Lazy Blogger Remorse – Part II
We just can’t seem to catch a break! Just when we thought we were up to speed, having finally reported (a week late, we know) that 6-5 Sr. Opp. Blair Brown had won her second Big Ten Player of the Week award this season, and that 6-1 Fr. OH Deja McClendon had won her fourth Big Ten Freshman of the Week award, they both went out and did it again, winning the awards for a second straight week on November 22nd. Plus, 5-9 Sr. L Alyssa D’Errico was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the week. At least this time we’re only two days late.
For Blair Brown, the Big Ten Player of the Week award was the fourth career. In last week’s matches against Ohio State and Northwestern (both Penn State sweeps), she averaged 5.8 kps (with a match-high 19 vs. Ohio State and a match-high 16 vs. Northwestern), 3.5 dps, and 6.67 points/set (best in the conference).
Deja McClendon’s Big Ten Freshman of the Week award was her fifth — (we believe that’s the most for any freshman in the Big Ten this season). She totaled 21 kills in the two matches (second on the team) and hit an impressive .341.
D’Errico’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award was her first. She averaged 5.50 dps in the two matches, added three aces, and handled all 43 reception attempts without an error. Well done, Alyssa!
Then & Now: A 2010 vs. 2009 Stat Joust
This isn’t really a Stat Joust (actually, the whole notion of a Stat Joust is tongue-in-cheek, but this one is even more so). The sole motivator is our curiousity (and poor powers of recall) as to how the 2010 season stacked up against the 2009 season, statistically. We only put together two charts (we are, after all, the Lazy Blogger) –one for Attack Statistics and one for Blocking Statistics. They aren’t entirely comparable, as the 2010 statistics don’t reflect a full season, whereas the 2009 statistics include the entire regular season plus the entire NCAA Tournament. Presumably, Penn State’s statistics fell off a bit during the tournament (though we didn’t check on that).
In any event, here are the results.
- Attack Statistics
What did we find? Nothing unexpected. Megan Hodge was an awesome player, but you knew that. Deja McClendon’s statistics as a freshman obviously don’t equal Megan’s as a senior (and noone would have, or at least should have, expected them to), but Deja’s 2010 stats compare very favorably with Darcy Dorton’s. Put simply, Deja McClendon is having one heck of a freshman season. Blair Brown’s kills/set are way up — she’s the go-to attacker this season — although her attack % is down (can you say Alisha Glass? — and we don’t mean this as a swipe at Kristin Carpenter. We love what she’s done and without her this team wouldn’t be anywhere close to as good as it is now). Arielle Wilson’s attack % is way down, but heck, how many times do you expect her to set the NCAA season attack % record in one career anyway?
Then & Now - Attack (2010 vs. 2009)
| # | Name | SP | MP | MS | K | K/Set | E | TA | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 (2010) | Blair Brown | 95 | 29 | 29 | 390 | 4.06 | 97 | 911 | .322 |
| 9 (2009) | Blair Brown | 117 | 37 | 37 | 347 | 2.97 | 93 | 732 | .347 |
| 18 (2010) | Deja McClendon | 95 | 29 | 29 | 323 | 3.40 | 92 | 711 | .325 |
| 11 (2009) | Megan Hodge | 120 | 38 | 38 | 560 | 4.67 | 116 | 1197 | .371 |
| 1 (2009) | Darcy Dorton | 116 | 38 | 19 | 276 | 2.38 | 103 | 607 | .285 |
| 7 (2010) | Arielle Wilson | 96 | 29 | 29 | 256 | 2.67 | 47 | 495 | .422 |
| 7 (2009) | Arielle Wilson | 122 | 38 | 38 | 337 | 2.76 | 36 | 557 | .540 |
| 3 (2010) | Fatima Balza | 66 | 26 | 23 | 75 | 1.14 | 17 | 151 | .384 |
| 3 (2009 | Fatima Balza | 116 | 38 | 37 | 101 | 0.87 | 23 | 206 | .379 |
| 2 (2010) | Katie Kabbes | 55 | 20 | 12 | 97 | 1.76 | 57 | 297 | .135 |
| 2 (2009) | Katie Kabbes | 33 | 17 | 2 | 44 | 1.33 | 20 | 95 | .253 |
| (2010) | Team | 96 | 29 | 29 | 1345 | 14.01 | 382 | 3090 | .312 |
| (2009) | Team | 122 | 38 | 38 | 1784 | 14.62 | 410 | 3605 | .381 |
| (2010) | Opponents | 96 | 29 | 29 | 1019 | 10.61 | 615 | 3227 | .125 |
| (2009) | Opponents | 122 | 38 | 38 | 1238 | 10.15 | 782 | 3943 | .116 |
- Blocking Statistics
The blocking statistics are also pretty much as one would expect. The team is down overall by .25 blocks/set. Even with her super hops, huge heart, and boundless enthusiasm, Kristin Carpenter is averaging .42 blocks/set, compared to the .84 bps Alisha Glass averaged last season. To our (admittedly unskilled) eye, everything else is pretty much a wash.
Then & Now - Blocking (2010 vs. 2009)
| # | Name | SP | MP | MS | BS | BA | Total | B/S | BE | BHE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 (2010) | Arielle Wilson | 96 | 29 | 29 | 10 | 100 | 110 | 1.15 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 (2009) | Arielle Wilson | 122 | 38 | 38 | 19 | 167 | 186 | 1.52 | 6 | 1 |
| 3 (2010) | Fatima Balza | 66 | 26 | 23 | 7 | 80 | 87 | 1.32 | 3 | 4 |
| 3 (2009) | Fatima Balza | 116 | 38 | 37 | 13 | 158 | 171 | 1.47 | 5 | 1 |
| 18 (2010) | Deja McClendon | 95 | 29 | 29 | 6 | 56 | 62 | 0.65 | 5 | 2 |
| 11 (2009) | Megan Hodge | 120 | 38 | 38 | 5 | 78 | 83 | 0.69 | 14 | 0 |
| 1 (2009) | Darcy Dorton | 116 | 38 | 19 | 3 | 63 | 66 | 0.57 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 (2010) | Kristin Carpenter | 92 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 38 | 39 | 0.42 | 5 | 12 |
| 6 (2009) | Alisha Glass | 122 | 38 | 38 | 6 | 97 | 103 | 0.84 | 9 | 11 |
| 9 (2010) | Blair Brown | 96 | 29 | 29 | 7 | 80 | 87 | 0.91 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 (2009) | Blair Brown | 117 | 37 | 37 | 5 | 102 | 107 | 0.91 | 6 | 5 |
| (2010) | Team | 96 | 29 | 29 | 41 | 490 | 289.0 | 2.98 | 26 | 28 |
| (2009) | Opponents | 122 | 38 | 38 | 52 | 683 | 393.5 | 3.23 | 43 | 19 |
| (2010) | Team | 96 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 245 | 147.5 | 1.54 | 68 | 36 |
| (2009) | Opponents | 122 | 38 | 38 | 32 | 227 | 145.5 | 1.19 | 39 | 35 |