USA back on top in men’s volleyball after claiming Olympic gold
August 24, 2008
It has been a long time since the glory days of US volleyball back in the mid to late 80’s. Things are looking good for US volleyball once again after the men’s team claimed the Olympic gold medal with a 3-1 victory over Brazil. This comes on top of its first World League title earlier this year.
In the Gold medal match Brazil started well and took the first set 25-20. The Brazilians had a slight buffer after jumping out to a 3-0 lead. In the second set it was the Americans who got the early lead as they went out to 6-0. This was enough to see them take the second set 25-22. The Brazilians had got it back to 21-20 but could not edge past the USA.
The third set was tight to start with before team USA took a slight advantage to get out to a 16-12 lead. Brazil got it back to 21-19 down before taking the pressure off the US with a few service faults. This helped USA take the set 25-21.
The fourth set was pretty tight most of the way through. Until Brazil took a 20-17 lead it was just a see sawing affair where Brazil had a two point lead from time to time. With the 3 point buffer you would have favoured Brazil taking it to a fifth set to decide the gold.
USA were not giving up that easily. Some great pickups and good allround play saw the US make a run from 17 to 22. Some key plays included two kill blocks by Clayton Stanley. The Brazilians finally got a point to make the score 22-21 in favour of the US.
From here the USA were pumped as they could almost reach out and touch the gold. Another kill block from Stanley and a spiking error from Brazil saw the Olympic gold medal point come up. It took just one for the USA to wrap it up.
The celebrations started!!
Congratulations to the US men’s volleyball team. It has been a good Olympics for the USA on the volleyball courts, both indoors and out. The women took silver and on the beach volleyball courts the USA picked up both gold medals.
Brazil too strong for defending women’s Olympic volleyball champs
August 22, 2008
Brazil has eliminated China from the women’s volleyball competition in the Beijing Olympics after they won the second semifinal 3-0. They now advance to the final against the USA who had earlier defeated Cuba also 3-0.
The first two sets could have gone either way however the Brazilians blocked better or hit better when it mattered. The home team with the large crowd urging them on started well and established an early 5-1 lead.
Brazil worked their way back into the set with many good blocks and stong spiking. The Chinese edged ahead at 16-14 only to see Brazil come back to lead 21-19. China levelled the scores and then twice served for the set. On one occasion they served a fault. China then handed the set to Brazil thanks to crucial errors. The first set was 27-25.
In the second set it was Brazil who had the early lead as they went up 6-3. The match went backwards and forwards until both teams were locked at 20-20. Here the Chinese seemed to lose their way making a string or errors included a shanked dig and hitting errors. Brazil won the second set 25-22.
In the third set Brazil could see the final was in reach and they played over the top of China. From 14-10 up for Brazil the match was quickly closed out and the south americans ran out winners 25-14.
That made the final score 27-25, 25-22, 25-14. Brazil’s height at the net and blocking prowess was too much for China to handle. At one stage China could do nothing but run quick balls behind. Anytime they tried to go with a high ball to the far post the Brazilians put up an unbeatable block.
Brazil are now into their first Olympic final where they meet the USA who will also be playing for their first gold medal in women’s Olympic volleyball competition.
USA reaches first women’s volleyball final since coach won gold with China
August 21, 2008
Back in 1984 at the Los Angeles Olympics the USA were defeated by China 3-0 in the women’s volleyball final. A key player for the Chinese was Lang Ping. Fast forward 24 years and Lang Ping is now coach of the USA women’s team.
Today in Beijing the Lang Ping coached team from USA has easily accounted for three time Olympic champions Cuba winning 3-0. The final score was 25-20, 25-16, 25-17. This is a complete turnaround from the pool result when on August 11 Cuba defeated the US 3-0.
The USA team saw Logan Tom and Tayyiba Haneef-Park pile on the points with good hitting and blocking. The libero for USA Nicole Davis also put in a good performance with many key digs.
The USA overpowered Cuba on the way to their semifinal victory. For coach Lang Ping she could come up against her old team in the final. In the past as a coach of China, she led the Chinese to a silver medal in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. On that occasion Cuba won gold.
The other semifinal will be played tonight between China and the top ranked Brazilian team. China are the defending Olympic champions while Brazil were second in the 2006 world championships and recently won the 2008 World Grand Prix an event that China were place fifth.
