Short characterization

CHINESE TAIPEI

STARTING PLAYERS / SUBSTITUTES

The smallest team in the tournament (height average 1.72m), they operated the most complex offensive system run by setter Chian Yi Hsieh. She allowed, middle player Shih Ting Chen (150 points), to be the top scorer in the tournament and used diagonal player Wan Ting Chen (110 points) in many combination attacks. Their middles were the only players who ran and hit 2^nd tempo balls behind quick attackers, from either power or diagonal positions.

Overall they were mid pack in skill execution except for setting and service where they ranked higher. No surprise they were last in blocking with only 33 blocks for the tournament. However, you only had to watch their setter to learn that smaller players can be effective in touching balls. Ranked 5^th in defense they were not helped by their blocking to achieve this level. Middle Shih Ting Chen had 10 of those blocks to led her team and she was the best attacker in the tournament with 50.79% kill, Libero Yang was efficient in her first contact skills ranked 5^th in digging (3.53 digs per set), 4^th in receiving (50% perfect), 4^th overall ranking for liberos.

Offensive System: 5-1

• The only team in the Top 8 that had quick combination plays based on their super middle player and #1 their Diagonal player
• Power players used the hands of the block very effectively. At times it seemed that teams hated to block as they had difficulty in finding the right timing and height vs left hander, Tseng and diminutive power Huang.
• Setter read the cues of opponents well and is especially effective in transition and broken play situations. You can see her looking at the opponent blockers before many plays were executed. Her use of the left-handers on the court (power and diagonal) gave them effective attack execution.
• Used Diagonal (1) and Middle (11) in combination with both hitting 2^nd tempo in combination attack action – no other team used this tactic.

Defensive System: 6 Back

• Depends upon their smaller blockers touching balls but very good at attack transition when they opponents do not execute. The slide was very effective for them and set up 1vs 1 with their powers.
• Backcourt players did a lot of digging behind their blockers as teams did hit over the block in many cases.

Free Ball

• Many variations with their diagonal player and top scorer middle doing most of the damage to opponents.

Service

· The only team with 3 spin server’s who were all fairly consistent.

Block

• Read attackers well and end up in many ‘downball’ situations and effective transition digs, which went back into attack opportunities.
• Blockers were effective in not allowing attacks into the center of the court and their backcourt diggers did well in handling most miss-hit or non-powered attacks.
• To beat them opponents had to use their middles in attacking which eventually allowed more 1vs 1 attacking situations.

Attack

• Effective use of all players, left-handers gave opponents difficulty.
• Power players were very good at giving different timing to opponent blockers and off speed play and wipe-off attacks kept blockers and diggers off balance.