USA vs Russia - tv show time

[Turlington]

USA has to beat Cuba on Sunday to get in. And if they do, they'll face Brazil in the quarters.

[Gorf]

Attacks through 5 games; 5th game
Tayyiba: 21 / 58; 6 / 10
Logan: 19 / 40; 3 / 6
Keba: 11 / 24; 0 / 1
Danielle: 6 / 17; 0 / 1
Heather: 2 / 9; 0 / 2
Ogonna: 3 / 7; 0 / 0

28 of 105 Russia points on opponent errors; 5 for game 5.
17 of 96 US points on opponent errors; 1 for game 5.

It looked like 3 serves aces for Russia in game 5 with 0 for them in the first 4 games?

It looked like the US only had 2 digs in game 5.

Robyn 15 assists on 121 attempts (1 of 9 for game 5) - the assist numbers are really strange for international play.


The US killed themselves on errors.

[SaltNPepper]

Nutter said:

Does this mean that the USA is now out of the next round?

This is just horrible!!!

Doesn't this mean that from now on they must win every match to advance one loss and they're out? It will take 4 wins in a row for the gold metal - not something that seems very likely the way they've been playing. A loss in either of next (2) matches and they are done and no metal. If they would win the next two, they'd still need one more win to get a metal - or not?

[Go Iowa]

roofed! said:

Man, that was such a bad loss! I think for the final game, Toshi should just go for broke. Replace Tayyiba with Nancy, get in Ogonna in place of Keba, and put Wiz in place of Heather! Plus, give Lindsay a game or two to show her stuffs as well. After all, what does his team got to lose?

I completely agree! And replace Toshi with TCB.

[Nutter]

SaltNPepper said:

Doesn't this mean that from now on they must win every match to advance one loss and they're out? It will take 4 wins in a row for the gold metal - not something that seems very likely the way they've been playing. A loss in either of next (2) matches and they are done and no metal. If they would win the next two, they'd still need one more win to get a metal - or not?

Trying to figure out the math in this is giving me a headache!

This whole scenario is just disappointing to say the least.

[Deleted]

Yes. They have zero margin for error now.

The bad thing is, I don't know why anyone would think they can turn it around. They've given no indication that they have the right mix of players.

That loss to DR was just ridiculous.

I don't see how they can beat Cuba playing with NO efficient hitters...

[Deleted]

I have updated the Pool standings in the other thread.

[hwy101]

Do you think they have been overtraining?

Just like the US men did in 2000??

[rayb_14]

overtrained? no.

overrated? yes.

[MarsH]

(R)uffda! said:

So who likes our chances v. Cuba?

Drats!

This team is hopeless in game 5s.

i do (unless it goes to 5). but im the eternal optimist.

brazil in the quarters. it's a death sentence.


robyn should start setting the middles more. even on tough passes. aggressively set the middle. it's the only way to establish any presence in that position. danielle would have to hit her way out of any set she gets. heather/wiz, whoever the other middle will be... please block atleast.

against cuba, i don't think toshi will start nancy in place of tayyiba. they should seriously consider it, but i don't think toshi will go that way. this isn't a criticism on toshi on my part. i think he has reasons for starting the players he starts and playing the players he plays. and that he really thinks it's giving USA the best shot to salvage anything now.

also, i think keba will still get floor time over oganna. just becos it puts so much pressure on sykora and tom to pass all those balls. and when that happens, logan struggles to get into position to hit, especially if her movement is hampered by her ankle.

i know everyone on the national team has received a bit of criticism for their play..... but some players are just not performing. and it's killing USA. what a time for some players to have off-matches! now it's a question of tenacity. how badly does USA want this next match against Cuba...

funny thing, the olympics. you spend 4 years preparing for 2 weeks of play. i hope USA has enough heart.

[MarsH]

HWY101 said:

Do you think they have been overtraining?

Just like the US men did in 2000??

i don't think they overtrained. some athlethes say you can't possibly train enough for the olympics.


it's a matter of execution. USA isn't mismatched. they aren't outmatched. they're being outplayed.

the players have to execute. whoever will be on the floor will have to do what they're supposed to do.

[USAFAN]

Passing will be a huge factor for the USA. Cuba is probably the top serving team in the tournament right now. If you watched the Cuba vs. China match, Barros had 6 aces against the top passing team in the world. Cuba has multiple jump servers who can rip the ball. Blocking will also be a huge factor for the USA. If you shut down the Cuban hitters, they begin to bicker and self destruct. The only problem is how do you shut down these high leaping Cubans. The USA has one last chance to prove what they're made of, and hopefully they can get things together.

[SakiBomb25]

RayB14 said:

overtrained? no.

overrated? yes.

I don't think the US team is overrated. Simply, I just think they are having a bad two weeks and aren't peaking. It's just bad luck. I think the American's play at the recent Grand Prix proves that they aren't overrated. They can play with the best in the world. They unfortunately were not able to do so on the world's biggest stage.

They did beat Cuba in three sets at the Grand Prix, coming after a 3-2 loss in the opening round to the Cubans. So it's anyone's ball game. Good luck to them on Sunday.

[MarsH]

USAFAN said:

Passing will be a huge factor for the USA. Cuba is probably the top serving team in the tournament right now. If you watched the Cuba vs. China match, Barros had 6 aces against the top passing team in the world. Cuba has multiple jump servers who can rip the ball. Blocking will also be a huge factor for the USA. If you shut down the Cuban hitters, they begin to bicker and self destruct. The only problem is how do you shut down these high leaping Cubans. The USA has one last chance to prove what they're made of, and hopefully they can get things together.

Cuba is so athletic. every player on the team jumps atleast 10 feet. 4 players reach over 11 feet.

contain ruiz, and then stop everybody else. Blocking will be key indeed.

[sistahsledge]

Who's to blame? Let's start with BEACH VOLLEYBALL!!!

If this silly diversion had been outlawed from the Olympics four years ago, the greatest setter and the greatest opposite hitter in the USA would be on the indoor team and we'd be crushing the competition.

Misty has the ability to set anything from anywhere and the athleticism to run down the sketchy passes and "better" the ball. When Ah Mow sets from the 3m line, her location is too conservative, and the OH's have to hit from way off the net, especially the right side. Also, the only thing she gives the MB's is the back slide which the left OH of the opponents are shutting down, especially Bown. I still don't see Ah Mow really taking control of this team and willing them to win. It's a quality that very few players have and Misty was the best at that. Isn't there a standard VB philosophy: if someone is playing poorly, take her out...if everyone is playing poorly, take the setter out. I say let Berg show her stuff.

Haneef's one-dimensional play is really being exposed under the glare of Olympic play. Maybe it's the pressure of the event but her hitting is not reflective of her physical gifts. Everyone thought that she was going to hit with impunity because of her reach but the good defensive teams aren't having too many problems digging or soft blocking her. Also, her blocking, digging, and passing are very below average. Unlike in the men's game where the OPP is just expected to be the big bomber, the best women's OPP's are those who do everything well (think Weishoff, or Zhou? from China). Walsh can move, dig, pass, set, block, and hit better than almost everybody. And she has a competitive fire that I haven't seen yet in Haneef.

Oh well, wishful thinking. C'est la vie.

Of course most of the blame has to go to:
Logan's new hairdo. Has anyone else noticed that the shorter her hair gets, the worse USA plays? The truth is out there...