Guidetti’s gutsy call on Kim Hill in VakifBank versus Volero
Mar 24, 2016 18:01:49 GMT -5
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Post by jay on Mar 24, 2016 18:01:49 GMT -5
Guidetti’s gutsy call on Kim Hill
For Kim Hill watchers we fondly recall her exquisite performance in the 2014 World Championship and remorsefully long for her return to that form whilst she struggles as a backup to Anne Bujis for Vakifbank. Her maddening inconsistency especially in reception dulls the shiny expectations that we wish for. And what was especially noticeable in the World Cup tournament even after an excellent performance against China is her fragile self-confidence.
So where is she now? She starts against the second tier Turkish league teams and she got several starts in the early rounds of the CL Women’s Championship but she did not take the opportunity to rise to the occasion and reignite her all around excellence. However the one thing she has not lost is the mystique of her ability to ignite long winning service runs.
Add in the curious mix of Guidetti being the new Dutch national team coach and his call of three of their top players to VB and one might wonder if Kim had any chance of starting ahead of Anne Bujis, Dutch starting OH. But Guidetti’s reputation as one of the top women’s coaches has been built on his Club successes for Vakifbank so certainly the signing of Hill was to reprise her inner MVP and return VB to its gold standard. He is not one to give up easily in something he believes in. After all he is willing to sit Sheila behind Lonneke in his quest for gold.
Which brings us to the second match of the round of six versus Volero. Bujis has been playing quite well and is an important part of Vakifbank’s current success and continues to start. But Guidetti has added a new coaching twist by bringing in Kim Hill right around the 20-19 mark as a serving specialist for Bujis and letting her play out the match. This would seem counter intuitive based upon Kim’s reception problems but so far it has proven to be very successful as Kim has delivered and not faltered at the most tension building part of the match.
In the first set against Valero Kim came in at about the 18-17 mark and contributed two kills including the final and VB won 25-22 after leading from the middle of the match. In an unusual move Guidetti left Kim in to start the second set and VB broke out to a 7 point advantage. At about the 14-7 point Hill went into an absolutely awful reception collapse and Volero rallied back to tie. Guidetti pulled her for her own sake and the future of her role on the team. Now at this point under Karch Kiraly my thought would be, well we won’t be seeing Hill again anytime soon. This set went on to a thrilling 34-32 win for Volero and showcased Akinradewo at her best.
In the third set Bujis is back in to start and Volero takes the early lead until the late teens when VB fights back to tie. To advance to the semi’s VB needs to win at least two sets and the golden set so this is a very pivotal point in the match. At about 20-19 point Guidetti reinserts Hill to serve for Bujis. The man is absolutely fearless in character development. She serves up two winners and the match is now 22-20 for VB but Hill is in the back row and I just have to shudder about what might come next. The battle for points is intense and errors are the devils hand maidens. Hill stands her ground and contributes at a high level. VB takes the set 25-22.
In the fourth set Hill starts again and this time maintains her composure providing strong OH support especially during the last ten points when her reception was flawless. VB wins out 25-22 and moves on to the semifinals to face #1 Fenerbahce. Hill’s 8 points do not adequately speak to the important contributions she made at the end of each set.
The Bujis/Hill combination continues to reap success for Guidetti and VB. And Hill herself has reprised a new role which has raised her level of play just ever so slightly towards that summer of MVP glory that all USA watchers would love to see again in Rio 16. For VakifBank to achieve the Club triple crown; CL Women’s, World Club, and Turkish league championships with this group would be a final burnishment of Guidetti’s coaching credentials short of an Olympics gold and make VakifBank the number one destination for next season’s top free agent Zhu Ting.
The signal from VakifBank is simple. If you want to play for and be the best you play for Guidetti and VakifBank. Of course Fenerbahce and Ecazibasi will challenge that and we volleyball fans get to be treated to the best competition in the world. Kim Hill has her chance to experience the VB way and hopefully when the season is finished the lustre of her MVP summer will again shine, in Rio.
