Friendly NT Matches

  • It seems this match was pretty easy for Russia. Anyway, without Spasojevic, Serbia is not as great as with her. It is a pity she won't play the OG. It would be nice to see Russia and Serbia in action. I'm pretty sure Russia will have an advantage in the Olympic Games, cause no one is seeing them playing and Russia is watching the WGP and seeing all its probable opponents in action.

  • I'm pretty sure Russia will have an advantage in the Olympic Games, cause no one is seeing them playing and Russia is watching the WGP and seeing all its probable opponents in action.

    So..Serbia doesn't play in Grand Prix as well...In fact Poland didn't play too, because players from starting six stayed at home (on training camp). I hope it really will be an advantage 8)


    I'm not surprised by this results because Russia is very strong team and is one of my contenders for gold medal in Beijing.

  • The problem with Serbia is that Spasojevic is missing. As for Poland, I never understood why the team has too many ups and downs. It is even hard for Poland to keep the same players from one tournament to the other.


    I'm pretty sure Brazil, Italy, China, Cuba and USA will be exposed. I'm pretty sure all the matches of this WGP are being thoroughly analised by the Russian, Serbian and Polish coaches. I just mentioned Russia in my previous post because I think Russia is a real candidate for the OG golden medal. Serbia and Poland will also have advantages but I think they are not top favourites as Russia.

  • That's a lousy result for Serbia, even though it's just a friendly. Even when Serbian team had great results like at WC 2006 or at EC last year, they did very poorly in friendlies beforehand, so perhaps they want to keep the tradition. :roll:
    Without Spasojevic the offensive options are quite limited, and as I've said before, I don't like it that Serbia relies too much on Nikolic, because she's so unstable. And I'm starting to fear Djerisilo will never be as good as she was before the injury.
    Anyway, I expect Serbia to reach the QF in Beijing without much trouble, but I don't think they'll go further than that.


    As it is now, Italy is looking like the biggest favourite to take the gold, something I certainly didn't expect a couple of years ago.

  • As it is now, Italy is looking like the biggest favourite to take the gold, something I certainly didn't expect a couple of years ago.



    Things change Joana! ;) Serbia in 2004 was like Italy in 1997. Serbia in 2006 was like Italy in 2002. So I expect Serbia to be on top of the volley World in the next few years, maybe competing for the gold at the London Olympics or even at 2010 WCH. At least I hope so.


    Italy in 1997 started a project and I think Serbia started a project too, but a few years later (I guess in 2004). Correct me if I'm wrong.


    Serbia is doing the right thing. Producing talented young players!!! Brakocevic already exploded. Malagurski, Nesovic ... may explode in the next years.

  • Without Spasojevic the offensive options are quite limited, and as I've said before, I don't like it that Serbia relies too much on Nikolic, because she's so unstable. And I'm starting to fear Djerisilo will never be as good as she was before the injury.


    So Ivana definitely changed to OH position? Maybe she has to adapt to that new position, even if she played as OH in 2004 and 2005. In Galati she will play as OH? Because I think Barun will play as OPP. :?:

  • Things change Joana! ;) Serbia in 2004 was like Italy in 1997. Serbia in 2006 was like Italy in 2002. So I expect Serbia to be on top of the volley World in the next few years, maybe competing for the gold at the London Olympics or even at 2010 WCH. At least I hope so.


    Italy in 1997 started a project and I think Serbia started a project too, but a few years later (I guess in 2004). Correct me if I'm wrong.


    Serbia is doing the right thing. Producing talented young players!!! Brakocevic already exploded. Malagurski, Nesovic ... may explode in the next years.



    :roll: :roll: :roll: Things do really change. I wouldnt be surprised if the "reinforced" Italy team takes the gold.

    "[size=8]It's years and years of work and sacrifice and dedication. Along with a lot of these girls, we've sweat and we've bled and we've cried together in past Olympics. It just brought tears to my eyes, & I'm more than thrilled. This will be forever." -LOGAN MAILE LEI TOM (Silver Medallist - 2008 Beijing & 2012 London Olympic Games, 2011 World Cup runner up, 2003 & 2007 World Cup 3rd place, 2002 World Champs runner up, 4-time World GrandPrix Champs)

  • In the first friendly match Russia beat Serbia 3:0(25:19,25:18,25:18 ).


    Actually, this was a 4 sets match, Russia won 4:0 (25:19, 25:18, 25:18, 25:18 )

  • Actually, this was a 4 sets match, Russia won 4:0 (25:19, 25:18, 25:18, 25:18 )



    what do you mean?? How come there are four sets? And does anyone know what is the result between RUssia B and Serbia today??

  • what do you mean?? How come there are four sets? And does anyone know what is the result between RUssia B and Serbia today??


