Serbian Women's NT 2022

Congrats guys.. you should be proud of your team, great game

Congrats to Serbia! What a boss move by Bjelica on the winning point

Yay! That was so awesome. Lozo and Drča were amazing ! This VNL far exceeded all of my expectations. What a great performance and team effort

after Drča stopped playing for a while for the NT, I hadn't followed her at all. She was amazing during the final stage. She had that precision. I think Drča and Ognjenovic will complement each other during WCH.

But, did Drča have a beef with Terzic or what?

Quote from Bogdan

Not at all, she was request the pause for 2019, had a maternity break in 2020/21, wasn't ready for 2021 summer, but now her role is so important. Especially now when it is even more certain that Maja will not be at WCH , though nothing official still.

why is more certain ?

Quote from Bogdan

Nothing new, but in the post match studio, Boskovic was a guest, and they were talking about WCH,....,didn't mention Maja at all, i mean it is more just my feeling then something new in way of information, but Jaglicic is really close to every volleyball instance in relation witj Serbian team, she is close with the players also, so if he said that it is almost for sure. I still hope that Maja will change her decision. She doesn't even need to play every match as starter, we can made a really great team with her and Drča, while we need Maja for an extra quality.

what else did Tijana say ? Anything interesting about anyone ?

Perhaps a controversial opinion, but maybe it's time to say goodbye to Maja. She's basically spent her entire career with Terzić, and at this point of her life, maybe she doesn't feel like adjusting to something new, and it's completely understandable.

On the other hand, Bojana is really thriving, this is by far the best she's been on NT.

Quote from Bogdan

Not at all, she was request the pause for 2019, had a maternity break in 2020/21, wasn't ready for 2021 summer, but now her role is so important. Especially now when it is even more certain that Maja will not be at WCH , though nothing official still.

Even there are some rumors that she wants to be in 2024 Paris roster, but why wouldn't she want to be in WCH 2022? A bit confusing

Maja says she wants to play in Paris ~ last year's article

I translated it through a translator so correct me like something

https://www.kurir.rs/sport/tok…limpijske-igre-tokio-2020

Quote from Olcay12

Maja says she wants to play in Paris ~ last year's article

I translated it through a translator so correct me like something

https://www.kurir.rs/sport/tok…limpijske-igre-tokio-2020

Paris Saint Cloud's staff, please take notes, she wants to play in Paris

Drca did so well these last couple games that I don't know if Maja is really needed... Of course she's a superstar and would be a upgrade, but not that much? I think it would be okay for Serbia to let Maja rest and enjoy more years of club season, she did a lot for them already

Why is Lozo ignored by Terzic last year? She played great and very mature game. She is the best Serbian OH so far.

And to think I was satisfied with wins over the likes of Bulgaria and Belgium!

It's just so so so impressive how they kept growing as a team during the competition and the credit for that must go to Santarelli. I must say I was a bit afraid of how he'd fit in, but his enthusiasm is undeniable and the girls are responding really well to it.

The main takeaway from all this is that EVERYONE (except Jakšić, LOL) used their chance well. Even players like Mirković and Milenković who looked like total lost causes had something to contribute. And looking at individual performances, so many players have literally skyrocketed their game. Everything's already been said about Lozo (someone please buy her off the contract in Romania ASAP), but what about Pušić looking like a world class libero, Drča leading the team with confidence she'd never shown before, Buša being the best version of herself despite not playing all season long...

My only regret is that Jovana Kocić didn't get more chances at least against weaker teams, but keeping Aleksić and Stevanović on court turned them into a monster MB duo by the end, so it was a worthy strategy.

Tijana was on TV after the match and she says she's well rested, fresh and extremely eager to join the team again. She's really looking forward to WCh. Bring it on!

Just one more observation. Looking back, it's almost depressing to remember how our game was last year, with Tijana and the cheerleaders, and everyone looking fed up and going through the motions. Yeah, there were good results on paper, with two major medals, but it was probably the worst Serbia played since like 2009-10 (not counting the London disaster as those were special circumstances).

It's a complete turnaround now. It was actually eye-pleasing to watch this team! And I mean, the TEAM. Jovana Mirosavljević was the guest commentator for the match against Turkey (boy, was she pissed at Tugba ) and you could hear in every word she said how happy and greatful she is to have been a part of this experience.

Now the only thing that's left is for Tijana to fit in well, but I have no doubt she'll do her best and that Santarelli won't allow our game to become as dependent on her again.

Finally, I agree with Bogdan that it seems like Maja won't be coming back. When they talked to Tijana after the match, she was asked how it's going to feel to play with Bojana again and it did sound like Drča would be the main setter from now on. Maja wasn't mentioned.

And frankly, maybe it's for the best. If she can't be fully, unconditionally, 100% committed to the team anymore, she should be left be. She's paid her dues already, and then some.

I was quite gloomly last year, but now I'm actually excited again! Don't let me down, LOL.

Congratulations

I was unexpectedly getting such a good result from Serbia after a very short time after hiring Daniele.

