Today the full World League finals picture came into focus, as it was the final day of round-robin play prior to the semifinals. We already had one team in, Russia, but the othe three spots remained up for grabs. The first match of the day pitted Brazil against Canada. The scenarios for advancement for these two teams were….relatively simple. Any win in under 5 sets would advance that team to the semis. A 5-set match probably stood to favour Canada either way, but it would come down to net points if it were a 5-set win by Brazil.
Both teams entered carrying injuries following their respective matches with Russia. For Brazil, Leandro Vissotto was out, with Wallace de Souza in his place in the starting lineup after playing ably as a sub on night one. Canada setter Dustin Schneider sustained a leg injury in the late going against the Russians, and was ruled of this match, leaving Josh Howatson to do all the setting. Also in injury news, Gavin Schmitt, who had missed a lot of action in the weeks leading up to these finals but did quite well in yesterday's match, was again out of the starting lineup in favour of Dallas Soonias. He was still expected to play, however.
Canada got the first service point on their first attempt at it, going up 2-nil with a nice kill for Soonias off the block and out. They gave it right back, though, with a net fault whistled against Adam Simac to make it 2-all. Brazil briefly went ahead by 2, but an ace serve for Gord Perrin brought it level again. A hitting error for Dante Amaral and a tippy little pushing cut shot by Soonias (those lefties, getcha every time) put Canada up two again on 6-4. The next serve, by Perrin, was ruled out, and Canada challenged. The video evidence was immediately clear, and the call was overturned. The score at the first technical timeout was 8-5 Canada.
Then on the next rally, Ricardo Lucarelli went up for a 1-on-1 matchup on the left side — and got stuffed. After the sideout, Wallace took one back getting through the double block to draw within 9-7. Wallace pulled another back on serve at 10-8, the quick way — he found the floor for an ace. Canada called time with their lead narrowed to a single point. The timeout successfully iced Wallace, and he netted his next serve. On 11-9, a Canadian hit went long, with no touch called. The line judge nearest the play tried to call it, but the up referee told the protesting Canadian captain Fred Winters that that's "not his call." Replays showed that there was indeed a touch, and that's not a challenge-able call. More wide and long hits ran the Brazilians out to their first substantive lead of the set, at 14-11. Canada coach Glenn Hoag called time again there, probably holding his nose to do it. It was just a speed bump to the technical timeout, coming at 16-11. The boys in yellow dug everything and found the floor with ease.
Lucarelli gifted the Canadians their sideout by netting his serve on 16-11. Dante got the kill through the double block to keep Canada from going on a service run. It went sideout after sideout to 18-13, when the ball was ruled out off Brazil to continue the string. Brazil captain, setter Bruno Rezende, elected to go to the video tape, challenging for a centre line violation to be called against Howatson. And the video proof was there, putting Brazil up six. Simac was a little slow to get up on the rally ending 20-14, as he landed a little awkwardly after his block jump. Justin Duff entered the match in his place. Canada pulled back a service point to draw within four at 21-17, a great long rally with multiple digs from Perrin and Soonias keeping it alive. But they came no closer. A block on serve for Lucas Saatkamp against Duff on the quick hitter up the middle made it set point for Brazil on 24-18, and they just needed the one try at it. Another hitting error sealed the set on 25-18, a pretty stark turnaround for the world #1 team after a slow start.
Canada had just 7 kills in the first set, and committed 12 scoring errors. Eep. You can't do that against the world #1 team.
Set 2 started out with sideout for sideout. Soonias scored the first service point to put Canada up 3-2, after they'd opened up on serve. Simac's subsequent serve was ruled out, but was very close. They elected not to challenge, and Simac subbed out for the libero. 3-3 was then a terrific, long rally, at last terminated by Lucarelli, as his final hit was 'over-dug' and out of bounds. Canada went to the quick hitter up the middle with Duff on 4-3, but he hit long, giving Brazil the first two-point lead. Canada managed to let the set not get away from them, with Winters' kill from left side drawing the set even again at 6-all. The subsequent rally was another long one. Canada libero Dan Lewis came up with several digs on tricky little roll shots from the other side, and Soonias paid off his efforts with a kill on the right side. Back-to-back points gave Brazil the slender lead at the first technical timeout, 8-7.