Game links: www.laola1.tv/en-int/video/2016-03-24-volero-zurich-vakifbank-istanbul-fm-len
Link: usantvolleyball.tumblr.com/
For Kim Hill watchers we fondly recall her exquisite performance in the 2014 World Championship and remorsefully long for her return to that form whilst she struggles as a backup to Anne Bujis for Vakifbank. Her maddening inconsistency especially in reception dulls the shiny expectations that we wish for. And what was especially noticeable in the World Cup tournament even after an excellent performance against China is her fragile self-confidence.
So where is she now? She starts against the second tier Turkish league teams and she got several starts in the early rounds of the CL Women’s Championship but she did not take the opportunity to rise to the occasion and reignite her all around excellence. However the one thing she has not lost is the mystique of her ability to ignite long winning service runs.
Add in the curious mix of Guidetti being the new Dutch national team coach and his call of three of their top players to VB and one might wonder if Kim had any chance of starting ahead of Anne Bujis, Dutch starting OH. But Guidetti’s reputation as one of the top women’s coaches has been built on his Club successes for Vakifbank so certainly the signing of Hill was to reprise her inner MVP and return VB to its gold standard. He is not one to give up easily in something he believes in. After all he is willing to sit Sheila behind Lonneke in his quest for gold.
Which brings us to the second match of the round of six versus Volero. Bujis has been playing quite well and is an important part of Vakifbank’s current success and continues to start. But Guidetti has added a new coaching twist by bringing in Kim Hill right around the 20-19 mark as a serving specialist for Bujis and letting her play out the match. This would seem counter intuitive based upon Kim’s reception problems but so far it has proven to be very successful as Kim has delivered and not faltered at the most tension building part of the match.
In the first set against Valero Kim came in at about the 18-17 mark and contributed two kills including the final and VB won 25-22 after leading from the middle of the match. In an unusual move Guidetti left Kim in to start the second set and VB broke out to a 7 point advantage. At about the 14-7 point Hill went into an absolutely awful reception collapse and Volero rallied back to tie. Guidetti pulled her for her own sake and the future of her role on the team. Now at this point under Karch Kiraly my thought would be, well we won’t be seeing Hill again anytime soon. This set went on to a thrilling 34-32 win for Volero and showcased Akinradewo at her best.
In the third set Bujis is back in to start and Volero takes the early lead until the late teens when VB fights back to tie. To advance to the semi’s VB needs to win at least two sets and the golden set so this is a very pivotal point in the match. At about 20-19 point Guidetti reinserts Hill to serve for Bujis. The man is absolutely fearless in character development. She serves up two winners and the match is now 22-20 for VB but Hill is in the back row and I just have to shudder about what might come next. The battle for points is intense and errors are the devils hand maidens. Hill stands her ground and contributes at a high level. VB takes the set 25-22.
In the fourth set Hill starts again and this time maintains her composure providing strong OH support especially during the last ten points when her reception was flawless. VB wins out 25-22 and moves on to the semifinals to face #1 Fenerbahce. Hill’s 8 points do not adequately speak to the important contributions she made at the end of each set.
The Bujis/Hill combination continues to reap success for Guidetti and VB. And Hill herself has reprised a new role which has raised her level of play just ever so slightly towards that summer of MVP glory that all USA watchers would love to see again in Rio 16. For VakifBank to achieve the Club triple crown; CL Women’s, World Club, and Turkish league championships with this group would be a final burnishment of Guidetti’s coaching credentials short of an Olympics gold and make VakifBank the number one destination for next season’s top free agent Zhu Ting.
The signal from VakifBank is simple. If you want to play for and be the best you play for Guidetti and VakifBank. Of course Fenerbahce and Ecazibasi will challenge that and we volleyball fans get to be treated to the best competition in the world. Kim Hill has her chance to experience the VB way and hopefully when the season is finished the lustre of her MVP summer will again shine, in Rio.
Game links: www.laola1.tv/en-int/video/2016-03-24-volero-zurich-vakifbank-istanbul-fm-len
Link: usantvolleyball.tumblr.com/
