Short characterization
USA
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STARTING PLAYERS / SUBSTITUTES |
RANKING 2000 - 2008 |
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The USA improved in the preliminary round and won in group A; after tight victories in the quarter and half finals against SRB 3:2 and RUS 3:2, the team won the final convincingly 3:1 against BRA.
Team in general
· Team formation with plenty of veteran, experienced players – with ITA and BRA oldest team of the tournament (average age 30.4 years, 6 players from the OG 2004, no player born after 82); together with RUS „tallest“ team (average with libero >200 cm).
· Excellently organized and structured game; manner of playing intelligently adapted to the respective opponent (computer assisted game control).
Serve
· Good mixture of jump and float serves (appr. 73:27%) with variable techniques and excellent tactical adaptation. Above-average direct scores by forceful jump serves, mainly by No 13 Stanley (average by set 0,5)!
Reception
· Average reception performance; ranking ninth in players’ ranking - No 5 Lambourne (64 %) und No 8 Priddy (61 %) success. Depending on situation neat use of reception techniques.
· Mainly in 3-player formation – occasionally shift and take over by supporting on the weaker side of the fellow player; vary reception from overhand and in bump!
Set / Attack Complex 1 and Complex 2
· Organisation of the sets intelligent, adapted to the opponent, technically skilled and varied (long and short paths) by the very experienced setter No 1 Ball (since the OG 2000)! Prefers first tempo sets (>27 %) with 2-4 m distance at in-between positions and back court sets (appr. 25 %) with Stanley (a bit higher) and Priddy over the middle of the net (Pipe).
· Attack in complex I: Speedy and variable attack; prefer to play long distances and high tempo over pos. 4; always elements of surprise by first attack from No 1 setter Ball – also when game continues!
· Attack in complex II: Varies and like to alter the attackers when game continues (Rally); deliberate quick transition game in transition situations (defence, covering, freeball)!
· Stanley (HF 1/pos. 2) as well as Salmon and Priddy (pos. 4) are put in difficult situations – attack from high sets (diagonal sets)
Block / Defence
· In connection with serve well adapted opponent-specific block-defence behaviour, occasionally vary start and block positions of the net players!
· With 1.0 avg by set very successful as team – in the best blockers’ ranking list, there are two outstanding blockers: No 4 Lee – ranking second (1.0 avg by set) and No 9 Millar – ranking fourth (0.79 avg by set)!
· Particular strengths in block at the outside positions 2 and 4; good support at the middle positions.
· Strict specialization on positions in defence (libero and middle blocker pos. 5); short-distance covering by back court player and net player not being involved in the block!