Posts by bumpsetspike

Game 2, UCLA wins it 3-1 against LBSU.

LBSU:

Despite the loss their passing was better and setting was a little more consistent than the previous match. Knipe's connection with the middles was smooth, but the one with Godbold still needs work. They did a good job slowing down Ido who hit negative.

UCLA:

Rowan is only a freshman, but he's setting as if he's a veteran making the right adjustments and distributing the ball well. With the same height as Christenson he will likely be a key developmental piece for the NT. He already has MVP, Best Setter, and Best Server at last years U21 Pan American Cup. McHenry highlights (3:24, 5:02, 6:50, 7:14, 9:24, 9:40, 12:40, 15:34, 19:03). He's like a gazelle when he jumps.

Game 1 matchup #4 UCLA sweeps #2 LBSU, 3-0.

UCLA:

Heavy hitter Ido from Israel was on fire, when they needed someone to put away the ball he was there. Knight also had a good match and UCLA's defense was better imo. McHenry highlights (5:00, 8:35, 12:39, 15:08). If he works on his blocking, he could be really good for the USA NT which I'm sure Speraw already has plans for.

LBSU:

This team currently doesn't have a reliable go to player like Nikolov. Godbold contributed little. The only bright spot was Siapanis from Cyprus. He's not a Nikolov, but he has good volleyball IQ. Watching him play you can see the gears in his head working when he makes his shot selection. Not really a fan of Knipe's setting.

Oddly though LBSU beat Penn State which is the only team UCLA lost to so far.

Quote from fire_cai_bin

I rarely defend CVA these days, but let's be logical about our criticisms.

1. If there was no covid delay we wouldn't be talking about the failure in 2021.

2. Lang Ping also had funny things like military training (2014) and long training camps (pre 2019). We didn't criticize her for those. In fact Yuan Xinyue's improvement from 2018 to 2019 was credited to those, since played in the league with Jiangsu instead in 2017-18 and not in 2018-19.

3. Cai Bin thinks he's Lang Ping so he emulates every move, except he wants to try the players that to put it crudely, Lang Ping discarded, but it's obvious to everyone that he's not, can't coach a strategically complex game, and even the fundamental training is not there.

4. Playing preliminary VNL with main and sending 2nd team to finals was regarded as a brilliant move, since we didn't show our hand against Turkey in IOQTs or USA in WC.

5. In contrast, both An Jiajie and Lang Ping were criticized for overusing Zhu in 2017 WGP/2018 VNL.

6. Nobody cares about AVC Club events (no, not even Li Yingying although she would never admit it) except for a few Tianjin sports officials and only the most diehard of their fans.

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Looks like those few Tianjin sports officials want to bid and host potential future Asian Club Championships, Club World Championships, and even VNL based on recent rumors. They have this action plan to make Tianjin's name an international volleyball and sports powerhouse.

It's all about timing for them, but we'll see if it pans out.

The video in Syria of a baby girl born under the rubble and carried off to safety. She has severe bruising, suffering from seizures and likely other health complications. Her mother and the rest of her family didn't make it.

It's even more frustrating that US media is focusing on this Chinese spy balloon and little to no coverage about the crisis in Turkey/Syria.

Quote from forzalube

Why they should go without their core player? Why China is not planning to go with Tianjin with full squad (except Vargas)?

Also to add to the post above, the last time Tianjin participated was in 2019 when China hosted and they won. This year the event is in Vietnam and they likely don't want to travel with such close schedules.

Quote from fire_cai_bin

I heard Shanghai will go instead and they are supposedly interested in Kim again

I don't think their chances will be any better than Tianjin without their core players since they'll be without Zhong Hui, Gao Yi, and Xu Xiaoting, but good opportunity to gain experience for the younger players Wang Yindi and Chen Houyu.

It'll probably be a Japanese or Thai club that gets it.

Quote from fire_cai_bin

Ok, you are right, Tianjin has their eyes on it again.

According to Tianjin Sports channel, they will participate in AVC Club Championships from 4.25-5.2 in Vietnam. There is only one goal: to get the qualification spot for CWC. the rest of the post is about 2019 stuff and other history.