China and Cuba play out five set thriller in women’s volleyball
August 14, 2008
Tonight I was lucky enough to watch the China-Cuba women’s volleyball match. It was a thrilling match between two of the one time heavyweights in women’s volleyball.
China were playing above their current world ranking of number 7 as the took on the world no. 3. The first two sets were all China as they won 25-18, 25-14. The spikers were in control and were hitting the floor with good succes. The third set was looking the same as China held a 15-11 advantage.
Here it all changed. Cuba called a timeout. When they came back it was a different team. They won 8 straight points thanks to some big serving from their setter Santos. Cuba went onto claim the set 25-23.
The fourth set was the most exciting of the match as both team refused to give their opponents the edge. Cuba’s no. 12 Rosir Calderon was hitting great angles to pile up the points for Cuba while China’s solid play saw them bring up match points. Six times they had a chance to claim the match but each time Cuba would deny them. In the end someone had to give and it was China. Cuba won the set 32-30.
The fifth set saw China take the early lead but Cuba came back. Before I knew it the score was 13-13. I said to my wife whoever wins this point will take the match. As it was China served out and this gave Cuba a match point. They just needed one.
The final score to this thrilling match was 18-25, 14-25, 25-23, 32-30, 15-13. Cuba now sits at the top of Pool A with six points. China and USA are on five points however China has a better sets ratio.
USA and China meet each other in two days time in what will be a crucial pool A match. Both team’s will be keen to take the points. The USA team are coached by former China volleyball great Lang Ping.
Cuba too strong for USA in women’s Olympic volleyball
August 11, 2008
In a match that saw world no. 3 Cuba face off against world no. 4 USA it was the Cuban’s who proved too strong for their northern neighbours.
The final score was 25-15, 26-24, 25-17. In the second set USA served with a set point however could not convert. If they did it may have been a different outcome.
Not to be deterred they jumped out to a handy lead in the third set before the Cubans got on top and closed out the match.
The Cuban team were more consistent and this helped them at crucial moments in the match. Carrillo and Ruiz for Cuba scored many points for their team.
With China yet to play, Cuba are now on top of Pool A. The Chinese face Poland and Japan will face Venezuela.
Thrilling win secures Japan a Beijing Olympic volleyball berth
June 7, 2008
Japan has defeated Argentina 3-2 in the sixth round of the qualifying tournament in Tokyo. The win means that Japan and Italy have secured the final two spots at the Beijing Olympic men’s volleyball tournament.
If Argentina had won the match they convincingly they might have been able to sneak past Italy in their final match of the tournament. As it turned out Japan took that out of the equation and now they are Beijing bound.
The match started with a thrilling first set with the Argentinian team winning 28-26. Japan crushed their opponents in the second set 25-13. The home team were looking good when they claimed the third set 25-17. Argentina was not giving up that easily and took the fourth set 25-17.
It all came down to the fifth set. Japan knew they had the Olympic spot if they could win the match. Thanks to Yamamoto Takahiro’s attacking play the home team secured the match with a thrilling 20-18 win. The match lasted just under two hours.
As we now look forward to the Olympic tournament in Beijing the final twelve teams are decided. The teams to play at the Olympics in the men’s volleyball tournament will be:
China, Brazil, Russia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Japan, Serbia, USA, Venezuela, Germany, Italy and Poland.
Italy and Japan in box seat for final two Olympic volleyball spots
June 7, 2008
Eight men’s volleyball teams are currently fighting it out for the final two berths in the Olympic volleyball tournament. The matches are being played in Tokyo, Japan.
The winner of the event and the best placed Asian team will be on their way to Beijing in August.
After five matches Italy is sitting at the top of the standings after going 5-0. Australia as the current Asian champions may have thought themselves a good chance to go to the Olympics as the Asia representative however it is not going to plan for the Aussies.
After a good opening to the tournament where the Australian team won their first two matches they have suffered three losses in a row. The first loss to the Italians may have been expected however the loss to South Korea came as a crushing blow for their hopes of making the Olympics. Yesterday Japan added another nail in the coffin after they defeated the Aussies 3-0.
Only two matches remain for each of the teams playing in a round robin format. Japan faces Argentina and then Algeria. I would expect Argentina to defeat Japan however Japan should clinch their Olympic berth with a win over Algeria on the final day.