Brazil got the kill coming out of the timeout, Wallace finding the floor and flashing a big smile as he headed back to serve. At 10-8, Lucarelli's serve elicited an overpass by Canada. Lucas passed on the opportunity to just smack the ball, and instead Brazil set their offence like normal. Perrin tried to dig the subsequent hit but was whistled for a lift. The rally ending 12-9 was a kill for Brazil that the Canadians challenged, for some reason. The ball was easily in. Gavin Schmitt entered the match for the first time there. Dante scored a fortunate kill on the next rally, getting his swing to rebound off the block and out to the far sideline, putting his team up by four. On the rally ending 14-11, Brazil challenged for a net fault to be called against Canada after Perrin scored on a roll shot. The replay actually showed Dante to have netted, so hey, six of one half a dozen of the other as far as the point going to Canada. Schmitt peeled back one on serve to crawl back within two at 14-12. At 15-13, Schmitt sent his serve long to bring us to the second technical timeout.
Schmitt got his third kill in as many swings on the first rally after the technical, but Lucas had no problem getting the receipt on the quick hitter afterward. On 17-15, Rudy Verhoeff entered as a serving sub and unleashed one of the best serves Canada had had all night, appearing to disrupt the Brazilian offence ever so slightly. The ball crossed the net a few times, but the rally ended with a double-block rejection against Lucarelli, pulling Canada within a point at 17-16. Another nice serve for Canada on 18-17 led to a free ball coming back their way. Again it took a few tries, but Perrin found the floor to draw the set even at 18's. Brazil took their first timeout there.
Four straight sideouts followed the technical timeout, and Winters broke the string with a massive solo block to give Canada the lead. The 21-20 rally was a missed opportunity, as Canada were given an overpass to gobble up but they couldn't find the floor. The rally ended with a centre line violation against Canada. At 22-21, there was a stoppage in play, as the in-house scoreboard read 23-20. Brazil coach Bernardinho Rezende brought the error to the attention of the officials, and for my liking it took much too long to sort it out (they did eventually get it right). Coming back, though, Schmitt proved he was not put off by the brief stoppage, getting a nice serve in and then the kill on his own serve (something you don't see all that often indoor). That put the Canadians up 23-21, and Brazil called their last tmeout.
Wallace got Brazil their sideout to draw within a point, sending Eder back to serve. A double block by Lucas and Lucarelii against Schmitt made it a tied set again at 23-all, and Canada called time. This time Howatson went to Winters on the left pin, and Brazil had the double block again, making it set point. Canada called time again there. Coach Glenn Hoag said nothing, with his men saying everything to one another that they needed to. On the first rally after the timeout, Howatson again fed Winters on the left pin, and this time he got the kill off the block and out to stave off set point and draw even at 24-all.
Lucarelli got the kill on the next rally, to give Brazil another set point on 25-24. Bernardinho went to a double sub on that rally, with Lipe Fonteles and William Arjona entering the match. Canada went to the middle for a quick 'tipper' if you will, and it worked, making it 25-all. Lucarelli got the next sideout as well, sending himself back to serve Brazil's next set point at 26-25. The ball was nearly overpassed, but Howatson saved it, and successfully set the kill to the left side. Howatson served on 26-all, and the Brazilian libero Mario da Silva Pedreira Junior over-passed right into Schmitt's waiting hands, giving Canada their first set point on 27-26. Canada went to Schmitt on the right pin for their hit at 27-all, but he got blocked back again. That rotated Lucas to the serving line, and his serve went straight into the net. Canada had a few chances to seal it on 28-27, but several block touches came back to them, and then a double-hit was called against Howatson to draw the scores level at 28-all. At that point, Wallace and Bruno re-entered the match, the latter heading back to serve. A lift was called on reception against Perrin on Bruno's serve, bringing Brazil back to set point on 29-28. Really tight call, especially since you're supposed to call it loose on the first contact.
And the air came out of the balloon. The cut shot from the left side cut much too much and didn't cross the net, giving set 2 to Brazil.
Brazil edged ahead in the early going of set 3, taking their first two-point lead at 5-3. It got worse for Canada pretty quickly, as block after block, mostly against the visibly frustrated Schmitt, got them out ahead 8-4 at the first technical timeout. They added another, a roll shot kill for Wallace to make it 9-4.
After a few sideouts, Canada got a nice solo block from Perrin to draw within three at 10-7. Schmitt finally got another kill, off the block and out, on the next rally, prompting Brazil's timeout on 10-8. The Canadians made it back within a point on 11-10 with a heater for the kill by Simac. Canada had a shot to draw even at 15-15, with Perrin able to take a shot against no blockers at one point, but he did not find the floor. Brazil got the sideout to maintain their slender advantage at the second technical timeout, 16-14.
