Tokyo (Japan)

There are many different ways to define the Volleyball players’ roles. Probably the widespread one is classifying by the place taken on the net. Thus “right attacker” is the one who hits and blocks from that position, middle blocker stays in the center, obviously, and left spiker attacks from position 4 (this is another way to call the left part of the net).

Depending on the different rotations, the players have to stay in specific areas and, only after the serve, they can move without mixing the back and front row players.

Last but not least the setter, who has special task, usually sets and blocks from the right position.

Let’s forget for a while the team that is passing and think about the squad that is serving.

The three front line players decide how to move according to the opponents’ characteristics or their own better skills. Most of the time, as I wrote before, opposite spiker (or setter) will move to the right, swing hitter will go to the left and, needn’t to say, middle blocker stays in the center.

However, if the best opponents attacker is hitting from position 4, the other team will likely set the best blocker, (wherever he is) in front of him.
Do remember that the position 4 of one court corresponds at position 2 (by mirror effect) in the other side.

The previous choice is the simplest by considering only the adversary’s characteristics. But, what if a team needs to protect his weaker blocker?

For example: the tiniest Japanese setter, Yoshie Takeshita (only 159 cm) is by far the main block target of any tactic.

When Japan is serving and Takeshita is in front row, the three players stay very close to each other, not giving any hint at all. They wait motionless, until the opposite setter has to switch the look to her own side.

At that time Takeshita starts moving to her position.

Moreover, the Japanese back row players, knowing where Takeshita will set out to block, will redouble the digging area in line with Takeshita’s blocking place.

It is really amazing to see how many different feints Japanese team presents. Sometimes they wait as long as possible, other times they move earlier in one way and suddenly they change direction. And if the opponent pass is far from the net, Takeshita moves away, leaving only two players blocking the predictable set.

This is another match inside the game. The two setters are like little children that play at “hide and seek."


Why Dominican Republic won: Dominican Republic and Thailand are the two sides of the coin. One relies on attack power, the other one on digging skills. Caribbean are tall and powerful, Asiatic small and thin. Dominican celebrate screaming and looking through the net, Thai smile meekly and ever support each other. These two opposite ways represent these faraway country that are very dissimilar.
The Volleyball make them closer as the final result: Dominican Republic won 3 – 2 (fifth set ended 16-14). In Tokyo’s Metropolitan Gymnasium they were so close due to a slightest points difference.

Why Italy won: the planned line up changing of the Italian coach Barbolini (aimed to saving energy in this long tournament) was risky. Italian players, during the match with Korea (a weaker but not poor team) lost the harmony and smoothness that they had distinguished in the previous games. They felt frustrated at each “not-scored” point. At the end the Italian excellence emerged but the team spirit was not as solid as before.


Why Serbia won:  everything happened in few minutes at the end of fourth set. Japan went back after two lost sets. The Yanagimoto's girls were playing good and quick. Serbian coach, Terzic, was very upset looking at his downhearted team. Japan was leading by 17-10 (highest advantage) and everyone was waiting for fifth set (Serbian players included). Therefore, Takeshita and teammates made some errors trying to win quickly. Those mistakes took back Serbian that tied at 22. 22. Nikolic (Serbian attacker) managed very well the last points and, unexpectedly, Serbia won the set and the match.

Bye bye andrea zorzi