Looks like Tianjin is backtracking now saying they no longer intend to participate since they have players abroad and currently in the NT. They will focus on other competitions coming up.

Quote from taylor10

Vargas & Sara Klisura

Wasn't she married or was it engaged to someone else? I think she was Cuban also or maybe Turkish?

What happens in China doesn't stay in China.

Quote from fire_cai_bin

Zhang Chen and Zhang Changning's father, Zhang Yousheng passed away today at 66

Maybe his illness was a factor in Zhang Changning wanting to get married early and focus on her family rather than the NT.

Didn't he play men's volleyball in some past Olympic?

EDIT: China Men's 8th Place in LA 1984 (Karch was on the men's team that won Gold)

The team recently celebrated Wang Yifan's birthday.

Quote from Wojtek13

Joshua Tuaniga (despite the injury) extendet his contract with Olsztyn for 2023-2024

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/si…edluzyl-kontrakt-z-klubem

Did they say how long he will be out?

Quote from fire_cai_bin

I thought that was rumor? at least Chen Peiyan is still there.

Maybe, but I read that the league has a 2 foreigner rule and they decided to keep Chen Peiyan.

Indonesian club terminated contract with jin Ye and replaced her with Brazilian Fernanda Tome.

Quote from avid

She might just cause the other options are bleak.

Carlini and Hancock are the 1-2.

After that? Ashley Evans and Lilley are probably the only options.

Gray isnt it. Dilfer isnt it. There's not really any standout NCAA either I think.

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How do you see the libero competition going?

JWO, Hentz? Fleck? Nuneviller as L or OH?

Quote from fire_cai_bin

She got better towards the end of WCH. I think picking her is not a wrong choice (unlike, for example, Duan Fang).

Isn't Duan Fang injured currently? Same with Ni Feifan?

Cai Bin selecting injured and out of form players when he could be selecting ones fit and healthy.

Quote from benchwarmer

Wang Yunlu is selected again. How was her performance? Her spot should be given to a younger player. Her jumping ability hasn’t improved much and she isn’t young. Who do you think should be selected for the OH position besides LYY and ZT for the OH NT?

It should be Zhu, LYY, and Zhong Hui. 4th option should be Zhuang Yushan, but likely Wang Yunlu.

Does he have drama with Zhou Yetong too? He left out his own Jiangsu player who really should be 2nd/3rd option for opposite and picked up some tall girl from Henan not named Zhu.

Zheng Yixin was tried as opposite before, I think it was at one of the Montreux Volley Masters and it didn't work. It might've been Diao setting her too...

Quote from fire_cai_bin

Here's the thing about Zhu, Yao, and Wang: in the past when Zhu was in Turkey she was still listed but not called. Just like Ding Xia this year.

We know that Zhu has beef with the Jiangsu sports establishment (more accurately, they have beef with Zhu) and Zhang Chen is still the assistant coach. Add in the non inclusion of Yao Di (direct competitor to Diao Linyu), Zang Qianqian (removed from jiangsu starting lineup for Ni Feifan), and Xue Yizhi (formerly with Jiangsu youth, never returned to jiangsu even though the latter are missing middles) and the circumstantial evidence adds up.

I wouldn't be suprised at the chicanery behind the scenes.

It might be too early to speculate things, but if Zhu is really left off the NT roster come this summer once she's available then the volleyball gods will surely punish Cai Bin till the end of time.

Quote from fire_cai_bin

Zhu Ting, Yao Di, Wang Simin, Xue Yizhi, Zhang Shiqi, Zang Qianqian, Zhou Yetong, and Zhuang Yushan could assemble a team and beat this training camp.

bad coach, bad.

Zhu, Yao Di, and Wang Simin being left out likely because they still need to finish their seasons abroad, but as for the rest it's a shame. They all should've been listed. Middles are boring, same ones and no new faces. I wonder if Xue Yizhi declined?? Poor Zhuang Yushan who has the most fighting spirit in that small frame of hers than all of Yuan.

Quote from voulter

According to the team press release Yao Di has some physical issues, same with Pietrini and Castillo

I seen something from Chinese media that her old knee injury relapsed and they had to remove some fluid.