The sideout string broke on 17-15, when Canada were whistled for a net fault they didn't appear to commit. They called time down three at 18-15. There were lots of net touches on the 18-15 rally, ruled incidental in real time. The rally ended with a kill from the middle attack, and Brazil captain Bruno challenged, either for a net touch or a centre line violation. The video evidence didn't show either, and the call stood. Part of Howatson's left foot did go past the centre line, but for it to be a violation, the entire foot has to. So no fault was called. Bruno continued to squawk after the call still went against him, and he was assessed a yellow card. Canada kept siding out, and then Winters got the kill on a long rally at 19-17 to draw back within a single point. Perrin's next serve went right into the net, gifting the Brazilians their sideout. Brazil got the service point back right away with Wallace getting the kill on a roll shot. Lewis had the dig, but Howatson and Perrin failed to keep the ball up on a second contact.
Canada called time there, but the chain had undeniably snapped. Getting two on the bump at 22-19, Brazil advanced to match point on 24-19. Winters staved off one to draw within 24-20, but the damage was done, as Wallace got the final point to win the match.
Brazil d. Canada (25-18, 30-28, 25-20)
The clock was bound to strike midnight at some point, and so it did. Team Canada are eliminated without the chance to play for a medal, but this is still a huge high-water mark for the program, something to build on and be proud of. I'll tell you what, and I know it's too early to truly be saying things like this, but I'm dreaming dreams of Canada volleyball at Rio 2016. Why not? Canada and USA play each other right now, I'd have to favour Canada, honestly and conscientiously. Things can and will change over the next three years (and it's actually not impossible for the US and Canada both to make the Olympics), especially as a unit who aren't particularly familiar with one another (the Americans) become so. But the best days are ahead for the core of this Canadian team. Of that I have no doubt.
I think it's pretty plain to see that the Canadians are better off with Dustin Schneider on the floor setting. Size be damned, he runs a much cleaner offence than Josh Howatson did tonight. Some of that's also on the boys across the net — Brazil's serving and menacing front-line make life difficult for any setter — but all those centre line faults and net touches and ball handling faults kind of added up. And it's a bit of a shame the referee's whistle played a part in how the barn-burner of a second set ended, but that didn't decide the match. It probably didn't even decide the set, on its own. Canada had some set point chances, but just couldn't convert. In set 3, they really just looked like the wind was gone from their sails.
But as I said, it's a watershed moment for Canada volleyball, being here at these World League finals and beating Russia to open up competition. That's something they can never take away, nor the fifth place overall finish, nor a return ticket to the World League next year (it's the first time Canada will ever be in the event three straight years). It's a few scant months until the NORCECA Championships (mid-October) where Canada have a real shot at their first-ever gold, what with the Americans still finding their way and the Cubans looking like they're at about the nadir of their program.
I'd sorrynotsorry 'apologise' for expending so much space talking about the losing team, but what do I really need to say about Brazil that isn't readily apparent? They are a very strong team, even when not quite at full strength, and really their reputation precedes them with cause. Volleyball is arguably not valued any more highly than it is in Brazil (soccer of course is still king in Brazil, but volleyball's a damn close second) and whichever is the cause, whichever is the effect, they've also been at the top of the world scene since pretty much forever. With the next Olympics being played in Brazil, one has to think every stop will be pulled out to ensure an Olympic championship at home in three years' time after two disappointing silvers in the last Olympiads. A dedicated, stringent Brazilian team targetting gold at any cost (well….hopefully not literally any cost, but you get the picture) should cause nightmares for coaches and players the world over.
Read on for my report on the night cap between Italy and Argentina.
The house was rockin' in match 2, as the Italians and Argentinians took the court to settle the matter of whom would join Brazil and Russia in the World League final 4. The scenarios were simpler for this one — any win advanced Italy, as would a three-set win for Argentina. A 3-2 win for Argentina would actually still advance Italy, while if Argentina won 3-1 it would go to net points.
The very first rally of the match was a good one, with Rodrigo Quiroga on one side of the net and Ivan Zaytsev venturing long and getting digs with their off hands. The rally ended with Simone Parodi leading a double block against Bruno Romanutti for the sideout. Dragan Travica scored the match's first service point, with an early ace to make it 3-1. The Italians took their next service point to go ahead 6-3, and Argentina coach Javier Weber expended an early timeout. A ball handling fault and a wide hit by Sebastian Sole meant it was 8-3 Italy at the first technical.
