2015 FIVB World Grand Prix

Kreklow is basically fooling russian blockers

Marichev and the challenges!

2-1 for us .Let's end it in 4, girls, please.

Opposite showed up on our team and you can see the difference. Marichev helped us taking off Goncharova. I hope she won't come back to court recharged. She was simply unstoppable.

On our side we have our Goncharova, who's Akirendewo. Amazing.

Will the results be different for Brazil if they had this lineup?

Sheilla, Rosa
Thaisa, Fabiana, Juci
Dani, Macris
Camila, Leia
Jacque, Natalia, Gabi, Suelle

Hill is so useless. She can just serve well.

Dixon, I love you!

Dixoooon

USA 9
RUS 6
BRA 6
CHN 4
ITA 2
JPN 0

Congrats to USA. Great performance by Karsta Lowe, Akinradewo and Dixon.

Russia was pretty close to a tie-break but didn't manage their nerves. Pasynkova was on fire in the middle of 4th set but after a reception error from Malova and a ball out by Scherban, the match went to US side.

I think it was sort of the "gold medal match"

With all the obvious weaknesses Russian team is playing pretty well this tournament, way better than I expected. Even today they had their chances to win it. Goncharova is surely deserving an MVP award, but I think it will go to one of the Americans. USA team is good and very entertaining to watch, but far from unbeatable.

MVP for an american? Akinradewo? I think Goncha deserves more than her though.

Agree with you Semisonic, they are playing way better than I expected. Despite no Kosheleva and no decent second setter they are playing their best. I don't know why Ilchenko wasn't given enough chances to play though. Too bad that Malykh is injuried so Marichev isn't able to use the sub he likes, Biryukova I think she's not ready to play in Team A, I'd like to see Bavykina in stead. She could have been quite useful for example in today's game, because Scherban couldn't kill a ball

Kosheleva will be back for World Cup ? If She does and some better MBs come.back... Than We can expected that Russia can win World Cup :)..Russia is playing so good for now on WGP !

Quote from Emil

Too bad that Malykh is injuried so Marichev isn't able to use the sub he likes, Biryukova I think she's not ready to play in Team A, I'd like to see Bavykina in stead. She could have been quite useful for example in today's game, because Scherban couldn't kill a ball

Malykh's abs injury seems to be worse than Russian commentators thought. She will not play in Omaha and Marichev said that they've done good by listing Daria Isaeva in World Cup roster, because Malykh is quetionable for that tournament.

USA has to work on their block a lot. 1 block from Dixon and none from Akinradewo is almost no contribution. They were a far better blocking team in 2010-2012

Yeah, MB are great in attacking but blocking is very bad, even Dietzen doesn't block so much

I have to say Russia received serve very well. It will be interesting if they can keep that up (esp. when Kosheleva comes into the lineup).

Actually the USA MBs have always been more spiker than blocker, but they used to play better as blockers indeed. Russia didn't help at all. hey are so tall. And Goncharova spiked 65% of the ball, so they couldn't archive block stuff. But they touched many balls over the net.

Wow Russia, great comeback and wasting it all with errors Efimova on court once again caused a lot of trouble for her own team and Marichev wasted two challenges for completely stupid points when he could have used one on the set point (though the serve was in anyway, but the hawkeye sometimes screws up...).

Omggg Russian libero