Watching tournaments of younger categories, you can add OH Uzelac, Ana Mihajlović or Branka Tica to the line-up, and MB Kurtagic, Osmajic, Malesević

Competition is getting really big

Quote from Bogdan

And what to say about that i don't even put Lozo on the table at the time when i made this thread. Oftenly i have bigger hopes then reality from serbian players, but i just didn't have any big hopes about Lozo, not her being super bad or anything, just thought that she can't be a factor. I was so convinced of it, that I deliberately left her off the list. We all know how wrong I was, and i'm so happy because of outcome like that.

I just want to complete my impressions about our team and this competition.

Santareli - incredibly refreshing, it has been a pleasure to watch this team grow through the competition and consistently exceed my expectations. Such a dedication by him and wonderful relationship with the girls is definitely the main reason for that. I was really excited about his engagement, and now I am even more so. I think he can really continue the tradition of great results and continuity of winning medals, which he already proved with this BIG bronze. There is no doubt that the WCH will be a big challenge, but the platform developed during this competition is such a solid foundation that allows the team to meet that competition with great confidence and expectations.

Drča - since 2011 in the national team, she has never played this well, and above all nice volleyball. She had ups and downs, but game against Turkey was one of the best in her life. I honestly did not expect that she would play such a final after only 3 games played with this team.

I still want Maja in the team, but not necessarily because I think she would be a spectacular upgrade compared to Drca, but I am really afraid of Mirkovic as a back up (though she showed some quality in week 2,3), with Maja/Drca duo we can finally make a team with a truly long bench and that these two players complement each other perfectly at this moment.

Lozo - no words for her, she really deserved that best OH award, and in her case, as young player, almost new in this team, i think it was important, but so on it isn't first time that they choose by popularity/legacy instead of actual performance showe during competition. Every aspect of her game is really solid, except defense (she wasn't that bad at the final though), she really can improve that and Santarelli is actually the coach that really can help her. She is not the elite receiver but she is definetly isn't an black hole even in that department, can be and she was really solid at Finals, at least she always try to pass that high that even if it is not perfectly matching setter position it is pretty useful ball. Her block and serve are really good, especially the serve, she made such a great contribution with service line, that run in 5th set against USA was game decisive one. So smart attacker, her perception of the position of opposing defenders and blockers is really great, even though that spike run looks kind a slow, without any explosivity, which also fits her character, when she leaps up, she has a real eruption, she perfectly close it with her hand, and from her shoulders she adds super power to that attack, breaking the opponent's block or defense. And last but not least her calmness is such a big factor in whole impression about her which is amazingly great after this tournament.

Lazovic - she almost didn't play on the final tournament, and it's hard for me to say this, but it was the right decision, what's more, I expected something like that. She is still our most versatile attacker, but she can easily be neutralized by a high and mobile block. Against the USA, she would have almost no chance, I think she could have played against Brazil as a starter, but that wasn't by no means the reason for our defeat, we ran out of strength, nervousness got in the way and I'm not sure how much Lazovic would have helped. Her position and role in this team is still important and valuable, we finally have competitive lineup (between themselves) on OH position, and that is really great thing.

Buša - after almost whole year without volleyball and training first of all, this was amazing come back. Few really great games (aka against USA in prelim. phase and bronze medal match) which gives to me Fenerbahce vibes. Complete player with some limitations in attack, but contribute a lot in all other apsects. I would pair her and Lozo as our best OH lineup, but there is no need for some locking, as i said that i finally have confidence in our OH lineup.

Milenković - an elite receiver for sure, while her post injury attacking performance is really bad, but she was a important player and done really well against USA, so kudos to her, she fight and prove herself as valuable player for this team, even after such a bad season.

Mihajlovic - joker player, if she keeps improving she could be so so importan piece of

this team for WCH.

Aleksic and Stevanovic - I have nothing to add, except that they are truly worthy representatives on the position where Serbia has excelled for a decade and a half. Classy performance by both.

Pusic - I criticized the decision to ignore Jegdic a lot, I thought Pusic was solid but not more than that and another mistake on my part. She started the tournament a bit unstable (I mean the whole VNL), but she gradually raised the level of her games and really showed that she is world class in that position.

All in all, really amazing tournament for our team, my expectations before the tournament were fear and coming to terms with the "reality" that there is a big possibility that we won't make it to the final tournament at all, the girls being led by the energy and knowledge of the new coach, I was gradually presented with a completely different reality, raising my expectations. It was a pleasure to follow this tournament, congratulations to everyone.

WCH team (my prediction/wish)

S: Drča, Maja/Mirković

OPP: Bošković, Bjelica

OH: Lozo, Buša, Lazović, Milenković, Mihajlović

MB: Aleksić, Stevanović, Popović

L: Pušić, Popović S.*/Djurdjevic

*Popovic said that she is open to join the team, so if she will be called by Santarelli, and because he really don't

have any trust in Djurdjevic obviously, Silvija's big experience and quality after all, can't make a damage. OTOH maybe we should just give a chance to youngsters. I don't know, if there would be a big difference between Popovic and Djurdjevic during the preparation, then I would choose Popovic, but otherwise Djurdjevic would be my choice

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awesome write up haha but what about bjelica ?