54. Some thought provoking insight and observations noblesol.

I agree about the Big West pairs tournament. Initially I liked the idea of adding it. However, as the college “team” game evolves the pairs competitions seems to matter less and less. The main focus for the team was winning the Big West tournament and making it to the NCAA tournament. It think it ended up being a grind for players and a bit of a mental let down after the tournament anyway with players trying to take care of studies and getting ready to leave to the gulf shores next day. Really, the pairs battle it out at the various flight at the tournament anyway.

I think the pairs tournament for the USAV may also be a little
more motivating (especially when play at this tournament is considered towards All-American selections). Still, with foreign players lots of matchups changed etc. For some, it’s hard to be focused on it,especially with exams etc.

Physically, I am. It convinced the pairs peaked too soon. I think there were various things that factored into the team not (potentially) playing at their highest level.

I do agree that physically, I don’t think UCLA was superior. There were a few circumstances that may have impacted the team (of which I don’t think matters at this point).

I don’t think it was necessarily a coaching issue. The sport itself is very athlete focused. A coach can only prepare an athlete so much for these big moments and can’t do much coaching from the sidelines unless an athlete calls a timeout. think it just came down to two teams playing closer to their potential on the Sunday. As well, three of UCLA’s player (McNamaras and Sponcil), have played in these high level (international) pressure situations on the Beach. It’s a learning opportunity for the returning players.

54. that is pretty much a given.

I think people forget how hard it is to play two sports. You’re asking someone to play year-round and, for indoor players, you also have spring season to double up. It’s a lot.
Hall had hoped that Castillo would play beach this year but she is concentrating on indoor at the moment. We’ll see if anything changes after she is done with that.
The beach is pretty stacked with returnees, redshirts and incoming players. the 2020 class is really good.

In spite of their injuries, I thought Maglio (hammie) and Monkhouse (shoulder) were doing ok, maybe 90-95% of their season peak. Clearly, the season wore on the top two flights and they peaked earlier in April. Both flights I feel were better than anything out there when they were clicking earlier in the season.

I can see what a grind it is though. I didn’t like that pairs tournament at the end of the BWCT for that reason. Meaningless, and at that time of the year it’s rest and some time off that’s needed to keep health and an edge, not more playing time.

UCLA was also looking unfocused and gassed at times, they too probably had played too many matches coming into the tournament. But for a few points here and there, it would have been Hawai’i in the final. FSU was pretty clearly coming down off their day one peak against UCLA and was stumbling around again in the final. But for a few points here and there, Hawaii’ would have won against FSU on day two. At the end, I don’t think UCLA’s edge over FSU and Hawai’i was physical talent as much as it was discipline. When you are tired and injured, unhappy with your play and team mate play, do you have the discipline to be aggressive, make fewer mistakes, and still make the other team beat you and not beat yourself? Do the coaching staffs have what it takes in those situations? To avoid them in the first place, and to recover if in them?

I felt the top four teams in the tournament were all about equally talented and deep. UCLA’s pairs showed a bit more discipline and ability to shake off mistakes, recover, and start making the other team beat them and not beat themselves.