2022 FIVB World Championships

USA started out slow against DR, but just got better and better as the match went on. A big difference between the 1st,which the USA lost 21-20, and the 2nd set, which the USA won 25-19, was the serve receive. USA serve receive in the 1st set was on 43% good, whereas in the 2nd set it was 63% good. Big difference. As usual, the USA serve was excellent, out acing DR 7-2, and also with multiple DR out-of-system/overpass balls cuz of the serve. DR out blocked the USA 12-9.

Franti, Drews and Cook led the USA with kills having, 14, 14 & 13 respectively. Very even distribution. Ogbogu & Washington both had 7 kills. Karch did the double sub in every set (Carlini & Cuttino), (I think). Cuttino had at least one kill every time she came in. She looked good (5 kills). Tapp came in for Ogbogu in set 3 & 4. She had 2 kills and 1 block.  Franti didn't have the dominant match like we've been used to seeing, but she adjusted to the DR block after getting having problems in the early part of the match.

DR has a big physical team which gets a lot of blocks and touches. So the USA went to faster sets to give the DR less time to set up.

USA kept getting better and won the 4th set 25-14. Impressive win against a pretty good team.

I just watched the Italy vs Brazil match. It went 5 sets with Brazil winning, 25-20,22-25,22-25, 25-21, 17-15. Really high quality volleyball. The defense was astounding. The match had two of the best volleyball players in the world. Egonu, a 6'3" opposite on Italy who is only 23. She hit .291 on 33-14-72 hitting. Gabi for Brazil, amazingly,is only 5'11". BUT she hit .348 on 30-7-66 hitting. Gabi is 28.

Disgusting match. Poland played lights out; a near perfect match.
USA looked out of sorts and Kiraly was clueless making adjustments.