Berg-Hooker had one of the fastest connection ever seen. Lo Bianco isn't able to set tha fast. She doesn't even try with Kimura. With a fast style setter Hooker would be a stronger opposite than Montano, but with Lo Bianco she may have many troubles, expecially now, after her pregnancy. Lo Bianco and Neriman/Dobriana are definitely the weak links for Galatasaray.
Fast play hangs, first and foremost, on reception. That's why teams with fast play have a great ball control. You cannot play fast with bad passing because your setter won't have the elements required to do so, even a japanese one. The fast-tempo strategy incorporates fast, low-arching quicker sets to various zones along the net and also pipes. When passers are putting the ball away from the central zone close to position 3, setter will have to use a high-arching set and slow down that.
The few matches I saw Galatasaray playing, they had a lot of troubles on passing. I remember that against Fener, both teams were serving on liberos and getting many shanks and aces. It's impossible to play fast that way. The japanese national team also includes Risa (a great passer) and always a good libero. Gala plays with Neriman (we all know she's not a good receiver) and the libero is also not passing at a high level. It's not Lo Bianco here.
Montaño and Hooker are different hitters and requires different kinda of sets to play their best.
Montaño has a strong arm and also a fast arm speed. The rotation of her arm is faster than Hooker. That's why she plays better with long sets. She can get a very long and high set and keep on hitting very hard. That's why a setter would prefer to set her the highest she can because when she attacks over the blocker's hand is really tough to dig her. The most a set goes high and up the hitters body centre more it'll depend on the hitters arm to be strong cause she will have less help of her body to strenght it.
Hooker is a different kind of player. Her arm isn't that strong and also doesn't rotate so fast. That's why a low-arching quicker set suits her more. Her spikes become much intense and harder with that because a fast set generates a significant topspin on contact with the hitters hand and step up the spike on speed and weight. Also she gains momentum to approach and have the help of her body to intensify it. Hooker can do it very well (she was a high jump athlete). Her approach is great and can hone her spike a lot. In my opinion, her connection with Berg reached its best at 2011 World Grand Prix final and at 2012 Olympic Games preliminary round. On the other hand, when she gets a long set, her spike isn't that strong because she can't gain momentum properly and can be dug more easily than Montaño. A good example is the Olympic final.
Brazil looked up service while USA didn't make a good job passing. It didn't allow Berg to play fast with Hooker. Destinee lost her approach and Brazilians, mainly Jaqueline and Fabi, got many digs. The last point is exactly what I'm talking about. Jaque serve on Tom. Berg had to set out of a fast-tempo area. She did a long set to Hooker on position 4, Jaque got a dig and Brazil finished off the match. When Hooker got that set, she lost her approach and therefore a strong spike. It happened many times that final cause of USA bad performance on passing.
On the other hand, she is more skilled than Montaño. However the colombian has a proper physical condition to play fast, it's not a big deal because, when she gets a shorter set and has to play more close to the blockers hand, she doesn't have the same set of variations Hooker has and can be blocked more easily than Destinee. Montaño is more strenght than something else. It's a good thing to take her away from the blockers hand and let her play at the highest zones over the net where she can be a beast to the opponents defensive system.
That's why I, for one, guess the reasons Lo Bianco is underperforming are others than a fast play with Saori or Montaño.
or an Asian one that can fix those bad receptions.
