2016 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix

  • Who ever said this? I don't recall anyone saying Russia is one of the favorites to win Gold. But they can be podium finishers depending on how healthy Kosheleva is.


    Completely agree.

  • Who ever said this? I don't recall anyone saying Russia is one of the favorites to win Gold. But they can be podium finishers depending on how healthy Kosheleva is.

    Many people.
    And someone just said it a few pages ago.

  • The quality of the match was at a very high level. There were moments of errors, but technically speaking, Brazil and the USA are far ahead of the rest of the world in terms of all around play. Brazil's defense was stellar and they were able to turn around their amazing defensive plays into efficient counter attacks, specifically with their amazing middles. She doesn't get nearly the credit she deserves, but Dani Lin's ability to set the middles in all types of situations, was commendable. The points that Brazil gave up in the sets they lost were pretty much when Roberta came in and didn't have the same type of touch that Dani Lins had. It was good to see Sheilla have a good performance and confidence in her game. Sheilla is key to Brazil's hopes of winning gold in Rio, IMO. Fabi and Thaisa are always good and between Natalia, Fe Garay and Jaqueline, Brazil will always get the point production they need out of the OH position.


    Congrats to Brazil as they were superior tactically and in execution.


    With the USA side, the statistics demonstrate the problem pretty accurately. 9 points from Murphy/Lowe in a 5 set match is fewer than 2 points/set from the opposite position, which will not win you a gold medal at this level. Murphy was pretty much absent from the entire match. It wasn't necessarily either that she was playing poorly, she was just not at the same level as someone like Sheilla.


    Larson didn't score effectively and while Hill had double digit points, she had double the attempts than the rest of the team. The US defense was strong at times but they're not able to convert their defensive efforts into counterattacks nearly as efficiently as Brazil. Unfortunately for the Americans, anything beyond winning gold is typically not considered a success in our sports culture but their level of play was consistently great. It's these final matches where the USA has not demonstrated their ability to win the gold that is frustrating because there always seems to be a tiny piece missing from the puzzle.

  • Aren't you exaggerating, ravens?! Oh my God, chill out.
    Worst team in years?! USA reaching the QFs would be a great result?! :down: :down: :down: :down:

  • Just re-stating this was a very high quality match. It's important though to keep context of matches - this whole crazy USA have the worst opposites ever.... this was one match, yes an important one, but you cannot discount USA players on this one match - yes Karch could have done a lot, even with substitutions, etc, but as usual , when Brazil get confident and get on a roll - they are hard to beat - in this situation the match up with USA favors Brazil.


    So a lot of it is just about this match, lets not go overboard about how bad USA are - they have already shown that they can play at the very highest level against all the teams.


    A lot worked out for Brazil - Jacque coming in gave them the energy, even when Fe Garay came back, her passing improved a lot, and that put more pressure on USA serving because they couldn't elicit as many errors from the Brazil passing unit. Sheila and Fabiana who started quite badly, raised their level so much as well, and even Dani lins, whose setting in the last rounds has been very suspect, played almost as well as London 2012. Leila also made it very harrd for USA to get points.


    so it was a matter of Brazil being the better team on the day, and to be fair when they play like this, its generally very hard for any team to beat them. But they don't always play like this - even since london 2012 quarter final to final, they haven't really shown that level....

  • Wait, why no one is talking about how Sheilla Castro won Best Spiker award?

  • Not a single award for Russia? I understand Sloetjes edged out Goncharova as best OPP since NED won Bronze, but Zaryazkho and Fetisova was consistently among the Top 3 blockers. Oh well, sucks to be Russia now.

  • The Thai NT coach is retiring. Wonder how the team is going to cope with this. He has done so much for the team, bringing this team to the eyes of the world. Thai has many youngsters with potential like Thotdao and Ajcharaporn. Wish them best of luck.

  • Sorry to say, but no Russian MB deserved an award, especially after this final match between Brazil and USA. :whistle:


    Agreed. Thaisa & Fabiana and Adams & Akinradewo performed very well, one of the best battle of MBs I have seen in such a long time. Fetisova had her moments, but she is nowhere near these 4 ladies

  • TheUSAFAN - Brazil and the USA are far ahead of the rest of the world in terms of all around play.


    I dont think you have seen Serbia and China play right?? If they were so far ahead with all rounded players then USA would have won the World Cup for example once Brazil was not even there... And look at the low level Lowe and Murphy are playing...
    If China with A team, Serbia and Kosheleva had played this final round, USA would not even reach the semis and Brazil would not make to the final maybe,,,


    I dont think the match was at a high level at all....just look Brazil`s 9 errs just in the first set. Plus both teams played really safe on the service line...like if they were alreday tired..


    I just watched the replay of NED and Russia and I think it was a bit better than the final...

  • So many IFs... I like to see whats REALLY happens.

  • Sure, it happened Brazil lost to China and Serbia. ...and they could have lost again...

    And still got the gold medal!
    And Brazil lost to the USA and to Korea in the last Olympics and we all know the end!


    So much haterism! :whistle:

  • just summing up awards:


    MVP: Natalia


    S: Nootsara
    OP: Sloetjes
    OH: Sheilla :what: , Hill
    MB: Adams, Thaisa
    L: Lin Li

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

  • During the competition, the official website was calling Sheilla "U" in the statistics, which means Universal, right?
    Maybe they think she actually plays in both positions :aww: