Friendly NT Matches

    Wow, Jordan Larson with 26 points :D She is one of my fav players but I always thought She was more balanced as receiver than attacker (unlikely Hodge for instance) but currently She is playing very well in attack as well. Her experiences in Russia probably effected a lot in a good way. She is still good with horrible setters like Sheshenina and Khrzanovskaya (What a name to spell...Oh my goodness)

    Quote from Matthias


    You forget a "h" after the z :P Just call her Chukanova, everyone will know who you mean ;)


    Well, That's true. Thanks. I've never been interested in Russian language, but some slavic names make me curious how to pronunce well :aww:

    Larson is probably the only foreign player who adaptate well to Russian league and play better than she used to :whistle:

    I am glad Larson is playing better and better.. she played better in attack in the WGP 2012 too.. What worries me is that the USA played bad against Bulgaria and took it to 5.. What will happen when they play Brazil, China, Turkey at the Olympics which start in 2 weeks.. they don't have much time...

    I am not so worried. I don't think the USA has played Bulgaria in the entire last 4 years. Bulgaria has some good players and if it's the first time against them it's difficult to make the adjustments. It's also a friendly match :)



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    Quote from serdar

    Larson is probably the only foreign player who adaptate well to Russian league and play better than she used to :whistle:


    I dont think so, latvian Olga Attivi Tocko had a fantastic season in Severstal this season for ex, and Yumlika Ruiz made her world record (now beaten though) while playing for Uralochka. Simona Gioli was also playing good in Russia her years there, maybe not stronger than before, but its not needed to adaptate well....for a player like Gioli, its more than enough to mantain level....the very best players can do the change succesfully, but more limited players like Ravetta, Yaneva and Kozuch might get big problems.

    USA just didn't play very well overall. Bulgaria had a good game plan. They set many balls to the left side and took advantage of USA's small blocking setters.


    Bulgaria hit around the USA block or tipped over the US setter and to the floor in front of Hooker. Hooker's defense in zone 1 is improving but she is not a great defender. Bulgaria scored successfully this way. Finally, Tom started to cover more ground in defense and would go from zone 4 all the way to zone 2 to dig those tips. But this put her out of position to hit so USA used more backrow attacks to Hooker and Larson.


    Davis didn't pass very well. I don't know if she has an injury or just an off match. The other receiver (Tom) tried to take up more court in reception to help but Bulgaria served Davis a lot. This freed up Larson to attack though.



    McCutcheon changed setters and used Thompson starting the 3rd set. USA lost that 3rd set but McCutcheon stayed with her as setter until the end of the match. That was an interesting choice but they got the win anyway.

    Thompson did not play before with the others so I think it is a good choise let her play 3 sets

    It's possible, you just have to believe in yourself and really not care what other people say, because I've heard it all.
    If you let someone else dictate what you're going to do in life, then you won't get there.


    Non so neanche come onestamente: in due mesi ero di nuovo in campo.



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    Quote from kristeehy

    my heart skip a beat when i saw you put Italy 3x2 Russia :wall:


    seems like Russia is not doing so well in Edision Cup compared to Yeltsin Cup, anyone was able to see the 2 matches could give me some insights, the scores againt Turkey & Italy are both close, how is the team playing actually ??


    sorry my mistake. I was going to put Russia as first name, but then I just copy and add the score, and I saw Russia was the second team, so I just erased and changed the names and forgot to change the 3x2.

    Quote from Anton1989

    I dont think so, latvian Olga Attivi Tocko had a fantastic season in Severstal this season for ex, and Yumlika Ruiz made her world record (now beaten though) while playing for Uralochka. Simona Gioli was also playing good in Russia her years there, maybe not stronger than before, but its not needed to adaptate well....for a player like Gioli, its more than enough to mantain level....the very best players can do the change succesfully, but more limited players like Ravetta, Yaneva and Kozuch might get big problems.


    Cuban's case exceptional, players like Ruiz and Carillo can play well anywhere in the world 8) I don't agree about Gioli, she was totally way underperformed just like Del Core (maybe it was because she played as Opp) Tocko played a weak team and didn't make anything special to upgrade team. On the other side there is million examples who underperform while playing in Russia such as Paula, Akinradewo, Kurihara, Tom, Grün, Del Core, Yaneva, Marchenko, Kozuch, Angeloni, Ravetta, Gioli and so forth :roll:


    By the way I remember one more example who play well: Strashmira Filipova (since she has very strong body, it was kinda expected indeed)

    Quote from serdar

    Larson is probably the only foreign player who adaptate well to Russian league and play better than she used to :whistle:


    I agree, but I think the reason for this is that Kazan does not play like a "typical" Russian team. They always use the attackers with rather fast sets to the outside, and actually their way of playing is more similar to USA NT that to RUS NT ;) Even though many people don't like Sheshenina, I still think she did a good job as setter in Kazan last season. I'm sure if Jordan Larson had played in another team that would just play hiiiiiigh balls all the time she wouldn't have been so successful.

    Quote from serdar

    Cuban's case exceptional, players like Ruiz and Carillo can play well anywhere in the world 8) I don't agree about Gioli, she was totally way underperformed just like Del Core (maybe it was because she played as Opp) Tocko played a weak team and didn't make anything special to upgrade team. On the other side there is million examples who underperform while playing in Russia such as Paula, Akinradewo, Kurihara, Tom, Grün, Del Core, Yaneva, Marchenko, Kozuch, Angeloni, Ravetta, Gioli and so forth :roll:


    By the way I remember one more example who play well: Strashmira Filipova (since she has very strong body, it was kinda expected indeed)


    There is more foreginers that have been playing really well if u just think, like Alena Yurieva (best blocker last seaon in superior style) from Belarus and Maryna Mariuknkich from Ukraine (changed nationality to Russia now though). About Gioli, I think of her seasons in Dinamo Moscow.


    When u write Tocko didnt make anything special to upgrade team...I think it best to finish this discussion now honestly, she was head and shoulders over everybody else in the team and contributed most in both attack and reception in the team. Her effectivity in attack, only beaten by Kosheleva and Goncharova in the league.

    But Gioli played as opp not as mb

    It's possible, you just have to believe in yourself and really not care what other people say, because I've heard it all.
    If you let someone else dictate what you're going to do in life, then you won't get there.


    Non so neanche come onestamente: in due mesi ero di nuovo in campo.



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    Quote from serdar

    Cuban's case exceptional, players like Ruiz and Carillo can play well anywhere in the world 8) I don't agree about Gioli, she was totally way underperformed just like Del Core (maybe it was because she played as Opp) Tocko played a weak team and didn't make anything special to upgrade team. On the other side there is million examples who underperform while playing in Russia such as Paula, Akinradewo, Kurihara, Tom, Grün, Del Core, Yaneva, Marchenko, Kozuch, Angeloni, Ravetta, Gioli and so forth :roll:


    By the way I remember one more example who play well: Strashmira Filipova (since she has very strong body, it was kinda expected indeed)

    Also Olivera Walewska had good seasons in Zaireche Odintsovo despite of Pankova & Zhadan duo

    2010/2011 Eczacıbaşı VitrA - Turkish Cup Winner :cup:
    2011/2012 Eczacıbaşı VitrA - Super Cup Winner :cup:

    Walewska even received in the back line when she was playing for Zarechie :lol: Well, I did not know the fact that She could receive... the thing is She was absolutely better than the libero.