USA vs RUSSIA: Our Prediction: Russia 3-1 USA (Good luck to both teams!)
Date: November 12th, 2010
Time: 10:00PM US PST.
Live Link: www.Fromsport.com
Why Russia? We’ve watched almost all of their matches since Day 1 & their starters play great volleyball in all aspects: offense and defense. They found a talented setter, Startseva, who is more talented than Akulova from the 2006 World squad & even much better than Sheshenina. Startseva can block and plays with confidence knowing this is her first major tournament.
Startseva will rely on her 3 effective and reliable hitters: The big banger, Gamova, together with the tourney’s best spiker, Kosheleva, and the most complete player we’ve ever seen, Chachkova Kilic Sokolova. Expect the middles, Borodakova and Perepelkina, to build the Russian Wall against the Americans.
Russia has spent the last 2 weeks playing the top 2 Asians teams which they crushed (3-0 China & 3-1 Japan) and a trio of inconsistent European teams: Poland (3-0), Serbia (3-0) & Turkey (3-1). The semifinal round will be the ultimate test to validate our claim that Russia has what it takes to win the crown…again.
Key Player/s: Startseva, Gamova & Kosheleva
Strength/s: The Russian Wall, offense and how could we forget their amazing libero, Kryuchkova.
Weakness/es: If Startseva starts to feel the pressure & loses focus then Tom & friends will play for the Gold.
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Why not USA? The last 2 out 3 matches in Round 2 have been forgettable for the Americans. Against Italy, they could not maintain their lead and lost focus during crucial moments. While against Brazil, Logan Tom & friends lost the chemistry they displayed in Round 1 and against the Dutch which gave the Brazilians the win.
Zero chemistry = bronze medal match for USA.
Alisha Glass is ranked as the best setter of the tourney but we’re not that impressed with her set distribution unlike what she did at the 2010 Grand Prix. Glass needs to involve her middles more more more than ever before. She’s got the almost unstoppable & 2010 Grand Prix MVP, Foluke Akinradewo, and the reliable veteran, Heather Bown (When she’s on fire and more involved in the offense, she becomes unstoppable too).
If A-Glass keeps feeding Hooker 70% of the time like what she did against Brazil, then we might have to send Coach Hugh a text message to put Berg in who knows how to use all her hitters & has confidence setting her outside hitters, i.e. Larson.
We forgive Logan Tom on how she played against Brazil. The world knows and even the Russians know too she’s Team USA’s main player. Brazil read her really well and gave Tom her most forgettable performance so far since Day 1. tips for Logan:
- Be a leader or at least try hard to be one.
- Get more involved during timeouts.
- Support her young teammates.
- Serve the ball in.
- Play & hit smart against the Russian Wall. She can hit in different variations.
- SMILE! Taking the game very seriously might intimidate Hooker and young guns.
Logan is the most complete player right now and we expect her to step up and help team USA win against Russia like what they did back in the 2002 World Champs when they won 3-2 in the semis. (See Video Below)
Key Player/s: Tom, Foluke, Hooker & Glass.
Strength/s: USA plays a faster offense than the Russians. The American Wall can also help them win.
Weakness/es: Passing needs work. Russians can serve tough and would pick on Larson & Sykora for sure so they need to pass better.
If USA will bring back the chemistry they had prior to their defeat against Brazil, Glass will distribute her sets and Sykora & Larson will pass the ball better then we will see this from Coach Hugh:
(images from www.fivb.org)
WATCH: 2002 World Championship Semifinal Match: USA vs RUSSIA: