correctly to Melanie.

[@margiepremia9416]

I noticed too. It seems like she don't want to give Melanie a ball. What's wrong with that setter😢😢😢. She always give ball to Jalyn. I feel Melanie not happy with this game play

[@isaidromerogavino8902]

@@edumart3836 well, that would be messed up and beyond awful. To be honest with you, I kind of want to dismiss your idea, since I don't believe Jason Williams would be unaware of such thing happening and simply allow it to happen. He seems to be a reasonable person, ambitious and pretty 'hands on' the team. But, having followed Melanie's career closely, since the UT days, I have to be cautious to simply ignore such possibility. The fact of the matter is that, I don't know what the ego dynamics are inside a pretty competitive team of college girls athletes, but I hope they are humble enough to make it about the team winning. On the other hand, what you mention isn't as crazy sounding as I would like it to be. It's likely that it already happened to Melanie at Austin. Plus, your argument has some evidence to support it, given the quality of touches Melanie gets during games against top competition compared to the times they face teams with records under .500 Let's hope Williams is on top of the team and all that 'there's no rules, just values' isn't for nothing. Also, Melanie has to be one conscious of the fact that she's just another player in the team, despite the outstanding talent and experience she possess. It's her last season of college, and she has a good chance of having a relative deep run in December with TCU. She seems to be healthy and playing better than ever, the team is finally ranked and being recognized as a competitive opponent. Only can wish that you are dead wrong and believe that the smiles inside the court are as honest as they appear to be. I like TCU as a program, likely will be following them even after Parra leaves. They have a chance to keep the momentum going even if they lose such a heavy offensive part of their game. The defense is there: Volpi has been so good and Cecily is one of my favorites. Sylvester and Robertson can block and score on anybody, Nicholson has been developing a lot defensively and she can pass and score at will, Gibson has competition going forward with Kelly and Hendrix. This team won't die as Melanie leaves, but it's not going to be at the doors of the final 16 instantly, either. This is their best chance in the near future, shure it will get there again in a couple of seasons when the younger girls bloom. But I would like them to get a good run this December, as a team.

[@lauras8898]

I think she has a back injury. I also think Nicholson struggles to connect with all of her leftsides because she typically sets too high when the leftsides need a ball with more pace (you can see them adjust their second step so that the ball isn’t behind them). If she was dealing with a back injury, having sets that are behind her would have definitely aggravated her injury. But yeah she just can’t figure out how to set her left sides in system with pace. It’s frustrating how often the sets are behind her head.

[@Alanpe2000]

Thanks.

[@AmericanSports68]

You're welcome

[@juandelacruz2244]

Yeah the sets were not good for her but she’s also somewhat off in her playing today.

[@ericssonerick6972]

Parra not her best on this game