    CUZ it's just an exercise match,so they have made an appointment for one more set


    The second game between them have finished,Russia B beat Serbia in 4sets game


    Serbia: NIKOLIĆ (4), BRAKOČEVIĆ (12), ĐERISILO – STANKOVIĆ (6), KRSMANOVIĆ (6), MOLNAR (7), ŽIVKOVIĆ, VESOVIĆ, OGNJENOVIĆ (1), ČITAKOVIĆ – ĐURIŠIĆ, PETROVIĆ, SIMANIĆ (1), MALAGURSKI (10), NEŠOVIĆ (4), VELJKOVIĆ (12), ĆEBIĆ, POPOVIĆ.


    Russia: BORISENKO (9), ALIMOVA, FATEEVA (15), SOKOLOVA, GODINA (14), ESTES (4), KRYUCHKOVA, SEDOVA ( 8 ), GAMOVA, SHENSHENINA, STARTSEVA (1), KABESHOVA, PASYNKOVA (9), MERKULOVA, KULIKOVA (5).

    Lloyd + Naz + Wołosz + Hanke + Smutná + Mori
    Bokan + Zakrievskaja + Bricio + Vilponen + Jupïter + A.Lazić + Stepanova + Marković
    Onyejekwe + N.Dimitrova + Crkoňová + de Kruijf + Truškina + Thibeault + Omelčenko + Schauss
    Rourke + Bošković + Fabris + Kajalina + Collar + Simić + Miklai + Vasilantonaki
    Courtois + Venegas + Gaído + Castillo + Gómez + Kiselyova

  • Second day:


    Russia B vs Serbia 3:1 (25:20, 22:25, 25:20, 25:20)


    Tomorrow Serbia plays with the first Russian team.

  • :roll: :roll: :roll: Things do really change. I wouldnt be surprised if the "reinforced" Italy team takes the gold.


    Nothing is made in a day. The project started in 1997 with the change of coach (Velasco of the winning Men NT took the lead) and the creation of club Italia. Gradually the team was able to beat all those teams that once they couldn't. And I'm not talking about Cuba, but teams such as Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ukraine... Then came the victories against Japan, South Korea, Cuba, China, Russia, Brazil... Young players gained experience. It was 10 fantastic years (with the only exception of 2003) of gradual growth. And I hope it will continue.


    I see the same path of Serbia now. And I really hope once those girls can win a WCH, an European title and WC. Growing trough fantastic victories, but also loosed matches.


  • So Ivana definitely changed to OH position? Maybe she has to adapt to that new position, even if she played as OH in 2004 and 2005. In Galati she will play as OH? Because I think Barun will play as OPP. :?:

    I don't know about Metal, but they said she was going to play on both positions in NT, but I guess she'll be used more as a OH, especially if Molnar doesn't recover completely by Beijing. If Nikolic retires from NT after the OG as she has hinted, it'd be crazy to put Ivana only on OPP with Brakocevic already there.

  • Italy in 1997 started a project and I think Serbia started a project too, but a few years later (I guess in 2004). Correct me if I'm wrong.

    It began in 2001, when our volleyball federation decided to finally pay attention to the women's team - it was more or less on amateur level before that. They had full time preparations for the first time and started playing a lot of friendlies and international tournaments and it quickly paid off, as Serbia qualified for the EC 2003, for the first time. Unfortunately that tournament wasn't such a great experience for the girls, as half of the team got food poisoning. 8o The second phase started in 2004 when they said farewell to the older players and selected a team that could last for 5 or more years, that is more or less the same team we have today (minus Anja :( ). Actually the initial goal was to build a team that could win a medal at EC 2009, so the success came a little earlier than expected. ;)



  • It seems like Artamonova's job is not attack and i think it is reception...Godina and Fateeva is really performing well..Borodakova also plays better, in 2006, she has no match in which she can get 9 points, at that time 5 points is already good for her...Pasynkova is also okay, But actually what is the starting six? there are five spikers which have got points, Estes, godina, fateeva, pasynkova, kulikovva.... which three is the starting six?

  • 3rd day: Russia vs Serbia 4:0 (25:21, 25:22, 25:12, 25:16)


    4th day: Russia B vs Serbia – 1:3 (16:25, 16:25, 25:21, 19:25)
    Fateeva 12, Godina 9, Borisenko 5, Sedova 5, Kulikova 5 - Krsmanovic 16, Vesovic 14, Nesovic 13, Molnar 8


    5th day (with spectators): Russia vs Serbia – 3:1 (25:15, 25:21, 15:25, 25:23)
    Gamova 19, Sokolova 13, Alimova 10, Godina 7 - Nikolic 16, Brakocevic 15, Djerisilo 10


    Not impressive results for Serbia. I expected at least one 5 setter.

  • What really impressed me was the Serbian defeat against the Russia B team. This is the prove that Serbia is not the same team without Spasojevic. I really like this girl, I wish I could see her playing for Serbia this OG.