The Argentinians overpassed on their first serve reception after the technical timeout, giving Italy a very easy kill. Cristian Savani kept the ball rolling on the next point, and the deficit reached 10-3. A service ace for Emanuele Birarelli, and it was 11-3. Argentina called their second and final timeout there, the set likely already gone. Romanutti finally got the Argentines their sideout at 11-4, and his reward for it was a trip to the bench. Nicolas Uriarte and Ivan Castellani rotated in as subs, Uriarte to serve (and set). They played a little more even from there, and pulled back a couple of service points in amid the sideouts, but still trailed by a rather substantial 16-10 at the second technical timeout.
Castellani had a shot to pull another back on the 16-11 rally, but he missed his shot long. It looked like there may have been a touch (even though that's not reviewable), but Castellani immediately did the "raise your hand to acknowledge that you screwed up" thing. On 17-12, Argentina put up the double block against Zaytsev to draw a point closer. On 18-13, Birarelli missed his hit, and it got a little interesting as the deficit was closed to four. A bad unforced error on the Italians' part (Zaytsev, I believe) made it a three-point set at 19-16, and Italy called time.
At 19-16, Italy ran a sneaky little wheel play that I quite liked, but Argentina got the dig. Italy then dug their return, and Travica got the kill on the good old setter dink. Italy extended to five again at 21-16, and recent sub Matteo Piano rotated back to serve, and scored an ace. His next serve went long, but you take that, don't you? A service error on the Argentinian side made it set point for Italy, and Marco Falaschi came in as a serving sub. His one attempt went wide, and Parodi rotated back in. Sole came up with a solo block against Birarelli to at least get Argentina to 20, but Zaytsev hit off the block and out to claim set 1 by 25-20.
The Italians had the advantage on the serving line and in attacking in set 1, while blocks and opponent errors were basically a wash.
Argentina remained with Uriarte at the setter position to begin set 2, keeping the vaunted Luciano De Cecco on the bench. And the Argentines took their first lead of the night on 3-1. But they could not expand upon that lead. Italy briefly drew even again at 4-all, but Castellani's ace after the sideout re-established the 2-point lead on 6-4. They held that lead to the first technical timeout, coming at 8-6.
Argentine coach Javier Weber implored his men to be "long" (largos) as he spoke to them on the sideline at the technical. Stressing blocking, I suppose. Italy came even at 8-all, with a dandy of a service ace by Savani coming after their sideout. It went sideout after sideout until Zaytsev's kill on 11-all, as he seemed to bail out the libero Andrea Giovi for making a tight bump set. Zaytsev easily found the floor anyway. The Argentine setter Uriarte made an interesting kill to make it 13-all a little while later, as Sole was the setter on what had the makings of a broken play. Thomas Beretta across the net seemed to want a lift or a double called on Sole's set (and I thought the same, in real time), but no call came. A couple of nice swings for Federico Pereyra on the left side put the home team back on top again at 15-14. That margin held to the second technical timeout.
Italy got their sideout on 16-all, and took the lead back with a kill for Zaytsev. Argentina, though, took the lead back themselves on 19-18 as Birarelli hit wide from the middle attack on a ball that looked like it was set much too low. Travica and Birarelli got right back on the horse, and executed the quick hitter much better on the next rally to knot the set again at 19's. They took the lead back at 21-20 with — who else? — Zaytsev, to prompt Argentina's timeout. Zaytsev once again found the floor to put Italy up by two crucially late, but a reception miscue on Argentina's serve at 22-21 (kind of a tight call) tied the set. Italy called time there, but it only served to presage an ace for Quiroga to put Argentina up a point. Pereyra then hit off the block and out — off Savani's head and out, to be precise — to bring us to set point for Argentina. Italy called time there, and staved off the first set point with a double block led by Zaytsev (was he in on every point, or what?) but Argentina converted set point on reception. A tip shot for Castellani made it a 25-23 final in favour of the home team.
The Italians won the first rally of set 3, but still found cause to squawk to the up referee about something. The ref said to them "I told you this kind of discussion is not acceptable!" and assessed the team a yellow card. Goodness knows what the squawking was for or about, but it's always good to take steps to nip it in the bud. The teams traded points for a while, with back-to-back blocks for the Argentines getting them out ahead for the first time in the set on 6-5. On the following rally, Uriarte was whistled for a lift on his hand set, another pretty tight call. Tempers seemed to flare a little at that point, certainly in the stands and also a little on the court. On 7-6, Italy's hit (probably Zaytsev, but I missed just whose hand it was) was ruled long. They protested the call, before they remembered they could just ask for a video review. They did, and the call was pretty clearly wrong in real time — the entire ball landed inside the court — and the point was given to Italy to take us to the first technical timeout.
