NCAA Semifinals: Loyola vs. UC Irvine

[GoRamblers]

I liked this line from the VolleyTalk message board:

Loyola = Overrated

[ahunte1]

Loyola = Overrated

[ahunte1]

How about this one?

I'm just saying it's different. For example, I don't think Ricky [Gevis] would see the court in the MPSF. Heck, I don't even think he would be able to walk on. He's clumsy, and barely knows how to play the game. Half his kills were mis-hits. But in the Midwest, style points don't count as much. The boy gets the job done. When you lose to a team who's mis-hitting the ball, it's hard to come up with something to say in the post game.

Read more: http://volleytalk.proboards.com/thread/ ... z3ZZBKL99Q

If they are giving credit for style points out west, that would explain why they don't have a team in the championship this year.

[JCT]

I was going to make a post on UC Irvine's post-match news conference in which Coach Kniffin was reluctant to give credit to Loyola, but I let it go last night. Today, somebody named brownbox on the volley talk board noticed it too, so I know it wasn't me being picky or too sensitive. "We picked a bad night to bring less than our best," "we had nerves," "we weren't intimidated by their size," "there are players that big and skilled on every team in our conference," "I had confidence until the 24th point of the third set," etc. It was almost comical, if it weren't such a clear case of absurd MPSF delusion. The best thing he had to say about Loyola was "they were steady," and "well-coached." The players were more realistic, with La Cavera saying, "We were totally exposed."

Let them keep up the denial and keep believing they're special. The super-awesome MPSF is 1-3 against non-MPSF teams in the NCAA tournament since 2013, with the only win coming against Erskine. Awesome!

[swellafelon]

I think JCT should perform a LeCrone-ectomy on Kniffin and destroy him with FACTS and REASONABLE INFERENCES!

[vuster4]

I was going to make a post on UC Irvine's post-match news conference in which Coach Kniffin was reluctant to give credit to Loyola, but I let it go last night. Today, somebody named brownbox on the volley talk board noticed it too, so I know it wasn't me being picky or too sensitive. "We picked a bad night to bring less than our best," "we had nerves," "we weren't intimidated by their size," "there are players that big and skilled on every team in our conference," "I had confidence until the 24th point of the third set," etc. It was almost comical, if it weren't such a clear case of absurd MPSF delusion. The best thing he had to say about Loyola was "they were steady," and "well-coached." The players were more realistic, with La Cavera saying, "We were totally exposed."

Let them keep up the denial and keep believing they're special. The super-awesome MPSF is 1-3 against non-MPSF teams in the NCAA tournament since 2013, with the only win coming against Erskine. Awesome!

If I remember correctly, UC-Irvine went up in the first set something like 6-1. As Loyola was making the comeback I was thinking to myself, "Why isn't Kniffin calling a time out?" Sure enough Loyola came back and won the set. I looked up to the scoreboard and two TOs left for Irvine. Vinnie Lopes was right in front of me. Just to make sure I wasn't going crazy, I asked him if Irvine called any and he was as surprised as I was.

[vuster4]

On a side note to Kniffin, he has a Loyola connection. He spent one season on Kevin Hambly's staff at Illinois in 2011, the year they lost to UCLA in the women's National Championship Final. On that Illinois team was Jessica Jendryk, Jeff Jendryk's older sister.