USA Women's NT 2021

Lowe shouldn't be in Tokyo.

If Karch doesn't take Thompson as OH, he should at least take her as backup OPP. It has been proven that whenever Drews struggles (and she WILL struggle), Thompson was there to clean up the mess. And vice versa. It's the best duo you can ask for for USA.

I will be very disappointed if Karch chooses Lowe over Thompson...

Well, everyone should be ready for surprises. 😜 Remember that mbh can also play right. If the two lefties won't work.

Karch for sure he's making a diagram right now with list of players. 😁

Hackley vs. Hill vs. Thompson vs. Robinson in & TL/CL!!

Let see if fenerbahce can win this time against imoco. 😁

And I am sure robinson will be playing against vakifbank and eczacibasi so who will be in bench watching? Busa, mihajlovic or vargas? 😁

For me the next 12 players should be in the squad for the Olympics, with the bold players as starters:

S: Jordyn Poulter & Lauren Carlini

OPP: Jordan Thopmson & Annie Drews

OH: Kelsey Robinson, Kimberly Hill, Jordan Larson & Michelle Bartsch-Hackley

MB: Chiaka Ogbogu, Haleigh Washington & Rachael Adams

L: Justine Wong-Orantes

For me clearly Poulter should be the starting setter for the NT. She is able to play fast and is a consistent setter, which is perfect for the USA system. My back-up would be Carlini, because she can complement Poulter's game. When Poulter isn't playing well, she is able to change the match with her creativity.

Thompson and Drews are equal to me in terms of level of volleyball, but to me Thompson is more lethal in her attack compared to Drews. They make a great opposite duo though.

Playing with Robinson and Hill would mean good reception, so an easier job for the setter to involve all players on court. Both maybe aren't the best attackers, but Poulter's sets to position 4 are perfect and fast, which both of Hill and Robinson need. Also USA implemented the pipe-attack again and both are able to do this properly! Larson's level declined recent years IMO, but when she can stabilize the play when she comes on court, both in reception and attack because she is a smart hitter. Bartsch-Hackley can help out the team when there is difficulty in killing the ball.

Ogbogu is a no-brainer, her attack is deadly! Also in Eczacibasi she shows she is developing her blocking. Washington has a great slide-attack and can also contribute in the block, so I would pick her as second middle blocker. Adams played pretty well in Aydin, despite the bad setter... She can be really useful from the bench, because she can substitute for both players, since she is good in attack both in front as behind the setter.

Wong-Orantes should be the libero for the NT, because she is great in defense! Her reception can be a bit shaky, but I don't think they need the best receiving libero, since all their outsides are pretty decent receivers.

Following Could be considered to replace one of the players mentioned above:

S: Micha Hancock & Samantha Seliger Swenson

OPP: Karsta Lowe & Krystal Rivers
OH: Sarah Wilhite-Parsons, Ali Frantti, McKenzie Adams & Lindsay Ruddins
MB: Foluke Akinradewo, Hannah Tapp & Dana Rettke
L: Megan Courtney, Morgan Hentz & Kendall White

Maybe Karch is going to pick Hancock for the Olympic squad, but IMO she is too inconsistent to really make a difference and compete at the highest level. Seliger Swenson could be perfect for the USA system with her fast sets, but she lacks the experience that is needed on the setter position.

Karch seems to love Lowe, but she always cracks under the pressure at the important moments... Rivers is doing a great job in Stuttgart, but I'm not sure if she is able to compete the same at the highest level.

Wilhite is doing a great job in Nilüfer so far this season, so they can consider taking her as offensive weapon. Frantti and Ruddins have the potential to become allround outside-hitters, but I think this Olympics come to early for both of them.

I don't know what shape Akinradewo is, because I don't follow Japanese league, but her level of play already wasn't as good as it used to be before her pregnancy... Adams overall is more versatile, so she gets the preference above Akinradewo. Tapp is a bit invisible player to me. She does her job, but it isn't spectaculair. Rettke is a good prospect, but since she hasn't played overseas, so I don't think she has the right experience to compete at the Olympics.

Courtney has been the starting libero in 2019 for the USA NT, but in the matches it mattered the most she dind't play well, especially in reception. Also her defense isn't that good for a libero. Hentz did an unbelievable job in Stanford, but now she playes in Dresden she can't show the same performance... I don't follow the French league, so I can't tell anything about White her performance. I do belive she is a starter and in Penn State she always did a decent job, so I wouldn't mind seeing her play during VNL. In this way we can see if she is up for the job or not. I'm still dreaming of Kenzie Maloney making a comeback, but I won't believe that will happen

poulter starting setter?????

I do think that Carlini will be the starting setter. She has flaws but she knows how to feed the hungry teammate. Biggest surprise by Karch would be Hancock as the second setter. She’s inconsistent but for the double sub situation she will be enough. Plus her serve is one of the best in the world if not the best. That is a huge additional arsenal to team USA.

IMO leaving out the best server off your team is a really stupid move.

Hancock would honestly be a shoe in if she were in another NT but then this is USA NT.

Quote from Rains

IMO leaving out the best server off your team is a really stupid move.

Hancock would honestly be a shoe in if she were in another NT but then this is USA NT.

you forgot (or maybe you didn't :P) that they're not allowed to jump serve in the USA NT.

Hanckock over Carlini any day !!!

Plus Hancock deadly serve for double sub, even her float is very good.

Hancock is the one of the best or even the best server in the world!

Kiraly is not a risk taker kind of coach. He has system, he has plan and he wants that even if you know like Hancock who has one of the best jumo server and can actually gain points by just serving the ball he won't allow it. Unless he had realization this past months during lockdown and will have exemption then Hancock will be a lock. I am a bit worried with poultry i know she is good but her teams performance in club. Not surr if kiraly look into their stats like the 3 of them. I think carlini and Hancock are doing better than her.

Hancock is the most eye-catching setter of them three, but Carlini and Poulter are definitely the ones that fit better in Karch's system... It's not that I agree with said system, but it is what it is

Call me crazy but I think Karch favors Poulter over the other two. She is tailor-made for his prefered system.

AND

Y'all putting too much thought into this. We're bringing 3 setters again and currently rehabbing MBs. Healthy ones need not apply.