2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League

    Koslowski usually is a rather calm coach but today he was really pissed, mostly at Lippmann for repeatedly attacking straight into the block and not hitting angles, and at the setters for playing too slow/high balls so Polish block could easily prepare.

    I was scared before pol-ger match but I didnt except this kind of game in 3rd and 4th set. Smarzek is score machine in this VNL and I hope she will keep this level for a long time :super:

    Watch HD version on Deutschland.tv. Only bad part is waiting for replay.

    And with Wolosz who is the best setter right now, comes back Poland would look like very good team.

    Smarzek and Lipmann seems close players offensively however, Smarzek makes the difference to Lipmann at blocking deparment ..Lipmann should improve her block skill


    Smarzek,Boşkoviç and Egonu should be some of the best blocking OPPs in the world

    Quote from Matthias

    That was painful. It's good to have Argentina tomorrow, it's a chance to get some confidence back (or a danger to lose even more :whistle: )


    I can understand Koslowskis reaction and will not comment this fourth set for good reason.

    Quote from Canter

    Smarzek and Lipmann seems close players offensively however, Smarzek makes the difference to Lipmann at blocking deparment ..Lipmann should improve her block skill


    Smarzek,Boşkoviç and Egonu should be some of the best blocking OPPs in the world


    Lippmann knows this, she just told volleyball magazine a week or so ago, that she has to improve her blocking skills.

    Quote from Canter

    Smarzek,Boşkoviç and Egonu should be some of the best blocking OPPs in the world

    Goncharova is actually the best blocking OPP right now even moreso than Boskovic. But Smarzek is really good too for a newcomer.

    Quote from inc0gnito

    Goncharova is actually the best blocking OPP right now even moreso than Boskovic. But Smarzek is really good too for a newcomer.


    i forgot Goncharova...lets add her to the list too..couldd she really be the best ?...do you remember some stats/records from her at the major tournaments ?

    I remember Goncharova got block out-ed a lot last Ech :whistle: she is a good blocker sure but to me personally not 'the best'. Boskovic at least is better for me, Paola as well. I like Smarzek but tbh I have not watched too many Polish matches, the ones I watch and according to the stats she seems also very good indeed.

    Quote from Padar

    Technically, no team is guaranteed the ticket to Nanjing yet, but USA, Brazil and Serbia should be fine. They can grab at least 11 wins. The remaining 2 berths will be from Turkey, Netherlands and Italy. Russia probably will end with 9 wins, so they're out. Turkey's opponents are Korea, China, Netherlands and Germany. Korea and Germany should be easy wins. Match against Netherlands will be critical, probably will be the decisive match! I assume China will send their B team to Germany, so they could beat them too. If they can grab 11 wins in the end, they should be fine.
    Netherlands' opponents are Serbia, China, Germany and Turkey. They need to try to grab 3 wins, but it's going to be hard. Italy's opponents are Dominican Republic, Belgium, Thailand and Brazil. They need to win all 4 matches, then they'll have a chance to qualify, but their fate is basically in Turkey and Netherlands' hands.
    I personally would prefer Turkey and Netherlands. If Italy really wanted to qualify, they shouldn't have sent their B team in the first 2 weeks. :cursing:


    USA is guaranteed for sure. China is currently 6th with 20 points but as a host their score is not important as the 6th team also qualifies when China is under the top 5. So 7th is Italy. USA have 31 points and Italy has 18 even if USA loses the upcoming 4 matches and Italy wins the upcoming 4 matches their maximum points Italy could have is 30 so they could not get over USA

    Quote from Canter


    i forgot Goncharova...lets add her to the list too..couldd she really be the best ?...do you remember some stats/records from her at the major tournaments ?

    Not pretty recent, but in WGP 2015 & 2016 she is included in Top 10 Blockers list including MBs (also tournament best scorer for both editions). Well if not the best, definitely among the Top 3.

    Quote from Canter

    Turkey has to handle the last match of the week safe and sound to keep its chance alive..Korea's main difference from Japan and Thailand is its better block.also KYK :D

    I think Turkey can beat Korea, considering Turkey beat Japan, and Japan beat Korea :lol:

    Quote from Canter

    though i cant rely on fivb's stats an interesting info...Carli Lloyd is third best digger..seems better than many of the liberos ..could this be accurate ?


    I was intrigued by that. I haven't been paying enough attention to give you an empirical answer, but I can tell you that when Nakamichi was setting for Japan it wasn't uncommon for her to be the most digging player. So it's possible


    Now I'm going to cry. It's your fault Canter. You made me go down memory lane to when Japan cared about and played defense.

    I'm re-watching JPN v KOR. Because I'm like that.


    I've yet to warm up to youngster-with-potential Ai Kurogo, aka - Love, After Dark - but I gotta say it was a thing of beauty watching her knock KYK out of the game by beasting her with serve. Ishii helped.


    Kurogo's been emulating Saori Kimura's one-step quick flat serve, with a lot of errors. But she got it right against KYK. Lovely weapon. Japan's surprising-as-fück overall good serving prevented Korea from getting off a single one of their impressive quick sets to the MB. Or at least I don't remember one.