The lead for the Italians quickly reached four at 10-6, and Argentina expended a charged timeout. It worked to ice Zaytsev on the service line, as he netted his serve on 10-6. Beretta made a terrific serve at 13-9, a falcon of a sinkerball that landed millimetres in front of the diving Argentinian receiver. After Argentina sided out, 14-10 was then a very long rally. It ended a little anti-climactically, as Italy's dig and set weren't bad on their last possession, they just went…..nowhere. The ball harmlessly fell in. They rebounded from that nicely, with Parodi ripping a cross-court winner and the Argentine setter Uriarte being whistled for an over-reach to take us to the second technical timeout, at 16-11 Italy.
The set, and therefore any prospect for semifinals advancement, just kind of slipped away for the Argentines. Italy made it a six-point set for the first time at 20-14 and the home team really came no closer. An ace for Savani made it a seven-point set for the first time, and set point came at 24-17. Pablo Crer hit straight into the middle block right there to end it. That sealed the group and set the final 4 matchup, as Italy slotted in against Russia and Bulgaria against Brazil in the semifinals.
With the semifinals taken care of, Italy emptied their bench a little. Piano, who saw brief playing time in set 1 as a blocking and serving specialist, came on the court to start the 4th, as did the other libero Salvatore Rossini and Filippo Lanza. The home team took advantage in the early going, targetting the new boys with serves and hits and staking themselves to the early 4-1 lead. The foremost starter to remain on the court was, of course, Zaytsev, and he got the sideout to 4-2 and a very good service point with a roll shot to draw back within a point. Lanza made some rookie mistakes, committing a net fault to keep Argentina in the lead and foot fault on his serve to do the same. Wily veteran Birarelli took the service point to draw the Italians back even at 6-all, and then he targetted Pereyra with his next serve. The young man shanked his reception, putting the boys in blue on top for the first time in set 4. Another strong serve led to bad reception and a point for the Italians to make it 8-6 at the technical timeout, a 7-2 run after the 4-1 open.
Birarelli's service run continued after the technical, with Castellani missing his shot down the line. He got the point right back on the next rally, and then Zaytsev flubbed his reception of Quiroga's serve to bring Argentina back within 1 at 9-8. The entire Italian back line let Quiroga's next serve go — and it fell a good few inches in for another ace. But the chain snapped again. Argentina were prompted into their charged timeout on 14-11 (choppy connection, missed how this happened). A centre line violation and a big kill for Zaytsev made it 16-11 at the second technical timeout.
It was Piano on serve at 16-11, and he went after Quiroga with his jump-float. Quiroga just about tripped over his feet trying to receive it. He was subbed out for Nicolas Bruno, which may have been a waving of the white flag. At 17-12, more Argentinians subbed in, to get themselves World League experience. The lead for Italy reached seven at 19-12, and you could hear a pin drop inside the arena. The young fellas madea couple of nice plays to take back a service point to make it 19-14. Then they got another with a stuff block up the middle to close to within 20-16. It looked like Italy were still well in line to easily close out the set, leading 22-18, but that's when the Argentine second-stringers came up with three straight, notably a big block against Zaytsev to close within a point. But once again, the chain snapped, and Italy reached match point at 24-21. They sealed the match on reception to send the home fans home unhappy.
Italy d. Argentina (25-20, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22)
The Argentinian team put on a reasonably good show for their home fans, but this outcome was always the most likely. They stuck out like a sore thumb with their 1-9 showing in the intercontinental round getting them through to the finals on host nation exemption. I have to say I was hoping for more from them in this tournament, and I have to wonder whether they'll even figure into their usual role as second bananas at the CSV Championship later this year (Brazil have never not won the event, with the exception of 1964 which they skipped due to political tumult at home).
It seemed like Ivan Zaytsev was in on every single scoring play, good or bad, for the Italians, though the finals core sheet shows him with a relatively small total 15 kills. That still led all scorers, but I thought it would be higher. The difference in the match was serving, as the Italians had 10 service aces to 4 for Italy. Errors slightly favoured the Italians as well, as they spotted Argentina 28 points while getting 33 back from the home team. It was never very flashy — it was a pretty workmanlike performance (much like the first match, really), and it was good enough to advance team Italy to the final four.
They'll play the first semifinal tomorrow, against Russia, with Brazil/Bulgaria to feature in the second half of the twin bill.
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